Loose Transmission Filter?

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I just serviced my 4R75E tranny in my 08 F150. Had 70k miles on the factory fill. I replaced the fluid Castrol Transmax Mercon V, and installed a new Motorcraft filter. The old filter was very snug, and took some effort to twist out. However, the new one, when pressed in completely, had a loose wiggel to it. If I pulled it back out until there was tension on the seal, the filter would sag down as if it were going to fall out. After a quick interweb search, the few tutorials I came across that mentioned the filter install all said 'press filter in completely'. So, I pressed it back in completely, bolted up the pan, and added oil.
Now, I've noticed that my open road temp went UP from an average of about 150 to 165 degrees. This morning (clear, cool 50 degrees), the temp went up to about 185 sitting in traffic. For some reason, it seems to be running warmer. Is that 'too warm'? Could it be the filter? Thanks!
 
Yeah as long as it is snug against the valve body and you took the old seal out of the hole then you are golden.
Those temps are nowhere near problematic. The modified 4R75E in my '04 CVLX will run about 190-194 fully warmed. Ive gotten it to 210 before pulling a hill in 4th unlocked.
185 is well within operating temp.
 
Did you lube the seal and give it a good tap with a rubber mallet?
I install a new seal then lube it with ATF or better still Vaseline (harmless), even so sometimes just pushing it doesn't seat it, it takes a bit of a rap with a mallet to seat firmly.

I am not telling you to take it apart thats your call but i fear it might not be seated fully.
That would play on my mind. LOL
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Did you lube the seal and give it a good tap with a rubber mallet?
I install a new seal then lube it with ATF or better still Vaseline (harmless), even so sometimes just pushing it doesn't seat it, it takes a bit of a rap with a mallet to seat firmly.

I am not telling you to take it apart thats your call but i fear it might not be seated fully.
That would play on my mind. LOL


Yes, I did lube the seal with fresh ATF. I also ensured that the o-ring/seal came off with the old filter. While I didn't tap it with a hammer, I did ensure it was fully seated. The 'loose wiggle' with it fully seated is buggin the [censored] out of me. I know what you mean by 'playing on my mind'. I'm probably going to go home tonight and drop the pan again just to QA it and put my mind at ease. I'd even give thought of picking up a Wix filter on the way home to see if it would fit better. It probably is just fine, and I'm overthinking it. Could be that I'm just paying closer attention to the temp now that I just serviced the tranny, and didn't notice the higher in-traffic temps before? I sweat the details too much at times.
 
As others have mentioned you have to make sure the old seal came out. Sounds like you did.

Did you use a OEM Motorcraft filter or aftermarket? I did the 5R110 in my E450 at ~20k miles and the new MC fit perfectly.
 
From what you say it probably is okay but i would hate to think it might be sucking some air even a little, i wouldn't sleep good.
I know exactly how you feel.

I had a bad experience some years ago. I always do a line off exchange after i do the filter and refill, anyway on this one i noticed a few air bubbles in the clear tubing.
Sure enough it was a bad filter (properly installed), it had a bad seam. Thankfully no harm done, the car didn't move or the tranny put in gear and i caught it within seconds.

No doubt this would have resulted in a blown unit and either the fluid would be blamed or doing a line off on an old unit.
 
Originally Posted By: LotI

Did you use a OEM Motorcraft filter or aftermarket?


Originally Posted By: Mulestang
I replaced the fluid Castrol Transmax Mercon V, and installed a new Motorcraft filter.
 
Originally Posted By: LotI
As others have mentioned you have to make sure the old seal came out. Sounds like you did.

Did you use a OEM Motorcraft filter or aftermarket? I did the 5R110 in my E450 at ~20k miles and the new MC fit perfectly.

I did use a Motorcraft filter. That's why I'm considering picking up the Wix to see if it has the same loose fit.
 
The pan holds the filter up, you have a normal condition. The seal was hardened on your old filter, when you change this one out the next time it will be the same way.
I bet the filter looked new didn't it? I would just do a fluid exchange from here on out.
 
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Originally Posted By: Roadkingnc
The pan holds the filter up, you have a normal condition. The seal was hardened on your old filter, when you change this one out the next time it will be the same way.
I bet the filter looked new didn't it? I would just do a fluid exchange from here on out.

Wouldn't the old, hardened seal be loose? Old filter was more snug than the new one. The old filter was pretty dark on the inside. As for the outside, it was covered in a thin grey film, as was the pan. The donut magnet was pretty dirty, as well. I don't think any of the crud was unusual. Looked pretty par compared to other pics I've seen of pan drops.
 
I found one floating around in a Tbird pan(uses the same filter). I didn't install it. I believe it was an aftermarket filter. Guess they saved 2c on a screw, adds up over 20 million units.
 
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If the hole for the filter and the seal were perfectly dry the filter would be firmly held in place, like I said before the pan holds the filter in place, the seal and filter cant come out.
 
It was in place when I put the pan back on. It's been a few days now and the truck shifts fine. Guess I'd better leave well enough alone. Thanks!
 
I think post 96 (to present) they improved the filter so it has a protruding spout and can't fall out. I changed my 95 trans to the new pan and filter. The older filters had no spout coming out or dimple in the pan. There was nothing preventing them from falling out.
 
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