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I'm frozen in fear to even touch the transmission - sage advice please
ctechbob
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Lots of good advice here.
The method is up to you. At 90+K the filter should probably be changed, but more important is getting new fluid in there. I wouldn't be totally opposed to leaving a filter in for the full 150k interval, so long as the fluid was changed on a regular basis.
It is all going to come down to what you are comfortable with.
If you're good with tools and have the ability, swapping the filter out is not hard. If you'd prefer not to go that far, sucking the fluid out and replacing it is still better than letting it ride.
Something I would never ever do it take a transmission to AAMCO. Unless you personally know the people in the shop and they know what they're talking about. Some place that will rebuild any kind of transmission is probably not good at any of them.
The method is up to you. At 90+K the filter should probably be changed, but more important is getting new fluid in there. I wouldn't be totally opposed to leaving a filter in for the full 150k interval, so long as the fluid was changed on a regular basis.
It is all going to come down to what you are comfortable with.
If you're good with tools and have the ability, swapping the filter out is not hard. If you'd prefer not to go that far, sucking the fluid out and replacing it is still better than letting it ride.
Something I would never ever do it take a transmission to AAMCO. Unless you personally know the people in the shop and they know what they're talking about. Some place that will rebuild any kind of transmission is probably not good at any of them.
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TJC
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I let it go too far.Well, you can't argue with a moron.
It's over... I'm good and I hope Frenchy is good too.
Canadian Ranger
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The only thing I'm timid of is putting too much or two little fluid back in. The 'old method' of just measuring what comes out doesn't seem accurate on newer vehicles. I think older vehicles had a wide tolerance.
Old Red Replacement
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What everyone said, look at links and U Tube.
Its DIY or find experienced person or independent shop.
I did mine @ 6100 miles because we tow in Fl heat.
i was 75 lying on grass, sucking out fluid( messy to drop oem pan) loosing 19 mm dipstick cap hardest part. Good luck.
Its DIY or find experienced person or independent shop.
I did mine @ 6100 miles because we tow in Fl heat.
i was 75 lying on grass, sucking out fluid( messy to drop oem pan) loosing 19 mm dipstick cap hardest part. Good luck.
TJC
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That was exactly my concern. And I did overfill the first time following the Official Ford procedure.
Honestly. Ford wasn't specific about their definitions. They did not define "cold" by supplying a temperature range that they consider "cold", or a runtime range from starting the engine.
I can tell you that it is not start the engine, run through the gears at 5 second intervals, then fill to hatch area up to 6!
If you do this you will end up a segment above the fill level, between 3 and 4, and very near the top of 3 if you fill to 6 when in the temp window of 206F-215F.
I know this because did just that.
If you start your truck and let it run from between 12 - 17 minutes, running through the gears once, from park to sport and back to park at 5 second intervals, the "lower hash mark - 6" range on the dipstick works. But the timing range is a hard and fast range. You must check the dipstick within that time frame. 12 minutes is at the lower hash mark, 17 minutes is going to be at 6.
I prefer to check it within a minute of starting the truck. I run through the gears just like above, and immediately check the fluid level. The correct level with be the fluid just touching the Fitzstick up to 1/8" up the stick. The longer you wait the higher the fluid will climb up the dipstick.
The chart below was created after i had filled the transmission to the diamond between 4 and 5 at 215F. Every point on the Fitzstick has the exact same fluid level in the transmission, just at different running times and temperatures. The engine runtime to hit those temps is in the chart below the dipstick.
Note that the runtime chart only goes to 180F. It is because I had to let the truck cool overnight and the time needed to get above 180F was becoming a bit long. The temps above 180F were taken on the way down from 235F after overshooting the 215F due to power braking the engine to raise the transmission temps. I went back to idle at 210F but transmission temps continued toclimb to 235F, then slowly dropped.
I measured at 10F increments using the Ford transmission fluid temp sensor through my xTools D8 Bi-Directional Scanner.
Msfitoy
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Reinstalling the pan would be a great idea...before the refill...
Chris M
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It's the smallest of details that sometimes make the biggest of differences.
Like replacing the drain plug before refilling the engine oil.
Don't ask how I know.
Rrrr-Anger19
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I'd suggest using a concrete mixer to catch the fluid after removing the stock pan as it is large enough for a no mess job.
I would also suggest the dip stick mod making filling a breeze (make sure you are level or the reading will be off)
I'm mildly handy and even after doing this I still thick a Ranger oil change is far more difficult
I would also suggest the dip stick mod making filling a breeze (make sure you are level or the reading will be off)
I'm mildly handy and even after doing this I still thick a Ranger oil change is far more difficult
DukeCanBuildit
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TJC
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Once I found my way through the process the first time, and figured out how to easily insure a definable repeatable method for insuring the correct fluid level, I find it much easier than the oil change.... and not nearly as messy and faster too..I would also suggest the dip stick mod making filling a breeze (make sure you are level or the reading will be off)
I'm mildly handy and even after doing this I still think a Ranger oil change is far more difficult
subquark
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Crack open a beer?
(That's a step that pretty much goes with any process! Ordered more crap from Bezos? Have a beer!).
RedlandRanger
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IMO, by FAR, the hardest part of the job is making sure the fluid level is correct. This is the primary reason why the FitzStick is almost required in order to do this job. Even with it, it is still difficult to get the correct parameters to make sure it is correct. It is REALLY easy to under fill or overfill this trans - and it definitely does not like to be overfilled.
With that said, it isn't really all that difficult to do. The first time, dropping the pan can be a bit messy, but if you replace the pan with one that has a drain plug, future drain/fills will be a lot cleaner - a lot more like an oil change.
With that said, it isn't really all that difficult to do. The first time, dropping the pan can be a bit messy, but if you replace the pan with one that has a drain plug, future drain/fills will be a lot cleaner - a lot more like an oil change.
Glocker
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I had the dealership do a trans service and both diffs once with an oil change. I got hell of a deal at $500-ish. I had absolutely no issues afterwards other than I think they added too much ATF. I also had them reset the KAM (Keep Alive Memory) so the 'puter would relearn the shift management.
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