Those with a 1992-2001 have the advantage of Torque Converter drain plug. This will allow for an almost complete fluid drain. Those with out will drain around 4qts less but can still do a fluid change at home.
I can't speak about Box vic's as I am unsure as to whether they have a TC drain or the crank bolt size, If you know this information please add it.
Supplies
1 can Brake cleaner
14 qts Mercon V . Do not use any universal fluids.
7/16 socket
10mm socket.
18mm socket.
A small pick.
Filter.
Optional - Needle nose pliers.
First get your can on jack stands. Do not work under your car with anything else supporting it. You will be under there a while so let's play it safe.
Now since your going to replace "worn" fluid and have your hand in some not so nice places, Let's take the ground off the battery and leave it off during the entire operation.
Locate a black plug under the bell housing, Pry it off. Now you are looking at your Torque Converter.
Using the 18mm socket and a breaker bar or or ratchet turn the crank bolt located inside the crank at the bottom of the FEAD,or serpentine belt routing. When facing the car imagine that crank turning clock wise, This is the motion we will follow.
Turn the crank bolt right tight using one arm and with the other place a finger against the TC pointing towards the drivers side. You are trying to feel for the bolt to spin around so you can access it.
Once you fell the bolt turn the crank slowly til you see it dead center of the hole.
Having a deep pan handy turn that bolt left loose out of there. Now put that bolt in a safe place and the TC will need a long time to drain, In fact you're going to let it drain for most of the entire operation.
Get your 10mm socket and another pan.
Now when I drop pans I like to use a 3/8ths breaker bar, This way I can left loose and right tight those bolts for the pan. The bolt holes are open at the top along both sides of the trans pan. Debris will get in there. So I go in both directions to keep them moving freely as I remove them.
Undo all but one bolt at each side ( Front and Back ) so you can control the pitch of the pan and let as much as possible pour out in a controlled fashion.
Now once you have as much as possible out of the pan push it back up all the way and remove the last two bolts.
Bring down the pan and slowly pour it into your catch pan. You're Ford Reusable Pan Gasket may stick to the trans, Just gently pull it down.
Place the pan aside and with that same catch pan under the trans and it's still going to "rain" fluid from various places pull down and remove the filter. Inspect the filter for an orange o-ring where it entered the bore of the valve body. If it's missing then grab your pick and pull it out of that bore.
How's the TC drain doing ?
Leave that catch pan under the car and remove the trans pan and gasket.
Remove the magnet and spray out the pan until it's clean, Then use a rag and wipe off your magnet.
Place the magnet back over that dimple where you got it, Marked by three "pointing lines"
Inspect your gasket, a little rough edge on the outside is ok as long as there isnt a tear or deformation past either of the two stiff wires in it.
Place the gasket back on the pan, Though it looks like it can go "both ways" make sure you have it right as the bottom 4 bolts on the pans widest point are off set a little so the gasket does have a "Right way" .
Now did you remove the orange o-ring from the previous filter ?
How's the TC drain doing ? If no more fluid is draining then replace that bolt and the plug. Wipe the area down. Tighten the bolt to 20 ft lbs.
Take your new filter and press it firmly in the bore, Make sure the filter runs flat against the valve body and holds itself in place and is placed in the correct direction.
Now have your pan bolts handy.
Place the gasket on the pan,check for placement and hold it against the pan. Hand tighten 3 bolts. This will align the gasket and hold the pan for you.
Hand tighten the remaining bolts, Then tighten them in a cross pattern. Pick any corner to start and do the diagonal opposite then do the same side opposite, lather rinse repeat. Use a pattern that has you doing opposite bolts all the time. NEVER tighten that in a circular fashion "Go around" . Tighten the pan bolts to 10 ft lbs.
Wipe the pan off and all the bolts too.
Orange o-ring was found right ?
TC drain plug and black plug replaced ?
All pan bolts tightened ?
Now pour 6-7 qts into the dipstick tube. Replace the battery ground and start the car. Check for leaks, this is why you should wipe everything down.
If you are leak free turn off the car, remove everything from under it,check under the tires and safely lower it on the ground.
Now add 4 more qts to the dipstick tube, Run the transmission thru each gear position with a "1" count at each step. Work from P to 1 and back to P this way.
Add the remaining fluid as necessary.
Wipe the dipstick off before getting a reading. Do this with the car running and in Park. Always trust the lower reading side as the dipstick may "scrape" fluid off the tube on it's way down and give you a false reading.
Now go take a short test drive and check for proper shifting and operation.
Return to your work space and check the fluid and for leaks again.
Now get on a routine of checking for leaks and fluid level until your sick and tired of doing so.
Any new fluid remaining is to be used for a power steering fluid replacement. You can use a turkey baster or any other acceptable suction device to remove fluid from the reservoir. Mercon V is rated and labeled by Ford for both Transmission and Power Steering applications.
