Help me buy the lady a new cheap Daily Driver.

[StevieC]

With chaning the PS fluid, I would suction out whats in the pump/reservoir (can't remember) and fill with fresh fluid. Take it for a drive and then suction out that stuff and fill with new stuff.

Then at every other oil change you can suction out whats in there and fill with fresh fluid. This will make sure your system is always full of fresh fluid!

With the radiator... Drain it every 2 years and refill with fresh coolant and distilled/deionized water. This way you will never need to flush/fill the entire system and will always ensure winter protection and superior corrosion resistance in the system!

Flush or have the brake fluid flushed every 2 years. I would have it done now because most people never change their fluid and it can cause all kinds of problems in the braking system!

Also being a Ford transmission and not one with a good reputation I would change the fluid out religiously at 30K miles at the most, starting now. Have the filter changed as well with a high quality WIX or Motorcraft (from Ford).

Ok I have given you enough to do... I will leave it here!

 

[smokey1]

yup , used a large animal feeding syringe ( find at farm supply store , feed stores , pet supplies ) with plastic air hose for fish tank ( bought at WAL-Mart ) that slid over bottom of syringe and then would slowly draw it out of resorvoir until was empty and refill with new fluid . Would do this every month or 2 until all the new bottle of power steering fluid was about gone . Is a nuisance and time consuming , but well worth the results . Very good advice STEVIE C .

 

[jigen]

Thanks guys. I did the PS fluid method with previous cars so I am used to it, lol.

For trans fluid, the woman said she had it done last year. I am guessing I should still probably get it done. ONly a change though right? Flushes can actually make the older trans feel worse, correct?

 

[StevieC]

Does the fluid look like new (cherry red to almost clear)? Does it smell sweet and not burnt? If so then leave it in and drive it. Do you know the mileage she had it done at?

I wouldn't flush the transmission fluid unless it has always been done this way since day one or you could release "problems" into the oil.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: StevieC

I wouldn't flush the transmission fluid unless it has always been done this way since day one or you could release "problems" into the oil.

Completely baloney.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: StevieC

I wouldn't flush the transmission fluid unless it has always been done this way since day one or you could release "problems" into the oil.

Completely baloney.

Have seen it on many occasions, so sir, I take away your baloney sandwich!

(Doesn't always happen, but does happen enough to be cautious!)

 

[jigen]

Well she said a year ago. I am guessing that's about 10k ago. Is there a dipstick to check transmission fluid? Sorry this is my first auto trans car, lol.

 

[StevieC]

Yes there should be... There is on my Partners '96.

 

[jigen]

Finally got around to checking the transmission fluid. It doesn't seem too bad even though I might still want to do a change.

It's a light red. A little on the clear side maybe a slight darkness too it. I don't know much on how transmission fluid looks but to me it seemed healthy. Didn't really smell burnt either.

 

[jigen]

Oh and for the oil, whatever shop put that drain plug back in put it on so tight (possibly misthread) that I really can not get it out myself. I'm taking it to a friends shop so they can get it off.

Still bringing my oil and filter along though

Then next week:

Coolant flush
Fuel Filter change
Power Steering fluid change

Already swapped the air filter. And when my friend wants to kill some time, brake fluid change.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: jigen
Oh and for the oil, whatever shop put that drain plug back in put it on so tight (possibly misthread) that I really can not get it out myself. I'm taking it to a friends shop so they can get it off.

Still bringing my oil and filter along though

Then next week:

Coolant flush
Fuel Filter change
Power Steering fluid change

Already swapped the air filter. And when my friend wants to kill some time, brake fluid change.

 

[ZZman]

Taurus' are nice cars. I have a 2001 and like it.

 

[addyguy]

We're talking about an Escort here...but yeah, Taurus's are nice cars, too!

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: StevieC

I wouldn't flush the transmission fluid unless it has always been done this way since day one or you could release "problems" into the oil.

Completely baloney.

Have seen it on many occasions, so sir, I take away your baloney sandwich!

(Doesn't always happen, but does happen enough to be cautious!)

The failures that you hear about after a transmission flush were not caused by the flush itself. They occur because owners take their car in for transmission service when their transmission is already on their last legs. As a result, the transmission fails shortly after the service (as it was going to, anyway) and the owner blames the transmission service.

Theoretically, new fluid will not cause a transmission to deteriorate further.

Anyway, we should probably discuss this in the ATF section. Let's get back on-topic.

 

[jigen]

Thanks again with the replies.

We probably put maybe 300 miles on the car since Wednesday and the car feels real good. Highway speeds of 65-70mph and the car feels fine. The rough shift I felt sometimes from 1st to 2nd only happens when I am really easy on the car between shifts. If I give it some gas, the shift feels normal. All other gears feel completely fine -- actually quite good for a 13 year old escort.

Stevie - I am thinking you might be on to something with that TP sensor and the shifts.

 

[StevieC]

It fixed my partners escort... The transmission failed some time ago and they pulled it, rebuilt it and put it back in... Shifted like a dream and then it started developing hard shifts and erratic shift here/there and out of the blue.

I changed the filter/fluid thinking it could just be the transmission breaking in or the fluid being worn out but I saw no change.

I then checked the TPS with my dads scan-tool-computer that he has and you can see a graph that would change versus time and based on how hard you pushed the accelerator...

Noticing blips in the graph every once and a while I knew it was bad.

I changed it, reset the ECU and it was back to smooth shifts!

Good luck!