Hi All,
Truck is a 97 f350 7.3

I've read Mark K's transmission flushing instructions and I shouldn't have any problem doing that. Planning on using schaeffers (thanks for the recommendations). My big question is that I assume I will be mixing old fluid with new fluid but flushing 18-20 quarts out. I assume that there is the possibility of some of the old remaining, right? Or am I thinking about this wrong?

I'm planning to change the tranny filter too, do you all recommend sticking with the original ford filter or is there a better one?

Truck was new to me at 150k so I'm just going through it all now.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Bryan

 

If you follow the procedure there is very little mixing.

 

Bryan, look at the new filter before you pull the old filter out. Notice the gasket O ring on it and when you pull the old filter out make sure the gasket O ring is on it. The gasket O ring's like to stick in there and when you put your new one in it will not go in far enough to lock and the new filter will fall into the pan going down the road. Ask me how I know.

 

Thank you Mark, hoping to do it this weekend. I'm sure that anything will help this old dog out!

Any filter recommendation? I think this truck takes the ft114 or the ft113?

 

Thanks old bird! I had read about ensuring the oring needs to come out. Sorry to hear you found out the hard way.

I swear rebuilding these trucks is an addiction.

 

All of the filters are very coarse. In my opinion one filter is as good as another.

 

Thanks Mark. Xtreme diesel has the Donaldson kit with the gasket but no other kits outside of fram (which I'll never buy) so I might need to go with that one. Not much look finding other kits

 

Why not Fram? Most of the filters I use are Fram.

If you have the reusable rubber gasket do not use the cork gasket that usually comes with a filter. It will wreck your pan.

 

My grandfather used to refinish crankshafts in vehicles back in the day, said those running fram filters were the dirtiest he'd ever seen. I'm sure they are great these days but its kinda a family thing.....totally no science backing it

The kit i ordered likely does have the cork gasket. I figured if there is a rubber one on the truck and in good shape we would reuse it. if it isn't in good shape, are you saying we shouldn't use the cork one? Would i need to find a new rubber gasket?

 

If you want to destroy the pan and have leaks, go ahead with the cork gasket. I always throw it in the trash where it belongs. The pan is designed to seal with the rubber gasket, any other gasket will deform the pan and leak.

 

Get a wix. I believe they have the metal housing shell. I have seen the plastic have issues.

 

Thanks guys, going to get under it today and see if I can tell if the rubber one is one there. Not sure if the fluid has ever been changed so I might just look to get a new rubber one. I'll look for a wix gasket, do you happen to have a part number or a sponsor that sells it? I bought the kit from Xtreme diesel but it has the cork gasket.....didn't see a rubber gasket shown.

Why do they even sell the cork ones!?!

 

The rubber ones last many years and many pan drops. While they can get damaged, most of the time they are just fine.

 

I've ordered the Donaldson kit. Xetreme Diesel doesn't know if it is rubber or cork. Called Donaldson, they said they don't make anything out of cork BUT they don't make the gasket thats included with this kit......soooo they are checking.

Hopefully the existing one is in good shape.

Mark, if this is the first time the fluid is changed in a while, anything special i should do or look out for?

 

No, no different than if it were changed frequently.

There are also different gaskets. The only one that fits is the OEM type. It's rubber and fairly thick, with metal inserts. There is also a rubber gasket that is as thin as the cork. It works even worse than the cork one does.