Remove fluid from the reservoir with the car off and replace with new, Start car and turn the wheels full left and full right 2 times. Lather rinse repeat.
I can't speak about Box vic's as I am unsure as to whether they have a TC drain or the crank bolt size, If you know this information please add it.
Supplies
1 can Brake cleaner
14 qts Mercon V . Do not use any universal fluids.
7/16 socket
10mm socket.
18mm socket.
A small pick.
Filter.
Optional - Needle nose pliers.
First get your can on jack stands. Do not work under your car with anything else supporting it. You will be under there a while so let's play it safe.
Now since your going to replace "worn" fluid and have your hand in some not so nice places, Let's take the ground off the battery and leave it off during the entire operation.
Locate a black plug under the bell housing, Pry it off. Now you are looking at your Torque Converter.
Using the 18mm socket and a breaker bar or or ratchet turn the crank bolt located inside the crank at the bottom of the FEAD,or serpentine belt routing. When facing the car imagine that crank turning clock wise, This is the motion we will follow.
Turn the crank bolt right tight using one arm and with the other place a finger against the TC pointing towards the drivers side. You are trying to feel for the bolt to spin around so you can access it.
Once you fell the bolt turn the crank slowly til you see it dead center of the hole.
Having a deep pan handy turn that bolt left loose out of there. Now put that bolt in a safe place and the TC will need a long time to drain, In fact you're going to let it drain for most of the entire operation.
Get your 10mm socket and another pan.
Now when I drop pans I like to use a 3/8ths breaker bar, This way I can left loose and right tight those bolts for the pan. The bolt holes are open at the top along both sides of the trans pan. Debris will get in there. So I go in both directions to keep them moving freely as I remove them.
Undo all but one bolt at each side ( Front and Back ) so you can control the pitch of the pan and let as much as possible pour out in a controlled fashion.
Now once you have as much as possible out of the pan push it back up all the way and remove the last two bolts.
Bring down the pan and slowly pour it into your catch pan. You're Ford Reusable Pan Gasket may stick to the trans, Just gently pull it down.
Place the pan aside and with that same catch pan under the trans and it's still going to "rain" fluid from various places pull down and remove the filter. Inspect the filter for an orange o-ring where it entered the bore of the valve body. If it's missing then grab your pick and pull it out of that bore.
How's the TC drain doing ?
Leave that catch pan under the car and remove the trans pan and gasket.
Remove the magnet and spray out the pan until it's clean, Then use a rag and wipe off your magnet.
Place the magnet back over that dimple where you got it, Marked by three "pointing lines"
Inspect your gasket, a little rough edge on the outside is ok as long as there isnt a tear or deformation past either of the two stiff wires in it.
Place the gasket back on the pan, Though it looks like it can go "both ways" make sure you have it right as the bottom 4 bolts on the pans widest point are off set a little so the gasket does have a "Right way" .
Now did you remove the orange o-ring from the previous filter ?
How's the TC drain doing ? If no more fluid is draining then replace that bolt and the plug. Wipe the area down. Tighten the bolt to 20 ft lbs.
Take your new filter and press it firmly in the bore, Make sure the filter runs flat against the valve body and holds itself in place and is placed in the correct direction.
Now have your pan bolts handy.
Place the gasket on the pan,check for placement and hold it against the pan. Hand tighten 3 bolts. This will align the gasket and hold the pan for you.
Hand tighten the remaining bolts, Then tighten them in a cross pattern. Pick any corner to start and do the diagonal opposite then do the same side opposite, lather rinse repeat. Use a pattern that has you doing opposite bolts all the time. NEVER tighten that in a circular fashion "Go around" . Tighten the pan bolts to 10 ft lbs.
Wipe the pan off and all the bolts too.
Orange o-ring was found right ?
TC drain plug and black plug replaced ?
All pan bolts tightened ?
Now pour 6-7 qts into the dipstick tube. Replace the battery ground and start the car. Check for leaks, this is why you should wipe everything down.
If you are leak free turn off the car, remove everything from under it,check under the tires and safely lower it on the ground.
Now add 4 more qts to the dipstick tube, Run the transmission thru each gear position with a "1" count at each step. Work from P to 1 and back to P this way.
Add the remaining fluid as necessary.
Wipe the dipstick off before getting a reading. Do this with the car running and in Park. Always trust the lower reading side as the dipstick may "scrape" fluid off the tube on it's way down and give you a false reading.
Now go take a short test drive and check for proper shifting and operation.
Return to your work space and check the fluid and for leaks again.
Now get on a routine of checking for leaks and fluid level until your sick and tired of doing so.
Any new fluid remaining is to be used for a power steering fluid replacement. You can use a turkey baster or any other acceptable suction device to remove fluid from the reservoir. Mercon V is rated and labeled by Ford for both Transmission and Power Steering applications.
Remove fluid from the reservoir with the car off and replace with new, Start car and turn the wheels full left and full right 2 times. Lather rinse repeat.
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