A friend at work owns a 2000 Ford F-150 that with ~96,000 miles. He bought the truck used, at which time it had ~65,000 miles. This afternoon I asked him if he has ever serviced the transmission or differential, to which he replied that he had not done so because several mechanics had told him replacing the ATF in Ford trucks was a sure fire way to bring on a transmission failure. This made absolutely no sense to me, but I figured that I would pose the question here. Is servicing a Ford F-150 transmission a bad move?
2000 Ford F-150 with 96K miles
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I've serviced several and never had a liked failure...science says no. Now if you put it off for 120k miles then it might fail quickly after a fluid/filter chage...just because it was going to fail from neglect anyway!!! It's like trying to correlate high crime to increased ice cream sales in a city...there is another variable in the mix (scorching temps). Maybe I have just been fortunate and did the job correctly or something??
100% of people in prison drank some milk as babies/children.
Fresh fluid is the best, not the worst thing that you can do for that transmission.
Fresh fluid is the best, not the worst thing that you can do for that transmission.
That's it...ban milk then!!! Good stuff Mechtech!
I've put mine off for the last 82K miles (the life of my truck) and I know I need to change it.
But I've heard over and over the same thing. Change the transmission fluid and you're gonna start having problems. Esp if you change it for the 1st time and don't routinely change it every 30k miles from then on out.
Just not sure if I should tackle it myself, or let someone do it for me.
I know!!
But I've heard over and over the same thing. Change the transmission fluid and you're gonna start having problems. Esp if you change it for the 1st time and don't routinely change it every 30k miles from then on out.
Just not sure if I should tackle it myself, or let someone do it for me.
I know!!
Originally Posted By: FiremarshalRob
I've put mine off for the last 82K miles (the life of my truck) and I know I need to change it.
But I've heard over and over the same thing. Change the transmission fluid and you're gonna start having problems. Esp if you change it for the 1st time and don't routinely change it every 30k miles from then on out.
Just not sure if I should tackle it myself, or let someone do it for me.
Just do whichever one will get it done in the next couple of months.
I've put mine off for the last 82K miles (the life of my truck) and I know I need to change it.
But I've heard over and over the same thing. Change the transmission fluid and you're gonna start having problems. Esp if you change it for the 1st time and don't routinely change it every 30k miles from then on out.
Just not sure if I should tackle it myself, or let someone do it for me.
Just do whichever one will get it done in the next couple of months.
its not the easiest thing to do but if you have a free afternoon, go for it. Its like an oil change on steroids.
I dropped the pan and change the fluid/filter on my Ford truck at 25K miles. Every 2 years, I use a MityVac fluid extractor and suck out about 5 quarts, then add new fluid.
PS - on a Ford truck, you can drain the torque converter. Take off the inspection cover, and rotate the engine until you see the converter drain plug.
PS - on a Ford truck, you can drain the torque converter. Take off the inspection cover, and rotate the engine until you see the converter drain plug.
The origins of this "no fluid change" myth comes from zombie transmissions... slipping transmission that are dead but don't know it yet. When a trans is at the beginning of it's death throws, people will often change the fluid in an attempt to rebuild it from a bottle. By that time the fluid is fried and most of it's lubrication qualities are gone. That lack of lubrication is allowing enough friction between the clutch plates to move the car in some fashion, albeit slipping and shifting erratically. So then you fill it up with new fluid with good lubricating qualities and the clutch plates that could grab enough to move the car with the fried lube no longer can do so and the car stops working.
Bottom line, if your trans has no problems before the change, it won't have any afterwards and if you change the fluid regularly, it won't have any problems in the future. Better late than never, I say.
M442: I was about to get on your case about your converter drain statement because I haven't seen a late model Ford with a converter drain. I checked my '05 F-150 service manual and it talks about a converter drain for removing fluid from the converter during overhaul but doesn't show it in an illustration or describe it. It also talks about an add-on filter kit (from Ford) on the fluid return line. I'll be doing some research to further determine the nature of this drain. Thanks for challenging me to find out!
My '86 F-250 has a converter drain for sure, but that truck is from the days of steel trucks and iron men.
Bottom line, if your trans has no problems before the change, it won't have any afterwards and if you change the fluid regularly, it won't have any problems in the future. Better late than never, I say.
M442: I was about to get on your case about your converter drain statement because I haven't seen a late model Ford with a converter drain. I checked my '05 F-150 service manual and it talks about a converter drain for removing fluid from the converter during overhaul but doesn't show it in an illustration or describe it. It also talks about an add-on filter kit (from Ford) on the fluid return line. I'll be doing some research to further determine the nature of this drain. Thanks for challenging me to find out!
My '86 F-250 has a converter drain for sure, but that truck is from the days of steel trucks and iron men.
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Update: Apparently, up to early '02, the 4R70E trans in the F-150 did have a converter drain but not after. The bellhousing access hole is there. I may spin mine around at some point to verify. The drain was drilled in the outer circumference of the converter housing. I may actually drill and tap mine, but if my experience doing that with GM transmission is of any use, you need to do it in a particular spot (TBD in this case). The converter housing is thick enough to accept threads. On GMs, it was pretty messy but straightforward. Saves a lot of wasted fluid over the at home flush method.
Service the transmission. At least drop the pan, change the filter and top it off. With it being a 2000 you can drain the torque converter to replace nearly all the fluid or take it somewhere and have a fluid exchange preformed. Be sure to use a fluid that is Mercon V approved, acceptable, suitable or some such convoluted language.
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I have personal experience with this, but not sure any definite conclusions can be drawn. Here goes:
In 2001, I purchased a used 1997 Ford Expedition with 65K miles on it. Unknown service history. My purchase of the Expedition was contingent upon it passing an inspection by an professional mechanic. I took it to a local garage, where the did a full inspection of the Expy.
The mechanic's report showed that all he could find wrong was that the transmission fluid looked/smelled a little burnt, and he would recommend changing it. Based on his report, I purchased the Expedition.
The following week, I took the Expy back to the same garage, where they did a ATF exchange (not a flush), using Mercon fluid, which they '97 Expedition called for (98's & up always spec'd Mercon V).
A couple months later, the transmission had a shift solenoid fail. I had the Ford dealer replace it, to the tune of around $400. After the shift solenoid was replaced, I experienced no further problems with the transmission. I sold the Expy with 125K miles on it.
Draw from this what you will.
In 2001, I purchased a used 1997 Ford Expedition with 65K miles on it. Unknown service history. My purchase of the Expedition was contingent upon it passing an inspection by an professional mechanic. I took it to a local garage, where the did a full inspection of the Expy.
The mechanic's report showed that all he could find wrong was that the transmission fluid looked/smelled a little burnt, and he would recommend changing it. Based on his report, I purchased the Expedition.
The following week, I took the Expy back to the same garage, where they did a ATF exchange (not a flush), using Mercon fluid, which they '97 Expedition called for (98's & up always spec'd Mercon V).
A couple months later, the transmission had a shift solenoid fail. I had the Ford dealer replace it, to the tune of around $400. After the shift solenoid was replaced, I experienced no further problems with the transmission. I sold the Expy with 125K miles on it.
Draw from this what you will.
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
100% of people in prison drank some milk as babies/children
That is what happened to me.
100% of people in prison drank some milk as babies/children
That is what happened to me.
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