I have a 3 speed SROD which has ATF as a lubricant. I've decided to try 80w to see if I can quieten the tranny down. Problem is, I see a fill plug, but no drain plug, any secrets to getting the existing tranny fluid out?

 

use a small hand pump and pump the old fluid out they are dirt cheap at any auto parsts store.

 

i bought a suction gun, looks alot like an old lever type grease gun, that you just stick the hose in the fluid and pull the handle. works exelent and you can change the fluid in about 20 minutes. by the way your tranny should take 2 full quarts or close to it. I put 80w-90 valvoline durablend into my TOD after i put a new clutch in. Also be sure and drive it to get the fluild all mixed up and to help get the metal shaveings, if there are any, mixed into the fluid so they can get removed.

 

Thanks for the replies. So you can get the hose into the filler hole to have a clear route to the bottom of the tranny? Maybe try tomorrow if it's dry.

 

you kinda have to manipulate it to get it to the bottom because the hose is like 3/8 internal diameter. i tried one of those little plastic fluid transfer pumps that are like a dollar or close to it. well the hose is to small to pull the gear lube out. you will probably have to use the pump to put the new lube back in, because the drain plug is on an angle and you vant get the bottle in on the right angle since the plug is so close to the floor board. the 80w - 90 gear lube keeps the tranny fairly quiet. i have heard that 75w - 140 or so makes them even more quiet but seems awfull thick to me.

 

Thanks for the help. I got a 500ml suction pump and manage to get the hose to the bottom of the tranny after a couple of stabs. Put in 80w-90, not much quieter but I feel better having real gear oil in there rather than ATF.

 

I don't know, but it was my understanding the trannies that took ATF had closer bearing tolerances that the gear oil ones. It makes sense to me. My daughters Civic takes ATF, and we know how tight the Japanese vehicles are.

 

That does make sense, however I don't think close tolerances is a problem in my tranny.

 

the only manual trannies that take atf that i know of that ford used are the 87 newer 5 speeds. the 3 speed overdrives that ford used was mostly to get higher mpg out of them. they arent built for heavy hauling or towing.

 

why is it that my transmission takes 80-90 weight lube, but my transfer case takes ATF??? i've got an 84 f-150 4x4...my chilton's calls for ATF in the transfer case...why would this be? also...how hard is it to change the case seal on a transfer case? just drop the transfer case, pull the case apart and put a new seal in? or??? what all's involved?? my truck will probably go down for part or most of the winter, due to a leaking transfer case...

also...when i'm slowing down to a stop sign or traffic light, if the truck is in neutral, i hear a tink-tink-tink-tink-tink, like one gear is spinning faster than the other, tapping the slower one...what would this be? also, if i'm in the upper portion of my throttle pressure, and drop back a little bit, my truck starts shaking like a leaf in a twister...it also shakes badly if i drop into neutral at highway speeds...anybody got a clue as to what is causing the shaking and tinking noise???

MontanaFord

 

the transfer case uses atf due to closer tolerances in the bearings from what i understand. the seal should be fairly strait forward to change but i dont knoe for sure since mine is 2 wheel drive. As far as the ticking it could be a syncro going out or low fluid? for your shakeing check your engine and tranny mounts as well as your ball joints and tie rod ends.