Transmission fluid change failure

Reading this post got me moving on doing this to my 05.
108,500 miles and from the looks of the fluid, OEM filter and gasket, I don’t believe the previous owner had this done.

After reading the great right up from AmpsterDutch, I made it a point to get it done today.

1 gallon of the Valvoline synthetic Merc VL was $18... grabbed me 4 of them from Wally World.

Now, I was really looking forward to draining the torque converter but the square/ trapezoid shaped rubber cover at the bellhousing didn’t get me where I wanted to be, it was in the general area of where that drain bolt should be but too far forward toward the engine, I was basically looking at the front of the flywheel...
Any how...
The drain pan was a bit of a SOB getting off as the rear tranny support was in the way, and after doing a little budging, damn near took a shower in the left over tranny fluid.

I looked for the filling bolt on the back/tail shaft end but didn’t see it.

So after the pan and filter all put back together, I did a flush procedure that I read in another write up by getting my wife to stop and start the car because I was dumping the old stuff from the tranny cooler line and then refilling a quart at a time.

All in all it went well.
No leaks, shifts real smooth and some peace of mind.

And while I had her up, been needing to put some refrigerant into her, she swallowed a can and boy is that air ice cold now.

I used a total of 15 quarts in case anyone is wondering.
 
Archa

Hate to say this... but you might want to get the LV fluid out of the trans ASAP.

From an internet search:

Mercon LV—the latest Ford ATF, it is factory fill in 2008 and later Fords. The LVstands for "low viscosity." It is a fully synthetic ATF. It is not compatible with earlierMercon fluids, so it should neither be mixed with Mercon or Mercon V or used to replace those fluids.
 
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Well you could look at it like this ...the transmission will be nice and clean now that you exchanged it twice :)
Archangel said:
gallon of the Valvoline synthetic Merc VL was $18... grabbed me 4 of them from Wally World
Click to expand...
 
Well, that about sucks balls.

Yea, it will be nice and clean but I would rather spend some time and and another $100 to be sure my tranny doesn’t plode.

Another 4 gallons... I can get Wally worlds Supertech MercV for about $5.00 a quart x 16 = $80.

Valvoline is $10.00 a quart.

Money money money.
 
I wouldn't trust the Supertech brand to put in my lawn mower. It's not worth the risk.
 
joegr said:
I wouldn't trust the Supertech brand to put in my lawn mower. It's not worth the risk.
Click to expand...
What about Carquest brand?

Next one, and I’m sure folks here would’nt hesitate, would be Motorcraft that I can have delivered in 5 quart containers at about $8.40 a quart from Amazon.
 
I’m pretty much the same,
I found a good deal on Motorcraft 12 quart case for $71.00 and should be here on Thursday. I figure that should be enough to drain the pan and flush the rest out... if I need more, I’ll just bite the bullet and pick up a quart or two of the Valvoline Merc V at Autozone.
 
Bout the only thing Wally oil is good for... is drill and tap.

I have it on good authority that the Fram oil filters that Wally sells... are built to a different specification than the rest of the Fram filters.

I'm sure that the same is true about some of the brands of oil they sell.
 
Archangel said:
Yea, it will be nice and clean but I would rather spend some time and and another $100 to be sure my tranny doesn’t plode.
Click to expand...
04_Sport_LS said:
Till clutch pack fibers and metal shavings start plugging everything up from too thin of a fluid.
Click to expand...
You both misunderstood me I think....I meant to say that after you put the correct MotorCraft Merc V in the Transmission she will be extra clean...yes it does matter that you use the proper specification in this transmission...it's very complex and needs a certain viscosity...it sucks having to rework but after this next time you'll have a great deal of experience...and that speaks volumes when owning an LS
 
No worries Dutch. I got what you said... AFTER I posted.

Either way... it could be a problem getting the wrong fluid out of the torque converter since no drain plug was found. Torque converter clutches can be very finicky.
 
My thinking is when we begin the flush with the fluid being up to temp, which we did the first go around was having her put it in gear with foot on the brake.

1st quart or so, in Park.
2nd quart, Reverse
3rd quart, Drive
4th quart, Drive 4,
5th quart, manual drive 1, 2, 3...etc to get the stuff flowing through the converter.


Oh and Dutch, I totally got what you were saying... especially having that thinner fluid running through it for 40 miles, any trace of the old brown stuff will be gone after dumping the thin stuff and replacing it with the proper fluid.
 
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I don't think I'd bring the trans up to temp. The more you circulate the wrong fluid... the more chance you take of doing damage.

I hate to say this... but call your local dealer and explain the problem. If they say they can do a proper flush/exchange... have the vehicle towed there... and hope they are honest enough to charge you only for a flush/exchange and not falsely tell you that you need a rebuild or new trans.

It's not gonna be cheap... but chalk it up to a lesson learned.
 
We used 14 quarts of STP MERCON V with the converter drained and pan dropped with a new filter. Running very smoothly. Preventative to get the synthetic out of it after a couple hundred miles. Doesn't appear to have done any harm. No metal on the magnet.
 
04_Sport_LS said:
I don't think I'd bring the trans up to temp. The more you circulate the wrong fluid... the more chance you take of doing damage.

I hate to say this... but call your local dealer and explain the problem. If they say they can do a proper flush/exchange... have the vehicle towed there... and hope they are honest enough to charge you only for a flush/exchange and not falsely tell you that you need a rebuild or new trans.

It's not gonna be cheap... but chalk it up to a lesson learned.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the cold fluid advice, but as far as taking it to the Stealership, I’ll pass.
I’ll do another flush and filter after a few miles.

Thanks.
 
The fluid is most likely not compatible with the internal components. This would not only include the clutch packs... but also the valve body bores, solenoid pack, and torque converter clutch.

Good luck with that.
 
Archangel said:
What about Carquest brand?

Next one, and I’m sure folks here would’nt hesitate, would be Motorcraft that I can have delivered in 5 quart containers at about $8.40 a quart from Amazon.
Click to expand...

Amazon is the devil. Go to the dealer and support local. My dealer is way cheaper than "A".
 
Update, finally got around to getting the car up on the jacks and flushing 3 gallons of Merc V through it. Gonna drive it fer awhile and then drop and clean the pan and magnet, replace the filter and flush another 3 gallons of Merc V through it and that should get it back to where it should be.
 
Well, today, after 500 miles I did the second flush and replaced the filter.

I feel pretty good now, that after a total of 7 gallons of the correct fluid flushed through and a filter change, my tranny is happy.

Also got around to painting the tranny pan gloss black.

And, glad I remembered, I sucked out the old brown and thin coffee colored diff fluid and replaced it with the 75-140w synthetic.

She runs good.

Thanks guys.
 
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