Automatic transmission fluid

E

Edvmagnum

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Hey guys, got a 2008 automatic GT/CS 88000 miles.
The transmission has never been flush.

Should I leave it as it is or flush the fluid without changing the filter through the drain ?
or should I completely rewove the pan and change filter + add you fluid?
thanks for you help !
 

Greg Hazlett

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Always change the filter!!! It is messy but drop the pan and change the filter; if you need tranny fluid I use and sell Amsoil.
 
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Edvmagnum

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thanks for the fast reply. is the fluid temperature need to be checked when refilling? or not necessary?
 

Greg Hazlett

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Once you fill approx how much you took out you need to start the car, run it through the gears and get it up to temp, then check the level and add as necessary.
 

Rich

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DROP THE PAN. A pan drop and filter change, getting it to temp (70-120 degrees) will yield 5qts. I've done this 4 times over the last 2 years. I use Motorcraft MERCON V ATF.

The key is to make sure it is MERCON V. The filter PN is Motorcraft FT-142. Also, don't forget to clean the pan magnet.
 
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Rich

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And...USE A PAN GASKET...not that horse-shit form-a-gasket.
The pan gasket is reusable if it's not torn or cracked. I've cleaned and reused mine 4 times now. Totally agree on that RTV shit, that stuff is a nightmare. Give me a quality gasket over that any day of the week.
 

86GT351

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The filter DOES NOT always have to be changed. IF and I say IF the user of the flush machine does the job properly, I can assure you it cleans the filter. There is a cleaner that goes in and the system runs. After a few minutes the machine is hooked into one of the lines and creates a loop. Once the machine is running and the vehicle is running, it completely flushes the fluid including the convertor.
 

Laga

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Since it is 13 years old, I would take it for a complete flush. But not with a solvent. You want to avoid those. About 2 years ago, my local dealer charged around $100 to pump out old fluid and replace with new.
 

Pentalab

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The pan gasket is reusable if it's not torn or cracked. I've cleaned and reused mine 4 times now. Totally agree on that RTV shit, that stuff is a nightmare. Give me a quality gasket over that any day of the week.
Brand new gaskets from ford are cheap. The oem method of checking atf level is beyond fubar. I replaced my pan with a P+B aluminum pan...which is exactly 2.1" deeper then oem..and holds an extra 4 qts. New aluminum pan has a 5/8" thick flange where it meets the gasket. Comes with all new SS hex head screws. Also comes with a locking style dip stick, which comes up on the fire wall, next to the battery. Dip stick opening is big enough to easily get a funnel in there. Aluminum pan also comes with a HD drain plug on the bottom, with the magnetic pickup on the inside. 3/8" wide aluminum ribs run the the length of the alum pan.

Still did not solve my heating problem. With the small M90 blower, the tranny temps would increase from 170 F to 200 F, in just 4-8 seconds. Fix for that was an aftermarket Auto tranny cooler, made by B+M, which is a bar and plate design, aprx 3/4" thick, fits below the oem tranny cooler....and plumbed in series with it.

Beware, the 5r55s will puke out atf fluid all over the road. Fix for that was a JDM engineering catch can, which goes on the side wall on drivers side, near the corner, where side wall meets fire wall.

After all that song and dance, the temp only rises 1-2 degs F, with blower on. 171-172 F...which is a lot better than the 200 F I had before, with the oem setup.

To get all the old atf out, gentle pressure was applied on one side of oem tranny cooler, and some vacuum on the other side. Then it all comes out, including the atf inside the oem tq converter.
 
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Edvmagnum

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thanks guys for the details!
not sure how to check the temperature of the fluid when refilling the transmission fluid, is the engine oil temperature shown on the dashboard is enough or not linked?
 

Laga

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thanks guys for the details!
not sure how to check the temperature of the fluid when refilling the transmission fluid, is the engine oil temperature shown on the dashboard is enough or not linked?
Use a IR thermometer on the transmission pan. Motor oil temp will be much higher.
 

Rich

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thanks guys for the details!
not sure how to check the temperature of the fluid when refilling the transmission fluid, is the engine oil temperature shown on the dashboard is enough or not linked?

