issues due to my own ignorance

[jlo82585]

hey y'all heres my dilemma.

my 2002 expedition had a bad driveline shudder when going into O/D and I was told the trans was in a "high pressure mode" and I needed to change the fluid and filter. So being bored last saturday I drove my happy butt up to Autozone and got me a filter and 8 qts of fluid that supposedly was compatable with DEX,MERC,MERCON lv etc. I drained the transmission of about 7-8 qts, fluid was dark reddish brown and smelled like B.O. but not burnt and changed filter. I refilled 7 qts and decided to take it for a spin on the highway to see if that cured the shudder. I was very happy that it infact did cure my shudder issue but then I notced the RPMS go erratic for a second, then it happened again.. sensing my transmission was slipping I immedietly turned around and parked it at home, total trip was about 5-10 miles. after further review I realized I was a complete idiot and the MERC on the compatibility chart of the ATF i put in stood for MERCEDES not MERCON. I took my now frustrated / worried butt back to auto zone and after searching for about 5 mins found the 1 rack of MERCON V they sold and bought 7 qts. I went back home, drained and refilled the transmission and took it on another test drive, and thankfully no slippage at all. that brings us to today, after getting new tires put on I noticed the trans started slipping again at high speeds. I dont know alot about automatic transmissions as I mainly workj around H.D. manual transmissions but I find it hard to beleive that 10 miles of driving with th wrong fluid could have damaged my transmission that much. anyone know what is going on? the truck didnt slip at all before changing fluid. Im hoping this is a result of the fluid still being contaminated?

 

[tonydiv]

I guess that I'd look at the most obvious thing first. Are you sure that the filter was fully seated?

Have you thought about using one of those 'trans fixes in a bottle' , then run it for a while and perhaps change the fluid again?

 

[bedrck46]

The following was copied from the 2002 service manual


Fluid Capacity Transmission Type Liters Quarts
4R100 4x2 15.0 1 Approximate Dry Fill Capacity 15.9 1 Approximate Dry Fill Capacity
4R100 4x4 15.5 1 Approximate Dry Fill Capacity 16.4 1 Approximate Dry Fill Capacity

1 Actual quantities will vary a few ounces based on applications. Always use the fluid level indicator for setting the correct level.
CAUTION:Using a transmission fluid that indicates a dual usage MERCON ® and MERCON ®V) in a transmission application requiring MERCON®, may cause transmission damage. Use of any fluid other than the recommended fluid may cause transmission damage.

 

[JUST4FUN]

To drain all fluid this trans should have a drain plug on the converter under the rubber plug on the bell housing

 

[BAD RONALD]

Read this to familiarize yourself with a DYI flush procedure:

https://sites.google.com/site/fordf150p0171p0174fix/4r70w-fluid-change-procedures

Find out what tranny you have in your truck and research if the above applies to you.

17 quarts of Merc V fluid are required for a complete flush. This regular maintenance performance is rewarding.

 

[toms89]

When you drain the tranny this does not necessarily drain the trans cooler lines and definitely not the torque converter as mentioned. So the 7 quarts you put in mixed with the total capacity.

 

[jlo82585]

okay so it seems the consensus says flush the transmission so i will be doing that as soon as I get the money.. I have a feeling it would be cheaper to do this at a shop as MERCON V is $5 a quart at autozone. I will get this done ASAP and report back.

 

[BAD RONALD]

okay so it seems the consensus says flush the transmission so i will be doing that as soon as I get the money.. I have a feeling it would be cheaper to do this at a shop as MERCON V is $5 a quart at autozone. I will get this done ASAP and report back.

It won't be cheaper at a shop but it would be easier. You will end up paying the shop's markup on the MercV. Get a quote from a trustworthy transmission shop and compare it to the AZ fluid price. See if the difference is worth your time.

MercV is a specification and not a brand name. The cheapest stuff you can find is OK as long as the label says MERCON V.

Remember that the service interval for tranny fluid change is 30,000 miles, so the DYI flush is worthwhile to know.

 

[l3l4k0ut]

draining it from the pan and even the TC doesn't get u all fluid out. majority of fluid in a tranny whose engine isnt running (pump not running within tranny) is sitting in the valve body..when u ran the truck, it mixed all fluid up, so it still has a good deal of the wrong fluid in it.

 

[l3l4k0ut]

n dont feel bad bro..i overfilled my MC's tranny w/wrong fluid yrs ago, AND lost my ring in it (found in pan lol), n it failed me. we've all done dumb stuff lol