Hello,
In the middle of a transmission flush on my 2001 E350 7.3L v8 4x4 RV w 95k miles. I gathered from extensive reading and searching here that I have the 4r100 tranny with a deep pan and that I should use MERCON V ATF(autozone had STP brand on sale for $5/qt, hope its not too crappy). I bought it from the 2nd owner in 2011 w 65k miles. The first owner sold to the 2nd at around 10k miles. have service records and it appears to have had one 'transmission service'. I'm going to say it was only a pan drain and refill as the line item for the ATF on the invoice was for 7 quarts.

disclaimer: I am very mechanically and diy minded so very enthused about learning how to do this. however haven't done much on the vehicle front short of oil changes and basic filter swaps. oh I changed some spark plugs once

I read this thread thru completely twice before I started and one time thru after I stopped midway at my confusion point...
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post12824085
I read marks directions from here https://www.ford-trucks.com/articles...-transmission/
several times, printed it out and had it with me at the vehicle and read it several more times. I don't have a drain plug in my pan, wanted to drop the pan and clean and also change the filter and have a look at the magnet. here are the if/else steps from marks instructions I took based on my situation...

step 2 a(I have no drain plug)
-If you don’t have a drain plug, go to step 4 to
pump out the pan, preventing an ATF shower! Return here after step 4 and
one pass through step 5a.
step 4
-Disconnect the transmission-fluid return line at the
transmission – from where the ATF returns to the transmission from the
cooler. This is the line towards the rear of the transmission. Clamp the
clear tubing over the line that you removed from the transmission. This is
where the fluid comes out.
step 5 a (1x thru)
-Run the engine until you see some air in the
clear tubing. As soon as you see
air shut off the engine.
(-----this all worked beautifully btw. then I questioned this next step as it triggered my common-sense-o-meter...)
Refill through the dipstick tube with the same
amount as you just pumped out.
(----I asked myself, wouldn't this just fill the pan back up again? but I know basically nothing about how this transmission operates short of what I gleaned from this site. I read the instructions several times to be sure but forged ahead as that seemed to be the flow for my particular situation...)
step 2 a
Return here after step 4 and one pass through step 5a. = completed
step 2 b
Remove the pan and clean the pan = very pink ATF came spilling out, alot of it
--------------
so I managed all the fluid fairly well, slowly but surely. Thankfully this vehicle has great clearance so I was able to get buckets and tubs under there for collecting the pan fluids. from step 5a I pumped out 6 quarts of old ATF so then put in 6 fresh quarts per the instructions. the amount of ATF that came out after I dropped the pan amounted to 7 quarts. presumably some amount of old 'fell' back in to the pan plus some amount came out with the filter removal. with the pan off I now see where the dipstick comes down thus now know the fill tube goes to the pan directly

so here I am. the pan and gasket are clean. there was no magnet in my pan . the filter has the short take up tube. the replacement I got has the longer take up tube. here are my questions...

1)I am assuming I am simply at a net loss of 6 fresh quarts of ATF and can jump back in to the flow at step 2 c...
->remove/replace filter->(get a replacement magnet)reattach gasket and pan->drain TC if applicable->pour in fresh ATF equivalent to the amount that was removed. Correct so far?
-----before replacing pan-----
2)do I get said missing magnet from ford dealership?
3)is it not advisable to add a drain plug to my pan?
4)okay to use the new filter with the longer pickup tube?
5) do I put 6 or 7 quarts back in to restart the flushing process?
-----before pumping more old ATF out-----
6)I started this yesterday after driving the vehicle to warm it up. can I finish this successfully even tho its 'cold'(should be about 85 degrees here today)?

here are some pics that might be helpful...
Thank you all soooooo much!
-Chanda

 

Ill admit my flaw..i lose it in long thteads but..if short stem came out, put short stem in. And, for luid level brutha, thats what the dipsticks for...👍 you got this

 

Yes, there is an oversight there. It should say, "If you are going to remove the pan, do that before adding more fluid."

Yes.

