I just visited every local Jiffy Lube, Quickie-Flush, and Strip-Your-Drain-Plug transmission service center in my area, and they ALL scratched their heads at the new fitting on the 2003 trans cooler line. I have a drain plug on my 4X4 pan, but since the torque convertor doesn't have one, the only way to get all the old fluid out is to connect at the trans line by the radiator and flush it all out by machine (I'm trying to replace the factory fill with Mobil 1 ATF). But nobody has the right equipment. Even the Ford dealers didn't have a clue and were like "uh... we'll have to see if we can order the right connector for that one, never seen one like that before!" The dealer said the fitting would take weeks to order... What's so special about this fitting anyway?

 

yeah i've used to the tool to get those out before. its just a little pastic thing that comes in one of the rotundra boxes.

go to a different ford dealer and tell them to look up the tool number, or i'll just get the tool number for you tomorrow at work

 

Thanks! I'll call around to other dealers tomorrow. Is this something you suggest I buy and keep in my glovebox for my own personal use and to lend to whover needs to use it when flushing? Or is this thing prohibitively expensive?

 

well the problem is that tools don't come one by one, they come in sets, and you might have to buy the set, rotundra charges buku $$ for tools so, i don't know if you'll be able to buy it.

it looks just like a cheap plastic fuel filter disconnect tool, but a little longer. every time i use it, i tell myself "i'm going to brake this thing" but it usually holds up.

 

I thought all L converters had drain plugs.....

 

Dont think so, but that has nothign to do with it really.

 

They stoped the TC drain plug in mid 01 i think.

Jace

 

I noticed my 03 L had that same fitting when I was installing my electric fan, I hate messing with those fittings (always afraid I will break them) so I pulled the fan shroud without disconnecting it.

 

i did the same thing, i dunno why you should go through all that trouble when you can just bend the plastic shroud around it.

 

I was just going to drain my pan and put in the RP synthetic....RP will mix with all conventional fluids......

 

My 01 Lightning was one of the last 60 made and it had a drain plug. I know they have stopped them since though. -Mat-

 

Its fine to do that, but youll probably only get in about 5 quarts, which isnt much compared to the 14 or 16 quarts that is in there (i forget the spec)

The best way to do it is to get a machine to power flush the trans with the fluid you want, youll get almost all of the old fluid out.

If you do have a drain plug in the tq conveter, you could do pretty well there too. Ive gotten all but about half a quart out of a 4r70w tranny using the drain plug and pulling the pan. Take awhile, but it works ok. But i still think bmw6 has the right idea, to get it machine flushed with the fluid of his choice.

 

My 02 doesn't have a drain plug so I had to have it filled with Mobil1 at a Ford dealership with a pump.