transmission flush help please!
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 530
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, Washington
transmission flush help please!
Okay, so I'm doing the transmission flush I think as recommended per Mark Kovalsky's directions and I have a huge fluid leak. I disconnected the tranny return line from my cooler up front near the radiator and cycled 4 quarts of fluid out by running the truck through the gears as recommended. Then I started putting that expensive royal purple in to replace the 4 quarts and my wife (my assistant) noticed the tranny fluid on the pavement. My guess is about1.5-2 quarts. Was I supposed to plug the metal part of the return line with something? I know that I am connected to the return line from the coolers as I verified per instructions that this was it and also installed my aftermarket cooler myself. If so, what did you guys plug it with. Please help as it sits on the pad and daylight is fading!
One side note to add. I ran the truck until i flushed 4 quarts, although I did not see air in the tubing yet. Was this my mistake? Should I have continued flushing into another jug until I saw the air? Would that have prevented my Exxon-Valdez oil leak?
Thanks guys!
One side note to add. I ran the truck until i flushed 4 quarts, although I did not see air in the tubing yet. Was this my mistake? Should I have continued flushing into another jug until I saw the air? Would that have prevented my Exxon-Valdez oil leak?
Thanks guys!
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 530
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, Washington
thanks big poppa pump. i covered the outgoing line from the transmission, which was the one that was spilling, with a glove and rubber band. It now has a bit of fluid in it and I have drained about 7 quarts of fluid, not counting the spilled stuff. I still did not get any air in the tubing after 7 quarts and the truck was "grunting" more when switching gears, making me concerned about not having enough fluid in there. Pulling my hair out!!
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 10,977
Likes: 5
From: Lancaster, Pa.
Brian, i haven't done this yet, waiting to do an upgrade to the tranny(VB-shiftkit, ect) but are you supposed to shift the gears while doing this?? I thought you just run the truck and just when you start seeing air bubbles in the fluid you have your helper pour more fluid through the dipstick tube?? Good luck, somebody will be by that did this..
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 530
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, Washington
per the instructions you are supposed to run it through the gears, 5 seconds each, until you see air in the line, then immediately shut off the truck and refill the amount you just pumped out, repeat until 19 quarts are out. The problem I am having is I have 7 quarts out without air and the truck is starting to make weird strained noises while my wife shifts it, as well as I am getting some tranny fluid "backwards" from the metal portion of the return line to the transmission. ARRRRRRGGGHHH!
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 530
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, Washington
Trending Topics
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 10,977
Likes: 5
From: Lancaster, Pa.
Forget this link, won't let it through, just the other day i was looking for info about the tranny flush and now i can't find it, ugghh
Last edited by big poppa; Jan 10, 2009 at 05:12 PM. Reason: No linky
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026
Brett Foote
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 530
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, Washington
thanks, thats the Kovalsky write-up I am using. just can't figure out why the fluid is backing out of the return line and why I haven't got any air from the cooler line yet?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 870
Likes: 9
From: Carbondale, CO
Brian, when I did mine I drained pan and changed filter. Refilled with same amount I drained. Then removed return line at rear of tranny. This was the only line I removed. Connected tubing to this line. I had empty 1 gal jugs for catching fluid. Had my assistant start motor, and fluid came from return line through tube to jugs. When jug full we stopped motor. I would then refill with 1 gallon of new fluid. I never did see any air. I think the converter and pan hold @ 6-8 qts. One time during the procedure, while shifting gears, fluid spit from the open return port on the side of tranny.
DND58
DND58
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 14,541
Likes: 2
From: Dallas-Ft. Worth
Not sure what you disconnected -- the correct line to pull is the one from the rear of the tranny, then put the tube on the line.... All you should have to do when done cycling through the fluid is to reconnect the line, and you're done....
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 235
Likes: 0
You know what would make life easier. If they left the damn drain plug in the convertor until 03 instead of 01! The convertor doesnt hold much like 4 quarts maybe more maybe less, pan holds 6-8 then you have the cooler and lines to flush. I think when i did a flush on a stock truck it was 12-14 quarts.
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 530
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, Washington
well, i'm done with it. You should have seen how big the glove that I used to "cap" the return line swelled up to!! I still got a small amount of fluid in it each time, however I seemed to notice that it is important to go in the following gear sequence P,R,N,D,2,1 and immediately back to park. I wasn't sure, but before when my wife was going P,R,N,D,2,1,2,D,N,R,P,R . . . and so forth is when I noticed the spill the most. 19 quarts and it might be the weather, although its not different than it was a week ago, but my tranny temps are10-15 lower. Usually 120 around town, now about 105 after 20-25 miles of driving. Next time, its being done at the stealership. Too much tranny fluid on me and not enough in the truck, especially at $10/quart.
On another note, I disconnected th tranny hose from the forward side of the metal return line to the tranny. Was I supposed to disconnect the actual metal return line from the side of the tranny? Either way, I would still guess that I would get the same problem with fluid squirting out.
Thanks everyone for your help!
On another note, I disconnected th tranny hose from the forward side of the metal return line to the tranny. Was I supposed to disconnect the actual metal return line from the side of the tranny? Either way, I would still guess that I would get the same problem with fluid squirting out.
Thanks everyone for your help!
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 14,541
Likes: 2
From: Dallas-Ft. Worth
LOL!!! I'll bet you got a lot of fluid everywhere!! The fluid flows FROM the front port on the tranny, out to the cooler, then back through the line that connects to the rear of the tranny. You did it the hard way, for sure!! If you put a hose on the REAR cooler line (return line FROM the cooler), it all comes out right there, and you can just stick the end of the hose into a container -- it's a pretty neat job, if you do it that way (and don't over-fill the tranny, like I did 
).
).
Frmr Ford Trans Engr
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 24,704
Likes: 2,625
From: SE Florida
The original problem seems to be disconnecting the line at the wrong place, plus I'll bet the trans wasn't warmed up. Fluid flows funny when it's cold and a line is opened. It works MUCH better with a warmed up trans. I wish I would have put that in the procedure....