97 f-150 transmission

[El_Schaf]

Ok, so i would like to change the transmission filter on this beast, however it has 178K and a mostly unknown service history to me.

I have heard that changing the fluid on a tranny this old will generally result in slippage and problems, supposedly due to the worn friction surfaces and the friction material being in the old fluid allowing the transmission to function. As it was explained to me, the new fluid will not have the friction material and will cause the clutches to not function properly. (I have no idea, but can see the theory)

What I was wondering, is if I do a pan drop, filter change and use the same fluid or say-8 quarts come out, replace two of those quarts with new ATF and re-use the old? I know this is a band aid, but a rebuild is expensive and I would like to prolong the inevitable.

Has anyone ever done this? My idea on replacing the filter is simply to ensure that the fluid can flow as well as possible in the system and hopefully that will keep the transmission running for quite a while longer than if i did not change the filter.

 

[demarpaint]

I've heard those stories too. They usually come from people who have a transmission with problems, thinking that dropping the pan and replacing the filter is going to fix the unit. If your transmission is in good working order you should be fine. If you are going to drop the pan and replace the filter fill the unit with fresh fluid. Just keep in mind a pan drop doesn't get the fluid out of the torque converter, so you will still have quite a bit of dirty fluid in the system. A TC drain or fluid exchange will get all the fluid out. I drop the pan and do a fluid exchange.

 

[hate2work]

Replace or clean the filter and refill with fresh fluid. I believe the problems you mentioned are usually the result of doing a complete flush on neglected trannies, not from a simple drain and refill.

 

[DieselTech]

Fresh filter and fresh fluid with a bottle of Lubeguard Red. Why do a service and not replace the fluid, chances are the filter is fine to start with

 

[Trav]

I would do a line off exchange with a new filter.A lot of these stories came about when some of these flush machines came on the market that backward flushed the fluid.
New clean fluid will perform better than old worn out contaminated fluid in any case.

On that truck you may have a drain plug and an external cooler connect with rubber hose OEM on the right side of the frame near the radiator.

Just drain the pan,clean it and replace the filter (the 100r uses a deeper pan and longer filter pipe than the 70r).

Refill the pan and remove the hose from the cooler (it uses a clamp) and place the hose in a gallon can,run the engine until the jug is full turn the engine off and refill the pan again.Repeat until the fluid coming out looks like the new fluid.

Amsoil ATF works great in both the 70r and the 100r units.

 

[sw99]

I recently did the first ever fluid change my 2001 F150 w/ 117k. Zero problems and it now shifts better than ever. I have 4r70w and I add the B&M extra capacity pan.

 

[El_Schaf]

Can I buy the Lubeguard products OTC?

 

[tig1]

In a case like yours the only time I have heard of failures was with a tranny flush. I would drop the pan and do a filter and fluid change. Do that again in a few weeks and you should be good to go. Minus the filter change.

 

[DieselTech]

Can I buy the Lubeguard products OTC? [/quot

Yes Sir!!

 

[HWEaton]

I have a 99 F-150. If you are gonna do this, atleast buy a new pan with a drain plug. I drain the tranny fluid every 15k (yeah, yeah, I know, it's easy when you own your own shop and can get fluids at cost) and rip the pan off and clean it out every other change, along with a filter. My OCD is more about the transmission than the engine oil.

 

[El_Schaf]

Originally Posted By: DieselTech

Can I buy the Lubeguard products OTC? [/quot

Yes Sir!!


Well, I'm not driving the 90 miles to work in this today, so what store might I find that lubeguard at?

Also, do any stores like Az/aap/napa have reasonably priced aftermarket pans w/plugs? Also, Has anyone had a leak after installing a plug in an OEM pan?

 

[demarpaint]

Auto zone carries LG red, Pep Boys might have it. A plug installed properly in an OEM pan should be fine. Please note the word properly, many people have messed them up causing problems. I doubt NAPA or any of the parts stores will carry a pan with a drain plug. Try searching for online suppliers, Summit might carry it.

 

[Steelers]

A 97 F150 has a mesh style filter that I would want to change after 13 years. Minimum service for that truck should be drop the pan, change the filter, clean the pan, refill. This will only change out 5-6 quarts of fluid. The prefered service would be to drop the pan, change the filter, clean the pan then do a complete fluid exchange using a machine like the T-Tech. That replaces all the old fluid. Be sure to use a fluid rated Mercon V.

 

[RF Overlord]

Originally Posted By: Steelers
A 97 F150 has a mesh style filter
Is the filter different in trucks vs. cars? My '94 Thunderbird and a friend's '98 Crown Vic both had media filters...like in a motor oil filter.

 

[El_Schaf]

Well, i didn't find a transmission pan drain plug today, or lubeguard (went to two autozones). However I did look at the easily available transmission fluids, and noted that maxlife, per the bottle, is a replacement for mercon V, and costs the same as mercon V. I had planned on Mercon V, but now am waffling on which to use. Coin toss?

 

[CourierDriver]

NAPA HAS IT , GOT SOME TODAY FROM THEM. They had it in a box , got the red bottle, works great, had a problem on a rebuilt tranny , would sometimes start off in 2nd gear, this product fix that.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: El_Schaf
Well, i didn't find a transmission pan drain plug today, or lubeguard (went to two autozones). However I did look at the easily available transmission fluids, and noted that maxlife, per the bottle, is a replacement for mercon V, and costs the same as mercon V. I had planned on Mercon V, but now am waffling on which to use. Coin toss?


Does it have a external cooler? Because of the lack of drain plug it sounds like you have the 4R70 unit with shallow pan.
I would still do a line off exchange with Mercon V or Amsoil ATF.

You can make the job a less messy by removing the return line and pumping a gallon out,shut down the engine then remove the almost empty pan.
Refill and pump another gallon out,repeat until clean fluid come out.It will probably take 16 to 18 qts to fully exchange the old fluid.
I usually buy 2x 2.5 gal jugs from Amsoil for the larger Ford units and use the rest to exchange the PS fluid.

 

[CourierDriver]

ok

 

[cafasco]

Cake walk! 97F150-F150'02 Part I: Drop the pan, clean it, install new filter (make sure you get the right one), clean off gasket (don't need a new one...should be a stout metal encased rubber deal). Reinstall pan (don't over torque bolts).
Part II: remove black plug from bell housing. Turn crank with socket wrench until you can see the torque converter plug. Place 5 gal bucket under bell housing hole and unbolt plug. After torque converter drained, replace plug and on converter then bell housing. Start truck, install ~16 qts of trans fluid. Costco has cases of Chevron ATF for 10 or 12 bucks. Do this every 50K...

 

[JustinH]

Excellent point by cafasco..

The 97 will have a torque converter drain bolt. Have an assistant turn the crank by hand very slowly (clockwise only, never turn the engine backwards).

When you can see the bolt, you can remove it with a deep socket. Be careful not to over torque this bolt!

For the 97 you will want to use fluid that meets Mercon V specs.