hi i am planning on changeing the fluids (oil steering transmission etc ) in my 1995 F-150 V8 i cant afford to change the trans filter i need have no manual so need your advise on what fluids i need i have 6 quarts of 10-30 oil for the engine and planning on adding a additive but have no idea what fluid i need for the transmisssion and steering any help would be great
many thanks
wilky

 

For steering fluid, you can just run ATF. There is no point in doing all the work to change the transmission fluid without a filter. A transmission filter is only $18 from autozone. Make sure you change the engine oil filter as well.

Transmission fluid will be Mercon. You'll probably find it listed as Dexron 3/Mercon though.

 

The tranny, if it's an auto (E4OD specifically) will need around 18 qts. of ATF, i would recommend upgrading to Mercon V spec. About the engine, i'm not 100% sure, but if you change the oil filter (and you should, everytime) you'll need and aditional qt. so that would be 7 in total (just pour the first 6 and check the dipstick). The steering system should take almost 2 qts. of steering fluid or ATF (you have to pour some in, turn the truck on a couple of seconds, turn if off, pour some more, until it takes no more fluid, then check it and top it in the following days). The cooling system should take around 2 gallons of coolant. I have no idea on the brake fluid, but you'll need that too, and you'll need to bleed the brakes to purge the air when you refill the brake system. The differential/s also could use new gear oil (i can't recall the proper one right now, but i guess 80w140 should be ok, even better if synthetic), but i have no idea of how much you should require.

 

i also want to add that when doing your coolant flush, two gallons of antifreeze (i use prestone straight up antifreeze) and then fill it up to the top with water. but youre not done. keep the radiator cap off and then start the engine. let it run and squeeze the hose to rid it of bubbles and you'll see when you squeeze it that the level will go down rapidly. keep filling with hose water and keep squeezing. let it run more. when you think youre good, close it up and let it run. drive it around for a little bit. come back, keep filling.

when i did mine, i had to top it off two times between drives before it completely filled. dont rush it otherwise you'll be stuck with a nearly overheating engine speeding your way back to the house like i did.

 

The oil change is 6 quarts including the filter. The amount of anitfreeze depends on the total capacity of the cooling system. If system capacity is 14 quarts, you need at most 7 quarts of antifreeze. Any more than that and you begin to lose cooling capacity. Power steering should call for Type F ATF.

 

i would do the 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water in preperation for winter so that your radiator dosent freeze up

 

My point was to check cooling system capacity because 2 gallons of antifreeze in a 14 quart system would be getting close to 60% antifreeze mixture. Too much is just as bad as not enough.

 

I had my guy at sears check the capacity of the radiator on a 5.8L 351 system and its closer to 17 guarts.

 

That might be true for your truck, but these trucks are not all configured the same way. You can't just say add 2 gallons of antifreeze and end up with the proper mixture in every truck.

 

Or you could just fill it up with Prestone 50/50 premix.

 

Yea but then your paying full price for something thats half water...

 

Not quite. When I bought mine is was less. But even if...I don't like putting tap water in my coolant due to the added chemicals.

Besides, it was just a suggestion to ensure a pure 50/50 mix.

 

You buy bottled water don't you?

But anyways, I will fill the radiator, squeeze the hoses, fill the overflow tank halfway and drive around for a bit and check.

 

I use this amsoil site to check fluid recommendations and capacities. I've always found it accurate.
http://www.amsoil.com/mygarage/PhoneVLYear.aspx