I'm going to have the tranny flushed tonight after work and was wondering if it was worth it to have the tranny flushed and replaced with synthetic fluid like Moble one.

I'm not sure if I can afford the extra $100 at this time due to all the extra activities for the next month or two but thought I'd ask.

I know for one it would make it run cooler but I don't know if it's worth the extra money right now, especially since I don't tow anything at the moment.

Thanks for your time!

 

I wouldn't listen to anyone unless they've used it since new and have never followed the service intervals and has their tranny last 200,000 miles as the truck trans are pretty strong. Follow the service intervals and use a cooler.

 

Uh. Mercon V is synthetic. And, if you know how to get into all components of the transmission, please let us know. All I know how to do is change the tranny fluid and filter, and clean the fluid pan. If that's all you're going to do, you only need about 4, 5 max, quarts of transmission fluid.

The manual says, for the '99 5.4L/4R70W, you need 13.9 quarts of Mercon V transmission fluid. They are about $3.89/quart.

-Joel

 

You may want to drain the torque convertor. Not doing so is only combining old and new fluid and achieving partial results.

 

I was going in for a full fluid flush at a friends shop. They said it exchanges all the fluid including the torque converter.

I ran out of time and couldn't get it changed. I will probably just go with Valvoline when I do it Monday.

red bull - That's all I know how to do and that's why I'm taking it into the shop

Thanks everyone.

 

max mitchell

What are the steps to drain the torque converter?

-Joel

 

You remove the plug from it through an access hole on the convertor section of the transmission case. You'll see this area between the rear of the engine and the transmission pan. Remove the plastic cover, turn the engine over with a breaker bar on the harmonic balancer center bolt until the convertor plug lines up with the access hole. Remove the plug and drain.

 

this thing you turn with the breaker bar is like a steel nub or something. what is it i'm looking at to hook onto to turn the engine.

Is this all of the trans. fluid in the assembly of the transmission?

Thanks for your reply.

-Joel

 

You're more than welcome. You're turning the center bolt (an actual bolt head) of the harmonic balancer/pulley with a socket. When you crawl under to see the convertor access plug, you can easily see the balancer from underneath, up front, between the engine and the radiator shroud. The harmonic balancer is slightly wedged and bolted onto the crankshaft at it's forward exit. The serpentine belt pulley is part of it as well; it's the lowest point/pulley the belt rides on. This will not remove every drop of transmission fluid, but the convertor holds a substantial portion. You drain the pan, the convertor, and don't worry about the small captured amount.

 

red bull:
Do it the way max says. When it came time for me to drain the TC and trans pan and put in Amsoil ATF I had read some posts suggesting cranking the engine to get the drain plug at the 6 o'clock position. FORGET ABOUT IT!! My wife and I found it next to impossible (divorce waiting to happen) so I thought that there had to be a better way. Got my breaker bar and an 18mm socket (I think) on the crank pulley nut and it was soooo easy to turn the engine over while looking at the TC.

gah

 

I love the idea of flushing all the old fluid from the tranny because you're not just diluting it with new fluid like when you drop the pan and change the filter. But I'm not familiar with the proceedure. Do they run some kind of cleaning fluid through the trans or just pump clean fluid into it until it runs clean?

Has anyone had it done on their truck?

Does anyone know how it is that they do this?

 

Think about it: retail merchant, best method. Which of the previous two phrases will a shop owner pay attention to?

I recently did the whole switch to Amsoil, and got all but 1/2 quart of the owner's manual advertised capacity for tranny fluid out by dropping the pan, changing the filter, and draining the TC.

I can live with that.

 

I inquired at my dealer about their trans " flush". The service man said that they hook it up to a pump and run fluid through the system until it is 100% new fluid. He said that this worked so good' " That they didn't even have to replace the trans filter!" What a crock!!!! After hearing this I decided to do it myself. Its not really that hard, but just a little messy. I got a grand total of 12 and 3/4 qts of fluid in after draining the convertor and replacing the filter. The pan gasket is re-usable. I got over 300K on an older AOD in a 85 F-150 by doing this type of routine fluid changes. I am a beleiver in doing the complete fluid change as recommended by Ford. With close to 30K invested in my truck, it has to last a long time.

 

Ok Here is what they do.

I went to my friends shop to have a trasnmission flush done and they also told me when they flush the fluid the tranny filter does not always need to be replaced.

He did agree with me to have mine replaced since it has not been done yet on my vehicle. They dropped my pan and changed the filter then found my wife and I to show us what the magnet looked like in the pan. All I could say was OMG there was alot of metal shavings on that thing, but then again it was a new vehicle so it was from break-in.

Any ways after they cleaned the pan and magnet and installed the filter they filled it back up and brought over the flushing unit.

What this machine does is it hooks up to the fitting on the way to the Transcooler. The line heading to the cooler hooks to the drain line and the new fill line goes to the cooler instead. Then they hook the machine up to the battery, filled the "new fluid" side and started the truck.

Basicly the truck changes it's own fluid with the help of the machine. The whole time this flush is going on the Tech periodicly checks the dip stick to make sure the level is correct and adjusts the flusher accordingly. By the end you see the very dark fluid change to a transparent red again and new fluid can be seen coming out. remove the machine, reconnect the hoses and your done.

That and an oil change cost me $149. I think it was well worth it now that everthing is new again.

Now I just want my truck back from getting the flex crack fixed on the driver's door! 1 year old and it already cracked!

Hope this wasn't too long for everyone.