wix filters

[boggs1227]

well i'm just about to do my first fluid change since the rebuild of my a4ld ( about 16k on it so far ) the first time i changed it back when i first got the x and i'm not sure but i think the gasket was rubber ( plus it was a generic brand filter kit ...not wix) .

so after buying a wix brand filter i'm wondering if the gasket they supplied is better than the rubber ones i've used in the past ....pic ,

looks like the gasket is a hybred of rubber and cork !? will this be ok or should i go buy a quailty rubber one ?

 

[Scott B.]

I've always used the gaskets that came with the WIX filters.

I don't use any sealer, either. I just use them dry.

BTW, WIX no longer is re-boxing the MicroFelt filters. Their new ones are made in China. Motorcraft is the only source of MicroFelt that I know of.

 

[boggs1227]

so the one i bought is not the micro felt filter ?


btw: if your going through town ..be carefull if your hwy 20 ...cops have been patroling that road like crazy this week .

 

[Scott B.]

so the one i bought is not the micro felt filter ?


btw: if your going through town ..be carefull if your hwy 20 ...cops have been patroling that road like crazy this week .

Look at the filter itself - "MicroFelt" will be stamped in the steel, and molded in the plastic. Also, the Chinese-made ones come in a sealed plastic bag with a "Made in China" sticker on the box (over the "Made in USA" label.)

Thanks for the tip - heading over to Lowes and Depot after work.

 

[Heavymentill]

Never use gasket maker in a transmission as it has the potential to break off and plug some of the small ports in the valve body.

 

[boggs1227]

never really thought about that ...good point . ( btw when i got my x the person that did it the last time just used blue rtv ...no gasket ! )

i've used that in the past for pans and i useally put it on thin and press the gasket to the pan the the tranmission side of the pan i leave clean .


i do have this ....

the only reason i put this on is to hold the gasket in place and provide a little extra umph' for sealing .


so your saying i really should not use anything ?

 

[Heavymentill]

I have never and would never use gasket maker on any transmission I repair. Usually you can place the gasket on the pan then push the bolts through both the pan and gasket. The gasket will hold the bolts in place, then when you are installing the pan all the bolts are already there. Just screw the 4 corners in enough to not push the remaining bolts out of the pan. Get them all secure then tighten them to required torque. (I don't use a torque wrench, but it is possible over tightening will cause a leak) I usually use rubber gaskets but I know this works for some cork gaskets. But after all that being said, its your vehicle you can do what ever makes you happy.

 

[Scott B.]

No, don't use any sealer on the gasket.

The bolt holes in the gasket are slightly undersized, so they will hold the bolts in the cover, making it much easier to line up the gasket when you re-install it.

BTW, are you going to put in a drain plug? It will make future changes significantly easier if you do.

 

[boggs1227]

yes actually i have ( been wanting to that for a while ) but i have not bought one yet . since i got a 2 wheel drive and rarelly do any off road driveing ( maybe a dirt road ever now and then ) i thought about drilling out the pan at it's lowest point and install the drain there but i worry if the rare chance i do roll over something tall enough i could damage the drain plug and lose all my fluid .

any particular brand name that i should look into ? or any plain generic drain kit will do ?

and i understand about the sealant ..... i'll just use the gasket by it's self . ( thanks for the info on that )

 

[Scott B.]

Dormam, B&M, Mr. Gasket - several companies make generic drain plugs. I don't know that one is any better than any other one.

I agree with you on putting a plug at the low point - I carry a spare plug just for that reason.

 

[boggs1227]

ok cool .... when i'm at the parts store tommorow getting my fluid i'll see what they got and pick one up .

 

[shaggymane]

make sure when you install that drain plug kit it won't hit anything on the inside of the tranny. Including any moving parts. What looks like a space with room is that way because soemthing is going to move into that space. Clear as mud?

 

[boggs1227]

thanks for the heads up on the location for the drain .i have looked at t-bars thread when he added a temp guage sender for the pan so yeah ....need to be carefull where i drill at .

sorry to say i can't really do anything today on the explorer cause of monsoon weather we're haveng today ( i'm about freaking tired of this rain ).
so maybe this week end if it's nicer i'll be doing all of this .

really would like to goto pull-apart and pick me up another pan for this ( i like to have duplicate parts when modding so if you screw up you not out of the game so to speak ) .

 

[shaggymane]

thanks for the heads up on the location for the drain .i have looked at t-bars thread when he added a temp guage sender for the pan so yeah ....need to be carefull where i drill at .

really would like to goto pull-apart and pick me up another pan for this ( i like to have duplicate parts when modding so if you screw up you not out of the game so to speak ) .

Good idea. I wasn't going to admit I wasted a pan learning that. *snickers*