I'm planning on doing an exchange of all the fluid in my transmission in my '02 soon, but I'm not finding any GOOD information or how-tos on doing so. Everyone in the F150 world always links to this one article written by a guy on changing the fluid in a 4R100, but it isn't useful since its just text..no pics, and is basically written for 4R100s.
Anyway, what I NEED to do is this:
1. Use cooler line to extract out fluid in pan.
2. Drop pan, clean magnet, clean gasket, install new filter, rebolt pan up.
3. Pour enough new Mercon V into the transmission to replace what was sucked out in step 1.
4. Use cooler line to extract out 1 old quart, refill transmission with 1 new quart.
5. Repeat until old fluid running out of transmission cooler line is clean red.
I've got no problem doing any of this, but I can't figure out where on the transmission cooler line I should disconnect. I have researched into this for 8-10 hours online and a few things are said:
1. Disconnect the RETURN (from the radiator) line AT the transmission.
2. Disconnect the RETURN joint where the metal transmission line meets a rubber line under the engine.
3. Disconnect the RETURN AT the radiator.
Couple of problems:
1. I have no idea which one is the return line.
2. It is almost impossible to remove the lines AT the transmission unless you have baby hands. No clearance to get a wrench up in there due to exhaust heat shields.
3. The 4-5" piece of rubber that connects the transmission lines to the radiator under the front end of the vehicle are one-way connectors. There is no tool to remove this connection.
4. It won't be easy to remove the lines connecting to the radiator because, assuming you remove the RETURN line, you won't have any place to temporarily connect a hose to direct the old fluid to a bucket or container.
What is the requirement to remove the RETURN line? If it all flows in a loop, I don't understand why I can't just use one of the lines that goes from the transmission TO THE radiator.
its better to take off the return line at the trans because that ensures it all being pumped out of the cooler. Depending on the model you may have a seperate trans cooler and it wont go on the rad at all.
you could always take the heat shield off and replace after you hook it all up.
to figure out which is the return line drive your truck around for a while to get it hot and reach under and touch each of the lines. The cooler of the lines is the return
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Gotts Intake - OBX Long Tube Headers - Magnaflow 15749 - DIY Efans - MAC UDP's - 5 star Tunes - 75m TB - Ported intake - 06 4r75e trans swap - 33" Firestone Destination M/Ts
240,000+ Miles
The return line does not go to the pan so you cannot take any fluid out from the pan using it.
One way is to use a suction pump throught the fill pipe.
Another way, since you are taking the pan down, is to just put up with a bit of a mess and losen the pan bolts and drop one end until enough drains out to finish the removal.
I would suggest you install a drain fitting in the pan for future use.
If you want to do this, then just drill a 1/8" hole in one corner and let it drain, then weld or plug it with a good small bolt and loctite..
Either way you won't get the fluid out of the converter without running the motor just long enough to lose flow from the converter line to the radiator.
A way to tell which line is which is to run the truck in gear about 10 to 20 seconds hard against the foot brake.
Then check which line feels warm to the touch. It is the pressure line from the converter. The colder line is the return.
The reason why the return line does not go directly back to the pan is the cooled fluid is used to lube and cool some parts before dropping into the pan.
Otherwise a full flush using a fluid displacement machine will get all the fluid replaced.
From about 02, the converters have no drain plug.
Good luck.
The article written for the 4R100 also applies to the 4R70. However, it's a lot less hassle just paying a shop to do it with an exchange machine. Shop around and look for coupons, just make sure they use Mercon V spec fluid.
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2003 F150XL 4.2 short cab/bed 4x2 5 speed manual 3.55 LS
Had mine done at the dealer. Cost me about $200, but I couldn't figure out how to get it all out or out of the converter if I did it myself.
Places like Jiffy Lube just suck out what they can from the fill tube and replace. The dealer "flushes" it I'm told through the fluid to radiator lines.
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