Well I did another full tranny fluid pump out, on the 2WD 99 Rangers 5R55E tranny yesterday, but with a twist I've wanted to do, since the last service.

This time before dropping the pan, I First disconnected the tranny return line at the cooler & let the tranny pump empty the pan (about 3.5 qts), into my measured catch bucket (it has 1/2 qt marks inside), so I can keep track of & know exactally how much fluid I've removed. If we raise the vehicle Level on stands, or ramps & stands for the rear end, we can pump out more than having just the front raised on ramps, which has the fluid pool to the rear of the tranny pan.

Stop the engine as soon as the fluid slows, or you see air bubbles, so you don't run the tranny pump dry, the pump will appreciate that.

Doing it this way, with the vehicle level, the pan is all but emptied, so it's Much lighter & less "tippy" to handle. I didn't spill nary a drop lowering the pan to my catch container!!!! lol

For my bulk catch pan, I use a 52 qt 20"X 13"X 6" poly under bed storage container, under the tranny, to empty the pan remains into & catch the drips while I'm cleaning the pan & installing the new filter. All that gets emptied into the masured catch bucket, so I can keep track of how much fluids been removed. Don't refill the pan with the full system 10qt capacity, or more than the total removed on the pan drop, as the excess can run out the vent & make a mess. Tally with the measured catch bucket & pour back in that amount to refill the pan, before continuing the full fluid pump-out.

After dropping the pan I cleaned it, the magnet & fastners, with a spray can of brake cleaner, changed the FT-133 Motorcraft Filtran filter & replaced the OEM tranny pan gasket with a nice Fel-Pro TOS-18679 reuseable neoprene gasket.

Now the Fel-Pro gasket has a nice feature, first it comes packed FLAT, instead of all balled up in a small box, like some gaskets, so it'll lay flat on the pan, right out of the box & the gasket bolt holes are slighly undersized, such that you can lay the gasket on the pan & then screw the fastners into the gasket & it'll hold the gasket in place as well as the fastners.

Makes the pan installation MUCH easier!!!!!

Way to go Fel-Pro!!!!

Then using Motorcraft Mercon- V, I refilled the tranny with the same amount of fluid removed on the pan drop, verified by my measured catch bucket.

To continue on for a Full fluid pump-out I removed the tranny return line at the tranny cooler (for those without a tranny cooler, loosen the return line at the radiator) & attached a length of tubing routed to my catch bucket, along with the loose removed return line, then had the wife restart the engine & while Slowly shifting through ALL the gears, we flushed the valve body, torque converter, cooler & lines, with the new fluid. We completed the pumpout, one - two qts at a time, out the disconnected tranny return line, until the full 10 qt system capacity was removed, veriied by my measured catch bucket
I ran a extra qt through it to allow for some torque converter mixing, so to get as much of that old oxidized fluid out, so it doesn't deplete the new fluids ad pack.

The tranny pump is rated at 1 qt per 15 seconds, at warm idle, so our engine start/stop, add another qt, or two, run time, is 15 - 30 seconds, to pump out one - two qts at warm idle., So it helps to have a assistant to stop/start & shift the tranny through all the gears, during the pump out.

With the vehicle raised Level, we can pump out 2 qts without running the tranny pump dry & save a little time & cut the start stop cycle in half. Don't pump out more than two qts, so as not to run the tranny pump dry, or low & areate the new fluid. If your doing this with just the front end raised, I'd not pump out more than One qt at a time, because remember with the vehicle unlevel, the fluid pool is toward the rear of the tranny pan, so the pump might suck air & aerate the fluid, or run dry if you've lost track of how much fluid has been pumped out.

The total amount I removed by pumping the pan out, draining the cooler & what remained in the pan on the drop & what dripped out of the tranny, was about 6 qts, so I only had to stop & start the engine 4 times to pump out the remaining 4 qts of old fluid, to equal the 10 qt system total.

Now I'm talking about the 99, 2WD, 5R55E Ranger tranny. Other models may have a different pan capacity, so check your owners manual for total system capacity, before you begin.

Doing it this way (one qt at a time) is a little time consuming, but the valve body, torque converter, tranny cooler & lines all get flushed & most of the old fluid is removed, without aerating the new fluid, or running the tranny pump dry, whch it'll appreciate.

The tranny rewards me with smoother & more positive shifts!!!!

