Changing Transmission Filter

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Nov 7, 2005 | 11:11 AM

mldmkr1960

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Oct 2004

Posts: 201

Likes: 0

From: New Hampshire

Changing Transmission Filter

Saturday I changed the transmission filter on my 03 F350 5.4 automatic. Ive good this type of work may times before but had two things happen. One after putting in three quarts of the Motorcraft fluid I tried to back the truck up and it stalled. This happened three times, I let it run and it idled fine, but when I shifted it in gear it stalled. It did go away but Ive never had that happen before. I thought I drained out about five quarts. I put in four and after reading the dipstick it looks overfilled. I dont understand why there is only a little fluid on both sides my the little loop on the end, yet up the stick it only shows on the printed side and looks dry on the back side, any idea?

Nov 7, 2005 | 11:36 AM

DavidB

Elder User

Joined: Jan 2002

Posts: 780

Likes: 0

Sounds like your dipstick is getting "wet" from the sides of the filler tube. Let it sit long enough for the tube to drain into the trans., pull the dipstick, wipe it clean and put it back into the filler tube. Make sure that it is fully seated. When you pull it back out, you should get an accurate reading.

Nov 7, 2005 | 11:56 AM

Casey

Posting Guru

Joined: Jul 2003

Posts: 2,210

Likes: 2

If the trans fluid is low the torque converter clutch can apply at idle. It sounds like your fluid is low. DavidB is right about letting the fluid drain out of the dipstick tube.

Nov 7, 2005 | 12:45 PM

jim henderson

Postmaster

Joined: Mar 2001

Posts: 4,968

Likes: 3

From: So Cal

Whenever I changed the filter on any vehicle I owned, I had to drop the pan which means I lost a lot of fluid.

3 Quarts sounds like just a tiny bit. Is your filter external? Or, is the tranny one with a very small fluid capacity?

If your tranny is normal and has an internal filter, I would expect to need to add something like 7 to 10 quarts, and this assumes you didn't drain the converter.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

Nov 7, 2005 | 01:01 PM

skinner00

Senior User

Joined: Sep 2005

Posts: 171

Likes: 0

i just did my trans filter (4r100) i had to add 7 quarts

Nov 7, 2005 | 01:09 PM

mldmkr1960

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Oct 2004

Posts: 201

Likes: 0

From: New Hampshire

fluid

There is no way I drained that much it has the plastic filter that snaps in place in the valve body.

Nov 7, 2005 | 02:01 PM

skinner00

Senior User

Joined: Sep 2005

Posts: 171

Likes: 0

ummmm, didnt you have to remove the drain plug from the pan?

This Hennessey Takes the Expedition Tremor's Off-Roading Capability to the Next Level

Verdad Gallardo

Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals

Joe Kucinski

3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership

Brett Foote

10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches

Pouria Savadkouei

Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained

Brett Foote

10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love

Joe Kucinski

10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)

Michael S. Palmer

Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath

Verdad Gallardo

Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

Joe Kucinski

2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

Brett Foote

Nov 7, 2005 | 09:37 PM

skinner00

Senior User

Joined: Sep 2005

Posts: 171

Likes: 0

your trans is definitly low then

Nov 8, 2005 | 04:56 AM

#10

dmp437

Elder User

Joined: Jun 2005

Posts: 645

Likes: 2

From the service manual: (after a filter change)

"Add 6.2 liters (6.5 qts) of clean automatic transmission fluid to the transmission through the fluid filler tube. Start the engine. Move gear selector through all the gear ranges checking for engagements. With the engine running and transmission at normal operating temperature (150-170 degrees F) check and adjust the transmission fluid level. If fluid is needed add fluid in increments of 0.5 pint until the correct level is achieved."