I expect so, but I don't know if they service that part.
If you want one, add one.
The long pickup tube is the correct one. The short one is not for use in an E-Series 4R100. When installing the new filter, make sure the pan doesn't crush it. It's possible someone swapped a different pan that does require the short filter. Most likely at the first service they installed the wrong filter. Almost every parts listing I've seen show that filter for the two wheel drive trucks. That was correct for the E4OD, but not the 4R100.
7 quarts.
Yes. there is no need to warm the trans up to do this procedure. It can be done with a cold transmission.

That's really bad advice. The short filter is the wrong one, don't use it.

 

Mark thank you very much for your reply. Its great to hear from you directly. The dealership does have the magnet. I am picking it up this morning and will
jump back in to the flush process. one other question, could you tell from the pics I attached of the pan if I have the original?

 

...or I should say, the correct pan for this vehicle?

 

if you please, one more... I know I saw this somewhere but since I might get you back on the line could you please tell me what the torque is for
tightening down the pan bolts and also the cooler return line nut?

thanks!
-chanda

 

I don't know 100% about yours, but I just did a filter on my 2000 F250 4x4 4r100 last weekend and have the same pan and long neck filter in mine. Mine does have the drain bolt and magnet, where yours did not; but the pans are other wise identical. I can't specifically help with torque, as I did not look it up.

On edit, Riffraff Diesel's site is indicating 120 in-lbs for the pan blots.

 

I am not familiar with it but would like to point out that he quotes in-lbs, NOT fl-lbs. There is a yuuuuuge difference and a certain failure using the wrong one there.

 

Thanks much for the replies guys. I'm at the vehicle now about to jump back in and finish the process. Darn the torque wrench I got is ft-lbs. However it looks like I can do a conversion and divide by 12 for a ft-lbs of 10 to be the equivalent of 120 in-lbs. Seem right?

 

Well, thwarted again. Sure seems like I can't get the pan to seat due to the filter. The top of the filter(not the tube w the orange gasket but the flat 'casing' part) is bottoming out at the underside of the works. so the filter is as high/far up as is feasible as far as i can tell. Did you sense any obstruction/resistance on your pan install U9000?

 

your pan isn't oem to that vehicle. I would get the oem depth pan for a myriad of reasons. Wash that one out pretty good. It'll fry bacon on the grill :')

Get it right and follow your intervals and manuals.

Denny

 

I can't tell by looking, If you had a deep and shallow pan side by side it would be easy.

I don't know the torque for the cooler line nut. The pan bolts are 10 lb-ft, or 120 lb-in.

That is correct.

There should no obstruction. You have the wrong pan. The pan you have will work, but the right pan is better.

If you keep that pan you'll need the short snout filter.

 

guys, I'm really thinking I have the shallow pan. My understanding is the original owner had the 4wd added to the e350 van chassis aftermarket then sent it off to the rv manufacturer for a custom motorhome package. would it make sense then that it still has the 2wd shallow pan and probably original shallow filter? if so, should I get myself a deep pan with a drain plug and call it good and an improvement to the rig? I already have the correct deep pan filter.

or... the shallow pan is in fine shape and I found a diy drain plug. would just be out the cost of the 4x4 filter and need to get the 4x2.

if getting a deep pan makes sense is there any reason to spend a little more money for an aftermarket improved pan? I see some that claim to help with cooling. or I just get one from the dealership? and just to be absolutely sure, I do have the 4r100 tranny because its a 2001 e350? the trans code on the door sticker is '9' fwiw.

more pics: my pan from one more angle and compared to an image I found on this forum of a members deep pan.
again, thanks a million. I'll get thru this yet!
-Chanda
'never give up, never surrender'

my pan


forum members' deep pan

 

shoot, dieseldenny and mark, just saw your replies after I posted.

okay well, seems like getting the deep pan is the right way to go??

I like bacon especially with mild overtones of ATF

 

anybody know if this thing is any good?


or a used oem
https://cobratransmission.com/e40d-4...QaAqyhEALw_wcB

I'll call my ford dealership on monday to price out a new one first.