My cost was:
1- 12 qt case of Motorcraft XT5QM Mercon-V = $36.60.
1- FT-133 Motorcraft filter = $15.60
1- Fel-Pro TOS-18679 felprene tranny pan gasket = $4.79.

So my total tranny full fluid pump out, with new filter & tanny pan gasket was $56.99.
At the Dealer around here it's about $150!!!!

 

After reading your post, I decided to do mine, too.

If interested, go to the 04-07 f150 forum and check my post(s)

'DIY transmission flush??'
'Update: DIY transmission flush'

Thanks -jim

 

Have you noticed a change in shift quality, after the flush????

Mine's back to shifting like a Lexus!!!! lol

 

Got crazy & did the 94 Taurus AXOD tranny filter change & full fluid pumpout today.

Had to cut that cheap crimped on cooler line clamp off. Used my Dremel & a Harbor Freight moto tool diamond wheel.

Then used the tranny pump to empty the pan. Having it tilted up on ramps, I was only able to remove 1/2 the pans 6qt capacity, but removing the 3 qts made it very managable & didn't spill any.

Removing the tranny return line at the cooler & letting the pump get rid of the excess in the pan, really makes dropping the pan & changing the tranny filter & finishing a full pump out, really simple & easy to do.

The reward is noticeably improved up & down shifting.

Savings aren't bad either!!!!
1-Motorcraft FT-129 filter $16.17
12-Motorcraft Mercon fluid $23.88
Fel-Pro pan gasket- reuseable.

Total $40.05.

Again, around here, to drop the pan & change the gasket, then do a full fluid pump out is about $150!!!!

If any more out there are contemplating this, don't hesitate doing it for your ride. It's really not difficult, just takes a little time & maybe get a little tranny fluid on your hands, but your tranny will really appreciate it!!!!

 

Got really crazy with the Ranger the last three days & just about finished it's 60K scheduled maintenance.

Along with the above tranny filter change & full fluid pump out, I also did a full P/S system flush & fluid pump out, upgrading the P/S fluid from Mercon to Mercon-V.

Changed the air & fuel filters with Motorcraft.

Pulled both front rotors & inner & outer wheel bearings cleaned them up & up graded their lube to a high temp moly loaded synthetic grease & installed new gease seals.

I had skipped the 30K wheel bearings re-lubing, just radjusted their free play & I shouldn't have skipped the relube.

The OEM grease had begun to break down & the oil to sepeate. There were little "insect wing" looking waxy deposits in the solvent I used to clean the bearings. One had a very slight hint of varnish on one race, so I had pushed this lube as far as it should have been.

If you are due, or past due for scheduled wheel bearing re-lubing maitenance, DON'T WAIT, like I did, get er done on time!!!!

Last thing to do is engine oil & filter change & I have a new FL-1A from my local Motorcraft distributor, at a price that beats my local WallWorld, (how about that) & 5 qts of BigLots Havoline Synthetic 5W-30, so I'm just about all set for winter!!!!

How ready are your rides?????

 

My truck is running great after the trans. pump out. It ran great before, but at 120k it needed it... I also did a pump out of the P/S fluid. New stuff looked much better than the old stuff. Want to da a similar procedure for the coolant; will flush and fill with NAPA cleaner for a while, flush with tap water, flush again with many gallons distilled water, drain, and finally refill with correct amounts of coolant/distilled water.

Wife's last car was a Neon. The only good thing was that it was paid for. Head gasket at 60K, 120k, 150k, new A/C system, New P/S system- rack, pump and all, new fuel pump, new starter, etc,etc. Was never as happy as the day it went to the local salvage yard. Hopefully somebody is reaping the benefits of all those new parts!!!

Her new car is an '03 grand caravan flex fuel. She loves it and it has been trouble free. I need to finish maintenance and will hopefully get to it this winter. Both our vehicles are at 120k and we hope/plan to get many more out of them.

Paw paw- how long do you plan to keep your truck? My 99 Ranger (4x2) had 131K when we parted ways(2 kids and a wife). Font pads lasted over 100K, Turned rotors at the time and repacked wheel bearings. It was the first time I had touched them and they looke pretty good.

