About to do a transmission fluid change.... Couple questions
Hey all, I want to change the tranny fluid on my 02 X. It's a 7.3, 2wd, 4r100. Anyway, I was wondering two things.
First, I've read about the method where you disconnect a line from the trans cooler and pump the fluid into a bucket. If I went one step further, and put the return line into a bucket of fresh Mercon V would it pull the fresh fluid into the tranny in one step? Similar to the T-TEK service but using the transmission to pump the fluid instead of the T-TEK?
Question 2 is this; I have a Pela Oil Extractor. Could I use this to run down the dipstick tube and suck out trans fluid? In other words, does the dipstick go all the way to the bottom of the pan or not?
I can't help you much with question 1. I think it would work but, if so, why hasn't anyone tried or recommended that procedure.
Question 2: Yes, but I don't think you'll get all the way to the bottom if it has the deeper sump (Supposed to be 4WD but my 2WD has it). Why not just take out the drain plug on the pan?
The transmission wont pull fluid from a container - the pump will only push it out from the transmission. Good thought though - to really do that you would need to be hooked up to an actual flush machine. The best thing to do is go ahead and just keep filling through the dipstick hole. Get a nice filter which will stay in place without needing to be held into the hole.
For the fluid extraction pump - my tranny was slightly overfilled when I bought the truck and I used my pump to suck that out - I used the smallest tube I had and it did not appear to go all of the way down in the pan. I was able to get the small amount out - it was over the full mark on the dipstick by maybe a 1/4 inch but it was enough that I just sucked it out. I don't think you could get the entire pan empty - I would just use the drain plug.
__________________
2003 Excursion EB 4x4 V10, MT ATZ 285/75-16, Hawk LTS pads front & rear with new rotors
2000 Explorer XLT 4x4 - 30k miles
1974 Bronco 4x4 - 302, 3spd, 3.54 LSD front and rear - Restored beach toy www.coastalfastlube.com
Thanks for the answers. My thought on pulling the oil out of the dipstick tube is just thinking out loud. My driveway is on a hill so getting the truck level to do oil and trans fluid changes is kind of a pain. I thought if i could get 5-6 quarts out via the dipstick, that would be just like draining the pan and refilling. I could/would do that more often to in effect do a trans flush. Change 5 quarts, drive a 100 miles, change 5 more quarts. Wash rinse repeat.
I bought a used 2002 7.3 diesel. The provious owner had all their service receipts, which showed it serviced (oil and filter changed) every 5,000 to 8,000 miles. They told me that they never had the transmission serviced because their mechanic didn't recommend it unless it was having problems. I also talked to their mechanic, and he told me the same thing, he said he doesn't change the trans fluid or filter unless theres a problem. He said it doesn't really need it, and also said that many trans problems only develop after a trans has been serviced, but if left alone they will be fine. I then got to thinking,..I've had a few new vehilces, and I've also never had the trans serviced, and never had any problems from a trans. My Ex has 85,000 miles on it, no mods other than a rear sway bar. I primarliy use it to tow my 9,000 lb camper. I'm looking for other opinions or recommendations explaining whether its ok to keep going without servicing the trans.
__________________ 2002 Excursion 7.3 PSD, (80,000 miles Replaced Upper and Lower driver side ball joints, driver side front wheel bearing, installed Helwig rear sway bar). Tow 2009 Jayco Octane 24Z Toyhauler, 2003 Roadstar 1600 and V-star 1100, dual cam W/D hitch.
Here's a good procedure to change the ATF. The guy that wrote it knows what he's writing about. ;-)
There is a small amount of truth about changing the ATF in an old trans and then it dies. What I believe happens is that the trans is neglected until there are problems. Then the fluid is changed but it's too late. The trans is junk and new fluid didn't save it. Now that it's dead it looks like the new fluid killed it, but it really was dead before the new fluid.
__________________ Mark
Former Ford automatic transmission engineer, 1988-2007.
What do You all think of putting that Lucas trans additive in a Ford trans? I'm not so sure I shoulda put a little in. I'm gonna flush the fluid though and use synthetic? No Lucas!
Aloha
Last edited by Konarain; 07-03-2009 at 06:12 PM.
Reason: Forgot a word or two.
Here's a good procedure to change the ATF. The guy that wrote it knows what he's writing about. ;-)
There is a small amount of truth about changing the ATF in an old trans and then it dies. What I believe happens is that the trans is neglected until there are problems. Then the fluid is changed but it's too late. The trans is junk and new fluid didn't save it. Now that it's dead it looks like the new fluid killed it, but it really was dead before the new fluid.
I can give a little better explanation as to why changing the fluid in an high mileage trans isn't a good idea. As the transmission ages, the friction material on the clutch disc packs and bands wears and becomes suspended in the fluid. This seeming is all ok, until you drain the old fluid and put new in. New ATF very high cleansing properties (every get new ATF on your hands, it's pretty clean stuff) and proceeds to "wash away" much more of the remaining friction material from the clutches than the old fluid would, hence the trans fails. There is truth to this, however you have to have a specific set of circumstances occur. I have always been told that as long as you have regularly changed your trans fluid (every 20-30k or so) that you can continue doing it and the trans life will benefit. However, if you have never changed the fluid and you now have 75k miles or whatever on it, leave it alone!!
While there is theoreticaly some truth to that, I don't believe it. The old oil is nothing but detrimental to the clutch and band composition. I rebuilt auto trans for 10 years and beg to differ. It's like never changing your engine oil because the engine got used to it or never changing your clothes because it might cause a problem. New oil stops the degenerating process in it's tracks.
While there is theoretical some truth to that, I don't believe it. The old oil is nothing but detrimental to the clutch and band composition. I rebuilt auto trans for 10 years and beg to differ. It's like never changing your engine oil because the engine got used to it or never changing your clothes because it might cause a problem. New oil stops the degenerating process in it's tracks.
Yes, I will concede that my above post is a bit theoretical but I do believe that in certain cases there is truth to it. For instance, if you have a trans that is starting to slip, just a bit but not too bad, and you change the fluid you can end up making it worse. This is because the new ATF has washed what was left of the friction material away.
BTW, I flush my ATF at 30k. I've done it twice so far with my Ex that has 71k on it now.
Sorry but I can't agree. There is nothing good about old oil. It is contaminated and contains a small percentage of it's original oiling capabilities. It will shurly lead to the demise of the tranny. The rest of the trans needs good oil also (mainly the bushings). There are a lot of tales about auto trans because they are expensive to fix and people dream up remedies for it. The band and clutch material is hard enough so there's nothing to "wash away". You can take a driven clutch disc out of a clutch pack on an old tranny and clean it up in solvent and it will look exactly the same. It's not like it is leather or something that absorbs contaminants to the point where it gets denser.
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2002 Excursion 7.3 PSD, (80,000 miles Replaced Upper and Lower driver side ball joints, driver side front wheel bearing, installed Helwig rear sway bar). Tow 2009 Jayco Octane 24Z Toyhauler, 2003 Roadstar 1600 and V-star 1100, dual cam W/D hitch.
New oil stops the degenerating process in it's tracks. 
