This is on my 1995 E350 motorhome. Front seal was leaking and I decided to change the fluid and filter on it at the same time. 75k miles on it. Here is the sequence of events:

1. Drain torque converter and pan
2. Change filter and clean magnet.
3. Drop transmission
4. Change front seal. Note: did not fill torque converter on reinstall.
5. Reinstall trans
6. Refill trans with 5+ quarts (book says 6.5 bone dry)
7. Start and idle for 5 minutes, check level, looks ok.
8. Run it through gears. Don't feel it shifting into gear
9. Add one more quart. Starts to somewhat respond to shifts. Let it idle a little more.
10. Seems a little better. Add another quart and take it on test drive.
11. Slipping at low speeds, but drives ok at road speed.
12. Turn corner. Goes ok for little while, then nothing. Coast to a stop. Start to panic since I'm about 4 miles from home.
13. Fill with 1.5 more quarts.
14. Slipping bad, but at least it starts to move and can limp it home.
15. Pull pan, brown and burnt fluid. Some shavings on magnet. Filter in place.

I assume my trans is now toast. What did I do wrong?

Any suggestions on where to buy a reman trans?

Thank you.

 

it looks to me that you had about 10 quarts in a transmission that holds about 17 quarts.

after a complete drain like that, the pan should have been dry after about a minute. curious that you say you checked the fluid and it looked good after 5 minutes. after idling for 5 minutes, the pan should have been bone dry ....

brown fluid and metal shavings is bad ....

good luck!

 

You may not have indexed the convertor to pump drive and compromised the pump.

 

If you have a book that really says 6.5 quarts bone dry, throw it away. It is far worse than useless, it is harmful and full of wrong information. It just cost you a transmission.

This transmission holds about 17 quarts bone dry. By draining the pan and the converter I would expect you would get about 16 quarts out of it.

I think that is a very good assumption.

 

Book was a Ford service manual.

I drained the fluid, changed the filter, refilled with 16+ quarts of fluid and flushed the cooler.

Doesn't slip now. However, it is not right.

1. Noise like clattering metal when accelerating.
2. Stalls when I put in gear.
3. Major leak at front seal.
4. High pressure at idle
5. Low pressure in reverse and 1.

Thoughts?

 

My SWAG is that the converter wasn't fully seated in the pump.

 

yeah,that or the reason for the seal failure in the first place was a walked front bushing/bad pump and now the pump gears are screaming.either way doesn't matter much though.you'll need to pull the trans and have a look to see whats going on and what can be saved or needs replacement.