BTW, I had bought a big bag of floor dry from NAPA a few months ago. After a few miscalculations during the trans fluid pumpout, I now have almost no Floor dry left!!! Caravan should take care of the rest!

good luck -jim

 

Paw Paw,

how long do you keep a vehicles before selling(/junking)? With your maintenance schedule, selling privatly would/should reap lots of benefits. My last ranger had a couple cosmetic problems so I just traded it in. I could have gotten $500($1000?) more but didn't want the hassle at the time. If I buy another new truck again, I would like to sell it privatly when the time comes. I'm sure that a great history/documentation would be immensly beneficial. Will anyone want my '04 SCrew in 5 more years when it has 220K on it??? Maybe I should be keeping better track of my maintenance...

good luck -jim

 

How long do I keep a vehicle?????

Well I still have my old 78 3.3L Merc Zypher, 85 1.7L Renault Alliance, 94 3.8L Taurus & 99 4.0L Ranger.

Guess I'm about finished wih the Merc & Renault, but the Taurus & Ranger are still running strong. The Taurus has about 95K on it & the Ranger almost 60K.
No need to sell either of the last two, just don't see anything on the market that puts that "just gotta have it" burning desire in my gut.

The new vehicles either don't get as good fuel economy, or about the same & all my rides were paid for a long ago, so why do I need to buy something for $20K+ thats really no better than what I already have, thats paid for & running plenty good????

I mean the new Ranger & Taurus have more HP, than my old rides, but their fuel economy isn't as good, or no better, so all they can do for me is to get me a speeding ticket quicker than my old rides & break my bank!!!! lol

The Ranger & Taurus still bring a smile to my face, every time I start em up!!!!

On your fluid changes, don't forget to flush the brake system. Motorcraft PM-1 DOT-3 fluid is some mighty good stuff. Flushed my system last year, so I don't have to do it for about one, or two more years. Did my cooling system then too.

If we'll just tend to our scheduled maintenance on time & use parts & fluids that meet, or exceed the mfgrs specifications, our rides will likely work real good & last a loooong time!!!!!

 

Two questions for you, pawpaw.

1. Which return line do I disconnect at the cooler and drain the ATF out of, the upper or lower?
2. Do I have to plug the resulting hole at the cooler to keep fluid from shooting all over the place?

 

Well I don't know which tranny you have, or if maybe the line hook ups may have been reversed at the cooler by someone else, so the most accurate way, is to trace the return line from the tranny over to the aux cooler.

So the line running from the tranny, to the radiator for pre cooling, then out of the radiator to the aux tranny cooler, is the hot fluid line coming out of the tranny for cooling.

Another way to tell which is the coolers input line, versus the output line, is the line coming from the radiator & feeding into the aux tranny cooler, is the hot output fluid line from the tranny, that first goes to the radiator for initial cooling, so this line should be warmer than the return line coming out of the aux tranny cooler & going back to the tranny.

On my 99 5R55E tranny, the TOP line coming out of the tranny & routed down the side & going foward over to the cooler, is the return line.
Be careful tracing it from the tranny back to the cooler, as the two lines may cross over themselves & confuse you.

I like disconnecting the return line at the cooler, as it allows the cooler to be flushed, along with the lines in the raditor, so we get a more complete flush job that way.

Route a piece of scrap hose from the aux tranny coolers output connection, into your catch contaner & plug the disconnected tranny return line with a golf "T", or attach a piece of scrap hose to it, with a medium size Phillips, or other round shaft screwdriver, as a plug for the scrap piece of hose.

Then your ready to begin your fluid pump out using the tranny pump to remove the old fluid.

Let us know how it goes.

 

'97 XLT 4x4, 5R55E.

Apparently, I don't have an aux cooler. Oh, the things we learn when we really look.

I only have two rigid lines, and upper and a lower, that go from the transmission valve body up to the driver's side of the radiator.



I unhooked the upper line and attached some clear hose to the disconnected tube.


When I started the truck, fluid did flow out of the rigid tube and into my catch bucket, but it also started shooting out of the disconnected fitting on the radiator. I didn't expect to get pressure at the rigid tube AND at the radiator. I plugged it with a rag and managed to get about 1.5 quarts of fluid into my catch bucket before I started seeing bubbles and foam. I dropped the pan and it still had about a quart or so of fluid in it.

I then disconnected the lower line on the radiator to see if I could empty anything out of the radiator portion. No fluid came out.

1. Where should I connect my drain line before I run the new fluid through the system? To the radiator side? To the rigid tube as pictured above? Upper or lower line? I don't want to just drain out the new fluid I put in.
2. What holes should I plug? I expected one rigid tube to have pressure and the other to have some vacuum, but apparently that's not the case.

 

Bob I thought the 4X4's had the aux fin & tube tranny coolers. If so, it'll be mounted below & in front of the radiator.

