I have a 97 Explorer XLT 5 spd auto I was wondering to completely change the tranny fluid can I take off a tranny cooler line and pump it out with an electric pump I have.( If this is wrong can you tall me the best way to change the fluid in the 5 speed automatic as to get all the fluid replaced I would rather not take the tranny pan off because the exhaust is in the way and it has a metal screen for a filter anyway ).
Also I am pulling a 21 foot travel trailer and was wondering if the stock tranny cooler in front of the radiator is good or should I add another one or scrap the stock cooler and install a larger one.
Thanks in advance.

 

Your best way to change the fluid is going to be to just take it to a garage. You can even have tham switch you over to Synthedic while you are at it to help with the towing of the boat. Your stock tranny cooler should be fine, but installing an aftermarket one that is a little larger would not hurt and since you are basicaly swapping coolers it should be relativly easy too. I pull my 14' tandem with my B2 on it and have never had a problem with overheating with the stock cooler.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 07-Aug-02 AT 06:01 PM (EST)]When I change all of the fluid in my '97 SOHC I start by changing the tranny filter. It is only $20 at Pep Boys. To remove the pan, drop your front driveshaft if yours is 4WD and slide the pan out towards the opening created. If yours is 2WD then you will already have enough room to remove your pan out the side. Don't even bother trying to take off the exhaust under the pan. It is much more involved. It will only take 20 minutes to drop the front driveshaft to gain enough clearance to get the pan out.

Next I change all the fluid by disconnect the hose going from the radiator to the auxillary tranny cooler and putting it into a bucket that I mark off in 1 quart increments. I then start up my Explorer and wait about 5 seconds for a quart to drain into the bucket. Shut off the engine and poor a new quart in through the fill hole. Repeat the cycle until the fluid runs nice and pink into the bucket. It took 19 quarts before the fluid coming out of the hose looked the same as the fluid I was putting into my transmission (including the 4-5 quarts I added after chaning the filter). It took about an hour to change the filter and about another half hour to change the rest of the fluid.