I use my SCT tuner because it has gauges, but a cold trans will be in the operating range if you crank it and let it idle for 10 minutes or so. I'm telling you, I've done this enough over the last 2 years to know that if your fluid was factory filled and never been changed and has not leaked out, a pan drop and filter change will yield 5 quarts.
1. Drop the pan
2. Clean the pan, magnet and gasket
3. Replace the filter (make sure you get the orange colored o-ring out of the valve body before you insert the new filter)
4. Replace the gasket and filter
5. Tighten the pan bolts to 96 INCH POUNDS in a criss-cross pattern.
6. Fill it with 5 quarts of MERCON V
7. Run it for 10 minutes or so and I gauratee you it will only trickle out of the drain hole like it's supposed to.

There's no need to buy fancy fluid or do anything crazy during the process. This is not a race transmission so unless you want to throw money in the fire, just get Motorcraft MERCON V and a Motorcraft filter and call it a day. I wouldn't waste my money on a flush either. The pressures that a flush machine introduces into the trans to drain the fluid can clog passageways in the valvebody with debris if its present. I've witnessed it firsthand on my old F-150 and seen two others break as well. Just a pan drop and filter change will suffice.
 
E

Edvmagnum

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thanks a lot for this, this is very helpful, and i am glad to see how mustang lovers support each other !
i bought this for the ATF : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JU877WQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
but i only figure now that i will have too much fluid for my need !
and yes for the filter : i bought this one which is a
Motorcraft - FT142 Filter
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C5BP7K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
i give the link in case someone needs it !
 

Rich

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thanks a lot for this, this is very helpful, and i am glad to see how mustang lovers support each other !
i bought this for the ATF : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JU877WQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
but i only figure now that i will have too much fluid for my need !
and yes for the filter : i bought this one which is a
Motorcraft - FT142 Filter
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C5BP7K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
i give the link in case someone needs it !
Since yours has over 80k miles on it this is what I suggest you do. A pan drop and filter change will only exchange 5 quarts but the total capacity is 12.7. You won't get it all out of the torque converter just by doing the pan drop so what I did was a pan drop and filter change, filled it with 5 quarts. Drove it for normally for 15 miles (letting it shift through all the gears multiple times), let it sit overnight, then dropped the pan and added the next 5 quarts in. Doing it this way you will replace at least 75% of the old fluid and will be in much better shape than you would if you did nothing. No need to replace the filter if you choose to drop it a second time. Once you use 10 quarts, use the remaining 2 and replace the power steering fluid. Get a turkey baster or pump and suck out the old fluid, fill it to the fill line, drive it around as you would normally do and every couple of days repeat the process. There are messier ways like undoing the reservoir hoses, but the ways I used were easier, a little more time consuming, but easier. This pump will be your friend when doing the trans.
image_26864.jpg

Get a lower unit fluid pump for an outboard boat motor because the yellow nipple tip fits perfectly in the tran fill hole and does not leak Both pumps are less than $15.
93c8125d-0f60-4a2c-a31b-4fce115a4822_1.5bf6deafcca48b5ac104a7b15d1d5564.jpeg
 

Pentalab

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thanks guys for the details!
not sure how to check the temperature of the fluid when refilling the transmission fluid, is the engine oil temperature shown on the dashboard is enough or not linked?
I have 3 x aeroforce gauges plugged into the OBD port at all times...with all 3 x gauges mounted on a SOS A pillar. Only one is really required. The aeroforce gauge will read every parameter you want to know, including auto tranny temp. Just on idle, it will eventually get up to 120 F. Around town or on hwy, it will eventually get up to 170 F..and stay put.
 

Laga

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I actually changed the solenoid block, filter and fluid last Saturday. I ran a vinyl tube from the fill adapter on the drain plug to the top of the motor and stuck a funnel on to it. It was rather slow, but much, much, easier to fill.
 
E

Edvmagnum

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Thank you guys, eveything worked perfectly. i changed the fluid last weekend, and use this pump. it worked like a charm.
image_26864.jpg
 

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