I have a 2011 E-350 that's weighs 8500 LBS & I tow a 5000 LBS car/trailer A few times a year.Van has 20,000 miles.Does the convertor have a drain plug or can I just drop the pan & do the filter.

 

In my 2010 E-150 4.6L I had too drop the pan... I you do, buy a new gasket. I dont think gaskets they are reusable.

 

Unless something has changed, I don't think your converter has a drain plug. Ford quit installing a drain plugs around MY 2000. My 99 4R100 has one, my 2001 4R100 does not. About half the fluid in the transmission is in the converter, so dropping/draining the pan will not be a complete change. On my 2001, I simply take it to a shop and have them flush it using a machine. They unhook the supply and return lines from the transmission cooler at the base of the radiator and hook those to their machine.

 

Ford stopped installing drain plugs shortly after the start of the 2002 model year. Your 2001 had one when it left the factory. If it doesn't have one now it is not the original converter.

 

Mark, thanks for the info. I've looked two or three different times for a plug (had friend turning engine with a wrench once, the other two I did it myself) and never found one. I'm the second owner (purchased at 40K mi), so I'm not sure of the history.