My 99 4X2 has the tow package, with the aux tranny cooler mounted kinda out of sight, low down, behind a piece of kinda square shapped plastic moulding that fills the gap between the bumper & radiator & needs to be removed to see the coolers line connections.

The two tranny lines come out the passengers side of the tranny, drop down & go foward along the frame rail, past & behind the oil filter, over to the bottom of the radiator.

The tranny return line connects to the aux tranny cooler there.

The tranny hot fluid line turns & runs under the radiator, over to the drivers side, to connect to the radiator, then the radiator pre cooled fluid line runs back under the radiator over to the passenger side, to connect with the aux tranny coolers input side.

So you may have a aux tranny cooler.
If you look behind that piece of trim between the bottom of the bumper & radiator. You can see the aux coolers lines coming out from behind it, on the passenger side.

If so, it's real easy to get to & disconnect the tranny return line there, by dropping that piece of trim, which has 4 bolts & 2 plastic push pins holding it up.

After empying, cleaning & reinstalling my tranny pan, I poured my new tranny fluid in through the tranny dip stick tube.

I used a measured catch bucket to know exactally how much fluid was removed, so I'd pour back in/refill the tranny pan with that exact amount, so as Not to Overfill the pan, before continuing & finishing the pump out, until the full system quantity had been removed, verified by my measuring catch bucket.

My 4X2 system capacity is 10 qts, your 4X4 probably holds more, so check your owners manual for the correct volume, so you'll know how much total to pump out.

I usualy pump out an extra qt or two, allowing for any mixing that goes on in the torque converter, so that extra qt or two help diute any mixing & come dang near a 100% fluid exchange.

Yup I too found if you don't plug the return line, it'll likely spit up a little & make a mess, or give you a facial!!!!! lol

So wear your safety glasses, like I do when I messing with fluids.

Let us know how it goes.

 

I checked, checked, and doublechecked. I don't have an aux. transmission cooler on my truck. Two lines only going from the transmission valve body to the left side of the radiator. Interesting. I thought for sure it had one. I do some heavy hauling & towing, so I think I'll look into adding one.

Here's my biggest lesson learned. Plug the hole very well at the radiator when the transmission line is disconnected!!! Despite my best attempts to jam a rag into the hole, the ATF just saturated the rag, profusely dripped down onto the serpentine belt, and sprayed the whole engine bay. I spent 30 minutes with engine degreaser and a hose trying to get everything clean.

Second tip. I put three opened quarts of ATF within reach so that I could dump them in as my wife cycled through the transmission positions and pumped the fluid into my marked catch bucket. As one quart was getting pumped out, I poured another quart in. As a result, I only had to start and stop the truck twice to empty out my 4 qt bucket.

Thanks, pawpaw. I'm glad I did this. The fluid looked pretty dirty & I needed a full flush before I tow a car to Colorado in two weeks.

 

Way to hang in there Bob & persevere!!!!!

Well I'm sure your tranny is thanking you for this new fluid bath & if your about to take that long a trip + tow, I agree, install a low restriction flat plate aux tranny cooler, before the trip & I'll bet your tranny will be thrilled beyond belief & will likely be able to handle the run & load with a lot less chance of problems.

Heat kills trannies!!!!!

Be sure your cooling system is in good repair, especially the pump, belt, hoses & coolant, as everything is going to be strained on that long hot tug!!!!

I use a bug screen up front, to keep the radiator fins clear, so I get good air flow through it. Wally World has one thats inexpensive, made of Nylon, is flexable & held in place with 3 bungee cords on each side & is easy to put on & remove. mine last for years & I only use them in bug season!!!!

So keep us posted on how it goes.

 

Ran across this Ford TSB about adding inline filtration on reworked trannies & the question has been asked on other threads, along with how long they'll last. Ford says to add it after repairs & change it every 30K miles, the same severe service time they give for my 99 5R55E in pan filter.
I'm about to add a Magnefine to both the Ranger & Taurus tranny. Seems to me it would be a good idea to add/change one, after a tranny pumpout or flush service.

Have been successfully running them in my P/S return lines on both vehicles to keep the off center shudders at bay, so maybe it would help on the intermittent Taurus tranny hanging down shifting or Rangers random torque converter shudder.
00-23-10***TRANSMISSION - FLUID IN-LINE FILTER KIT - REPEAT REPAIRS OF TRANSMISSION - SERVICE TIPS