Pan drop and fill

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Sep 27, 2015
Messages
858
Location
Alabama
Back story on my 02 Ranger with the 5R44E.

I did and a pan drop and filter/fluid change on my ranger a week ago. My Haynes manual states that my trans has a capacity of 9.9 quarts of mercon v total. When I dropped the pan, I got a little over three quarts of fluid out of it and replaced it with roughly the same amount. My trans shifts better and the (suspected) converter slip is pretty much gone from what I can tell.

Now...how many pan drops roughly would it take to get almost all the old fluid out? I know mathematically it seems that about three total pan drops with three quarts replaced each time would do it, But it seems it's a percentage thing to consider mostly. Also, should I replace the filter again in all of this since I did it on the first drop?

I don't know enough to do a line off exchange*
 
Last edited:
I don't believe in Line Off exchanges, generally. Honda, for example, recommends pan drops. The first pan drop - you also change the filter. Now hopefully you have a drain plug on the pan... though many do not... and you just do two more drains / fills. That Honda recommendation is 3 X drops.

It is a PITA to have to re-goup the pan with silicone form a gasket, each. time.

BTW, other good thing to do is to, with an inch-pounds torque wrench, retorque the valve body capscrews (to spec) ... and obviously to clean the bottom of the pan, for the first drop, and clean the magnets.

This whole method, provided really good cleanliness is exercised in adding-in fluid - is the single best way to change ATF and to NOT introduce impurities into this very, very sensitve-to-dirt system.
 
Last edited:
You don't need to do a pan drop. Go to a auto parts store and buy hand pump for qt bottles. Replace the pickup tube with plastic line that fits snug into the pump and stick it down the dipstick tube. It takes some time but it works to suck the fluid out of the pan. I put the out put line of the pump in a gallon jug...........OR..........borrow a air operated vacuum one and do it that way. Did this on a 2010 Ranger I had. If I remember right, I got 3 qts out.
 
Last edited:
No need to replace the filter again for 50-60 thousand miles assuming you used a OE/OE quality filter.

Total exchange via the cooler lines isn't rocket science, The feed into the cooler from the trans is the TOP line on the radiator tank.
 
Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT
I don't believe in Line Off exchanges, generally. Honda, for example, recommends pan drops. The first pan drop - you also change the filter. Now hopefully you have a drain plug on the pan... though many do not... and you just do two more drains / fills. That Honda recommendation is 3 X drops.

It is a PITA to have to re-goup the pan with silicone form a gasket, each. time.

BTW, other good thing to do is to, with an inch-pounds torque wrench, retorque the valve body capscrews (to spec) ... and obviously to clean the bottom of the pan, for the first drop, and clean the magnets.

This whole method, provided really good cleanliness is exercised in adding-in fluid - is the single best way to change ATF and to NOT introduce impurities into this very, very sensitve-to-dirt system.


I do not have a drain plug in the pan and I also used a minimal amount of rtv to help hold the gasket in place while I remounted the pan. I'll buy another gasket because they are not terribly expensive. I did replace the filter during the initial pan drop and I also retorqued the valve body bolts as well;)
 
Originally Posted by oldhp
You don't need to do a pan drop. Go to a auto parts store and buy hand pump for qt bottles. Replace the pickup tube with plastic line that fits snug into the pump and stick it down the dipstick tube. It takes some time but it works to suck the fluid out of the pan. I put the out put line of the pump in a gallon jug...........OR..........borrow a air operated vacuum one and do it that way. Did this on a 2010 Ranger I had. If I remember right, I got 3 qts out.


Is it the one that is orange in color and has the longer plunger?
 
Buy the $12 fluid transfer pump from Amazon and just swap a quart in and out from the dipstick tube every 10k or so. Pan drop and filter every 60-70k.
 
Last edited:
I just bought a fluid transfer pump from Harbor Freight,(normally $6.99) for $6.04 after tax(after 20% coupon & FREE item). Same pump that the auto parts stores & Walmart sell for $17.99.

https://www.harborfreight.com/multi-use-transfer-pump-63144.html

I changed my ATF and rear diff super easy.
ATF removed 4 qts and rear diff removed 2.5 qts which is the norm.
You may need to purchase a length of narrower tubing(I have tons of) in order to fit the tranny dipstick tube.
 
