Howdy,

A few years ago, I found instructions for flushing the tranny fluid on my E350 15 passenger van (1995). I think it has the E40D tranny.

Anyway, I remember the method required the use of a clear hose. I still have the same hose I bought specifically for this purpose.

But I can't find the instructions I printed out.

Can anyone help me out please?

 

well i think what you are wanting to do is to disconnect the return line from the tranny cooler at the transmission - on an E4OD it will be the rearmost hardline. but there is no reason not to drop the pan. and in fact there is good reason to drop the pan and change the filter - it is not uncommon for the filter (which is also the oil pickup for the pump) to fall out of its proper location. which then starves the pump/tranny and makes it fail prematurely. i understand the necessity of changing fluids via the clear hose method when confronted with a sealed tranny like in a recent volvo. in this case, i recommend dropping the pan and replacing the filter. note, some E4OD trannys do not require replacement of the pan gasket - ford employed a reuseable pan gasket.

neil

 

On this site;Go to "home";then "articles";then"drivetrain,trans,axle.Scroll down to "changing ATF fluid in an E4OD,etc.

 

Here ya go!
Changing ATF Fluid in a E4OD and 4R100 transmission .: Articles

 

Mark.

I thought your name looked familiar. Yes that is the article I was seeking. I was having an issue with my van a few years ago and your method helped me fix it. Thanks!

Thanks for the other replies too. What's happening is this: I'm having almost zero trouble with the transmission on the van; but when taking it on a steep hill, like on a mountain pass, if it's warm out I sometimes get some tranny fluid spraying out. I can't tell where it is coming from. I had thought I had found a loose connection that was the source of the problem, and was going to go ahead and flush the system because it's about due, but it turns out the problem is elsewhere.

It's not coming out of the filler tube, and not on the radiator connections as far as I can tell.

Any ideas?

Again, we can take the van out to town and back (2 plus hours) in the heat with no problem. It's only when taking it through the mountain pass that we have the overflow issue.

 

It's hard to tell without looking at it, but I bet it is the front seal. The bushing wears and the seal isn't very good and it leaks when it gets hot. Changing the seal and bushing usually fix it. There is an aftermarket Viton seal that is much better than stock.

Sometimes the hub on the torque converter gets grooved. Then the torque converter needs to be changed, too.

 

I don't know if you ever found your leak, but I'm sure by now it must be fixed. I worked for an electric company until retirement and also saw this method of finding links somewhere else. Electric companies have large transformers that sometimes develop leaks. The oil is very, very thin, more for cooling than lub. and is hard to follow as all oil is since it spreads out. Take some chalk line construction workers use on chalk lines and get a bottle of rubbing alcohol, along with a spray bottle with a fine mister. Put the alcohol in the spray bottle and then pour in some of the chalk usually blue but could be another. Next wipe down all of the leaking oil you can get to. Then shake the chalk/alcohol and while it is mixed spray all the areas where the oil may be coming from. It should dry quickly, leaving a dusting of the chalk. Then either run the equipment that has the leak, let it set or whatever. When you look at the area, you'll see a streak starting where the leak begins and tracking down due to gravity. Kind of late to post, but maybe someone else can use the idea.