Thread on how to do full fluid change?
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More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2013
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 21,253
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From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
This procedure can be very transmission type dependent--should be plenty of helpful and more specific information in the transmission sub-forum. I've used Mark K's general procedure on two 4R70W's and one 4R75E with great success.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2020
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From: Near Salt Lake City
5 gallon bucket of new clean fluid and one empty one
Crack the tranc cooler lines and feed the return into a empty bucket
Put the other end with a piece of hose in your clean bucket of new fluid
That will be the easiest way to do it yourself
But, why would you want to do that?
The recommended transmission service replaces roughly a third of the trans fluid every 30k miles and that is sufficient
We used to sell flushes using the BG equipment.
Leave that alone
I used to flush power steering systems back in the early eighties when the C2 pumps came out and whined so bad
Basically you stick the return in a bucket and feed new fluid in the other end of the hose
A running engine will suck up trans fluid faster that 3 guys can feed it (hence the flush machine)
The flush machines clean your fluid, and you get no new fluid, except to top it off when done
So, the bucket method is it, if you really want to do that
Crack the tranc cooler lines and feed the return into a empty bucket
Put the other end with a piece of hose in your clean bucket of new fluid
That will be the easiest way to do it yourself
But, why would you want to do that?
The recommended transmission service replaces roughly a third of the trans fluid every 30k miles and that is sufficient
We used to sell flushes using the BG equipment.
Leave that alone
I used to flush power steering systems back in the early eighties when the C2 pumps came out and whined so bad
Basically you stick the return in a bucket and feed new fluid in the other end of the hose
A running engine will suck up trans fluid faster that 3 guys can feed it (hence the flush machine)
The flush machines clean your fluid, and you get no new fluid, except to top it off when done
So, the bucket method is it, if you really want to do that
Thread Starter
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More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2013
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Likes: 20
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 10,451
Likes: 2,630
From: Near Salt Lake City
Better have the fluid looked at
We used to say on ones that have never been serviced
"Let's service it today and put a new trans in it next week"
Meaning if the fluid is burnt and you replace even a third of the trans fluid, the vehicle will not move afterward
Happens very few and far between, and the synthetic mercon is hard to beat up (lasts 100k no problem unless you tow)
So, just smell the fluid and put some on a white paper plate, (inspect closely)
Good luck
If you can't stand the smell, it may be too late
We used to say on ones that have never been serviced
"Let's service it today and put a new trans in it next week"
Meaning if the fluid is burnt and you replace even a third of the trans fluid, the vehicle will not move afterward
Happens very few and far between, and the synthetic mercon is hard to beat up (lasts 100k no problem unless you tow)
So, just smell the fluid and put some on a white paper plate, (inspect closely)
Good luck
If you can't stand the smell, it may be too late
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 10,451
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From: Near Salt Lake City
102k it should be just fine to service
You are just a little late
Find a pan with a drain plug and replace it when it is off
Re-use the re-useable gasket
You are just a little late
Find a pan with a drain plug and replace it when it is off
Re-use the re-useable gasket
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More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2013
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I have heard the thing before that if you replace the fluid you can break the transmission, but I suspect that if that is the case the transmission is already broken you just didn't realize it yet. In other words, clean transmission fluid isn't going to damage a transmission. Now it may well be that the increased lubricity of clean fluid causes changes in slippage or whatever, but the fluid didn't break anything that wasn't already broken.
But I just checked the fluid, and it looks reasonably pink and doesn't smell bad.
But I just checked the fluid, and it looks reasonably pink and doesn't smell bad.
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Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 10,451
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From: Near Salt Lake City
What happens is, the clutch packs go away with the burnt fluid, rendering the transmission useless
So, the old, burnt fluid contains the grit (clutch pack friction material) that is making the trans operate (move)
You replace that with new fluid and it's game over
So, the old, burnt fluid contains the grit (clutch pack friction material) that is making the trans operate (move)
You replace that with new fluid and it's game over
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 508
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From: Tucson
Over the past 15 years I've bought two older vans that had 115K-125k on them with unknown maintenance histories. What I've done is to use a fluid extractor such as a Mityvac to remove 4 quarts of trans fluid at a time, repeating every 10,000 miles.
I also installed auxiliary trans coolers and inline magnetic filters.
Never had a problem with the trans in the old '91 van and it had 175k on it when it finally met the crusher. My present '93 had 112k on it when I bought it 5 years ago and now has 153k on it. That's at the point when a lot of trannies die, so we'll see if my luck holds.
I also installed auxiliary trans coolers and inline magnetic filters.
Never had a problem with the trans in the old '91 van and it had 175k on it when it finally met the crusher. My present '93 had 112k on it when I bought it 5 years ago and now has 153k on it. That's at the point when a lot of trannies die, so we'll see if my luck holds.
Last edited by econo93; Mar 9, 2023 at 11:41 AM. Reason: add detail
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2015
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What happens is, the clutch packs go away with the burnt fluid, rendering the transmission useless
So, the old, burnt fluid contains the grit (clutch pack friction material) that is making the trans operate (move)
You replace that with new fluid and it's game over
So, the old, burnt fluid contains the grit (clutch pack friction material) that is making the trans operate (move)
You replace that with new fluid and it's game over
Frmr Ford Trans Engr
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 24,722
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From: SE Florida
Quite often people ignore the trans until something goes wrong. Then they change the fluid and the trans fails. It was already failed when it started to act up, the new fluid didn't repair it, but it also did not cause the failure. It would have also failed if the fluid wasn't changed.
I have heard the thing before that if you replace the fluid you can break the transmission, but I suspect that if that is the case the transmission is already broken you just didn't realize it yet. In other words, clean transmission fluid isn't going to damage a transmission. Now it may well be that the increased lubricity of clean fluid causes changes in slippage or whatever, but the fluid didn't break anything that wasn't already broken.
What happens is, the clutch packs go away with the burnt fluid, rendering the transmission useless
So, the old, burnt fluid contains the grit (clutch pack friction material) that is making the trans operate (move)
You replace that with new fluid and it's game over
So, the old, burnt fluid contains the grit (clutch pack friction material) that is making the trans operate (move)
You replace that with new fluid and it's game over
Nope. I do not agree. I explained above what is really happening.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 10,451
Likes: 2,630
From: Near Salt Lake City
Quack
That is why you were an engineer
Youn would never make it as a line tech
That is why you need a flush machine or just add your fluid to the dipstick tube
You want to argue about how they fail again with burnt fluid?
Your engineering degree and 50 cents will buy a cup off coffee
That is why you were an engineer
Youn would never make it as a line tech
That is why you need a flush machine or just add your fluid to the dipstick tube
You want to argue about how they fail again with burnt fluid?
Your engineering degree and 50 cents will buy a cup off coffee
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 21,253
Likes: 1,656
From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Quack
That is why you were an engineer
Youn would never make it as a line tech
That is why you need a flush machine or just add your fluid to the dipstick tube
You want to argue about how they fail again with burnt fluid?
Your engineering degree and 50 cents will buy a cup off coffee
That is why you were an engineer
Youn would never make it as a line tech
That is why you need a flush machine or just add your fluid to the dipstick tube
You want to argue about how they fail again with burnt fluid?
Your engineering degree and 50 cents will buy a cup off coffee