Originally Posted by oldhp
You don't need to do a pan drop. Go to a auto parts store and buy hand pump for qt bottles. Replace the pickup tube with plastic line that fits snug into the pump and stick it down the dipstick tube. It takes some time but it works to suck the fluid out of the pan. I put the out put line of the pump in a gallon jug...........OR..........borrow a air operated vacuum one and do it that way. Did this on a 2010 Ranger I had. If I remember right, I got 3 qts out.


https://www.harborfreight.com/multi-use-transfer-pump-63144.html

Used this to remove 4 quarts , via the dip stick tube , on our 2006 3.8i Buick Lacrosse .
 
Originally Posted by Char Baby
You may need to purchase a length of narrower tubing(I have tons of) in order to fit the tranny dipstick tube.


Where's a good place to buy narrower tubing? I'm guessing the hardware store or even Harborfreight.
 
Originally Posted by SatinSilver
Originally Posted by Char Baby
You may need to purchase a length of narrower tubing(I have tons of) in order to fit the tranny dipstick tube.


Where's a good place to buy narrower tubing? I'm guessing the hardware store or even Harborfreight.

Any hardware store should have it. I purchased 3/8 OD for my GM truck. It was clear plastic tubing.
 
Last edited:
Get you a new trans pan with a drain plug

8DC3F266-0097-4F2D-909B-C525D7A8BA89.jpeg
 
Automobiles need transmission dipsticks and drain plugs. How else are you supposed to check the condition of the fluid and change it out? I hate sealed transmissions, and there's no such thing as "lifetime" fluid. I will never flush my fluid either. I'm stuck in my ways.
 
Some of the ford converters have a drain plug on them. Not sure on that year ranger, but some of the 4r70w's had the plug.

You had to rotate the engine to get the drainplug to align with the inspection hole, then you could drain the converter.

On some later years they took of that plug and you had to drop a cooler line and run the engine until the cooler line starts spitting air, then shut it off quickly.
 
Glad you are having sucess I agree to buy a pump it will vacuum out 3 quarts. Do this one more time then you pump and refill every 30-50K and you will be good from a fluid standpoint.
 
Originally Posted by mattd
Glad that fixed your problem.


It certainly seems to have had a big improvement! I actually found my old transfer hand pump(walmart bought) and was able to use it to pull out over two quarts today and I replaced it with two fresh quarts of Castrol mercon v. Significant difference in shifts and the TC slip/chatter is almost gone entirely.
Thank you all for your advice and I will continue to pull and replace the trans fluid with this method until I am finished.
 
Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT
I don't believe in Line Off exchanges, generally. Honda, for example, recommends pan drops. The first pan drop - you also change the filter. Now hopefully you have a drain plug on the pan... though many do not... and you just do two more drains / fills. That Honda recommendation is 3 X drops.
....


All of the Honda automatics (Accords, Pilots, Odysseys) I've seen have not had a transmission oil pan, nor can you get into it to change the filter. Maybe some have an external filter? Maybe other Hondas have a pan? I have never seen one myself.
 
Originally Posted by Vaca
Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT
I don't believe in Line Off exchanges, generally. Honda, for example, recommends pan drops. The first pan drop - you also change the filter. Now hopefully you have a drain plug on the pan... though many do not... and you just do two more drains / fills. That Honda recommendation is 3 X drops.
....


All of the Honda automatics (Accords, Pilots, Odysseys) I've seen have not had a transmission oil pan, nor can you get into it to change the filter. Maybe some have an external filter? Maybe other Hondas have a pan? I have never seen one myself.


My 13 civic with the 1.8L has an internal filter and an external in line filter which I just changed about 7k ago.
 
Originally Posted by Vaca
Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT
I don't believe in Line Off exchanges, generally. Honda, for example, recommends pan drops. The first pan drop - you also change the filter. Now hopefully you have a drain plug on the pan... though many do not... and you just do two more drains / fills. That Honda recommendation is 3 X drops.
....


All of the Honda automatics (Accords, Pilots, Odysseys) I've seen have not had a transmission oil pan, nor can you get into it to change the filter. Maybe some have an external filter? Maybe other Hondas have a pan? I have never seen one myself.


I'm wrong. Don't know what I was thinking. My '97 Civic EX 2 dr has just a drain plug... and the ATF filter is internal and not reachable. Honda, though, recommends three ATF drainouts, in some reasonable succession.

Thanks for catching that.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top