Automatic Transmission Pan Replacement Questions and Help Request

I want to change out the factory pan on my 2007 Mustang GT 5R55S (I think this is correct) Transmission.

I am looking at the Trick Flow TFS-1012-1 High Capacity Aluminum Pan.

I will be adding an AutoMeter/Ford Performance Transmission Temperature Sensor to the pan.

My logic is my capacity so prolong the life of the transmission and the aluminum should help with cooling a bit.

I have a couple question that I am hoping the brain-trust can help with.

Is this a good pan? Is there a better unit I should be looking at? I really could not find many replacement units that are still made.

What fluid would be best to run and how much should I buy?

Which one of the filling pumps is suggested, and what adapter do I need to get?

Trick Flow offers a dipstick kit(TFS-1012-2), has anyone installed this kit? I would like to have a transmission fluid dipstick, but I have an Edelbrock supercharger kit with the valve cover dress up kit, I am not sure if this will fit under or neat those cover. I know Lokar makes some flexible units but I dont know what length I should get.

I am not a transmission guy, I understand basic mechanics. I did install the SC kit on my own with no issues, but Automatic Transmission have always baffled me, so any help, experience and suggestions are truly welcome

The dipstick just allows you to, not only check fluid level, but top off if needed.
TFS-1012-2 is the one with the tube and dipstick. It routes where it routes,
you won't have much of a choice where it goes.

$175.00 on eBay for the pan, $300 for the pan and dip-stick parts.

The 5R55S has a huge pan as it is, the TF one allows for two more quarts, but
they claim one to three depending on application. You also need the 1.25" long
tube pick-up filter, which is included with a NEW kit.

The specs say it's a 2.5 quart increase for the 5R55S.

You must Run MERCON, which is now at Mercon V. You will be initially, be putting 5
and 1/2 quarts in once installed, from just replacing the pan and filter. You will be
checking the level and adding if needed.


Pump wise? I used a Bug Sprayer:
I removed the tip, attached a hose and double clamped it to the wand.
Fill the tank with trans fluid. Then put the fitting in the trans, and clamped
the other end of the hose on to the fill fitting. Pump it up, and pull the
trigger. You will have to pump some more, but I have done all my VW
trans services this way, because they fill the same way; DSG and 09G.
I paid $6.00 at Walmart for mine, got the fitting on-line.

The fill tool part is like $12.00 on eBay, but you can thread any hollow tube into
it, and clamp on to it. Part# is 307-437.

However, having a dip-stick tube, you can top fill, to the hash marks on the
dip-stick, engine at idle.

Also, OBDII data has a trans temp PID:

To the left of the coolant temperature reading is the trans fluid temp reading. Just in case
you didn't know the OBDII data had one. I guess you're adding an physical gauge in a pod?

You MAY want to consider a solenoid pack upgrade/update part while the pan and filter is down..

If you want it to run cooler, why not add a second tranny cooler to the setup that is there in series with the factory cooler. I made my own dipstick using some fittings in the pan and used a hydraulic hose to snake it up beside the battery. I got a dipstick from a wrecker (with a tranny red handle) and marked it where the level should be. I got the parts from an Auto parts place that also sells hydraulic hose and fittings to go along with my setup. You want something to bolt into the the side of the tranny pan with a locknut on the inside (or you can weld it in) then to a 90 deg fitting to route the hyd hose to the topside of the car.
Before I took the pan off, I carefully measured what came out.
Drain plug out - 0.9 liters came out
Drain assembly out - 1.6 liters came out
Pan off - 1.65 liters remained
Of course this didn't include what the filter held so when I refill, I add 4.5 liters.
Then I drilled a hole in the pan a bit lower than where I could see the normal oil level would be so the dipstick would actually see soem fluid and used some fittings to attach some hydraulic hose. Now it's easy to change, add and check the tranny oil level. Similar to above, I also have a Scangauge which I programmed to get the tranny temperature rather than a separate sending unit.

I used to run, I think was the PA pan. Aluminum finned that added 4 qts. of capacity. Had a dipstick. I had to buy my own filter. I used the stock pan when I had my last tranny rebuild. With my stupid low CobraJet springs I would rub it over the smallest speed bumps. Still got it somewhere in the depths of my garage but I'm not sure about the dipstick. I might have given it away. Anyways, the PA pan had a boss in it for tapping into the pan for a sensor or what not. But the one thing I wanted to mention is, while you're doing all of this, you might want to dabble with the idea of a catch can for the tranny vent. With its current position it can drip inside the bell housing and get flung all over. Plus you really never need to actually check the fluid level as whatever gets spewed out gets sucked back in when it cools. Unless you have an actual leak the fluid level is always constant, dispensing with the actual need for the dipstick.

Once 5r55s is up to temp, it sits at 170 F. Mine would increase from 170-200 F.... in just 5-8 secs with blower on, gas mashed, on the hwy..+ it would also puke ATF. My fix was a JDM engineering catch can for the 5r55s. PA deeper pan was used, 2.1" deeper ( made from 5/8" thick aluminum.. with rows of thick fins). Deeper pan holds an extra 4 qts of ATF. Pan comes with a magnetic drain plug. Also comes with a locking style dipstick, big enough to allow adding ATF, if required. PA pan weighs 10.3 lbs.... vs 3.2 lbs for oem steel pan. Also switched to RP 'max atf' 100% synthetic atf. Also installed a B+M auto tranny cooler ( 3/4" thick, 13K BTU, bar + plate style, cheap from summit / jegs etc)....in series with oem Ford tranny cooler.
Ok, now the tranny temps only increase to 171-172 F.... doing the same 5-8 sec hwy 'blower on' test.

The oem 5r55s is the weak link in the chain. You want to avoid 5-3 shifts, 5-2 shifts, 4-2 shifts. Drag racing is fine, with it's 1-2-3-4 upshifts.

https://www.teamjdm.com/2005-2009-automatic-5r55-trans-catch-can-kit/ Catch can for 5R55S. Without it, you will be losing ATF like crazy.

https://www.jegs.com/i/B&M/130/7026...riteo&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=retargeting B+M 13k BTU tranny cooler I used on my 5R55S.

The PA deeper tranny pan, in my case, did not reduce tranny temps, even with 100% synthetic ATF.
That's probably cuz the deeper pan didn't come with a deeper fill tube. Once the B+M cooler was installed, directly below the oem tranny cooler, end of tranny over heating problems.

I only have 386 rwhp / 370 rwtq. With your smaller pulley, you will have aprx 539 crank hp / 431 rwhp ... which is a bunch. If you want it to last more than 2-3 months, the catch can + cooler is cheap insurance.

https://www.teamjdm.com/2005-2009-automatic-5r55-trans-catch-can-kit/ Catch can for 5R55S. Without it, you will be losing ATF like crazy.

Click to expand...

$30.00 Trans Catch Can:


Drilled and Tapped For a Fitting:


Capped the Inlet side, vented the Outlet side:


Hooked up this line to the Trans Vent Tube




For ~$30.00, it comes with the hose and fittings for the can.
You will need to buy the 90 degree fitting, and a coupler
for the trans vent hose you pulled from the bell housing..

Any puke goes back into the trans.

If you need to top off, pour trans fluid in the catch can.

Can do the same for a differential vent for tracking or racing.

These cans are all over eBay, make sure you get the right one.

ENGINE OIL CATCH TOO: