Just bought a 2010 EL limited. Shudder, help.

[Johnathan M]

You can put it in cold.

On a transmission with a fill plug, you fill it up until fluid dribbles out of it. On those kinds, the fluid will run out if you do it with the engine off. You have to have the engine running so it's circulating fluid up around in the transmission. However, since you have that short (3" or however long it is) dipstick, you may be able to take it out with the engine off to add the fluid. Someone else may have tried that and may know the answer. You could always break it loose and start to unscrew it and see if fluid starts to come out. If it does, you can just finger tighten it back down and then start the engine.

This is just my opinion, but unless they have it overfilled already, you should be able to add 2 ounces without harming anything. However, if you're going to do another drain and fill in a month, you could always wait till then and put that in with your new fluid. Then you don't even have to worry about the question of whether it would be overfilling it.

 

[vinbonifacio]

I recently changed my ATF and filter. My groaning noise stopped. Hopefully yours might just need another flush or change.

 

[Trainmaster]

Make sure you use the fluid specified in the Owners Manual. 2010 usually takes Motorcraft LV fluid. Stay away from anything else.

 

[Johnathan M]

I would add that it doesn't have to be the Motorcraft brand, but it definitely needs to meet the LV specifications. I personally use Amsoil fluids where I can. If you put in your vehicle specifications into the Amsoil website, they will either recommend the appropriate fluid, or they will say they don't have a fluid that meets your vehicle specifications. They don't just recommend something to make a sale. I've used their Signature Series motor oil for years and have run multiple vehicles well over 300K miles. I use the Signature Series motor oil because it lets me go 25K miles between oil changes. I put a lot of miles on my vehicles, so that often ends up being once a year that I change my oil. Last time I changed the tranny fluid on my 2013 Expy (with 265K miles) I used the Amsoil transmission fluid recommended for my vehicle and I've been happy with the results.

 

[The Ark]

I got rid of the tranny shudder by changing spark plugs and coil packs. Can't find the source of the information i used to make my decision but had to do with voltage being too low due to bad oil pack. I used FoMoCo plugs and coil packs and did the tune up myself AND shudder went away. I have driven about 4500 miles since the tune up and no low rpm shudder. I did check tranny fluid and it was full and clean. Just my two cents.

 

[inmanlanier]

they tentatively said it was the torque converter during the test drive then said they just recommend a flush. Dropped the pan and the fluid was battleship grey but no debris. It’s running pretty good but haven’t had it on the freeway yet. Noises are gone, I think.

Am I in the clear?

I used Valvoline Multi-Vehicle, explicitly qualified as Dextron VI, Mercon LV and DEX/MERC fluid. I have a 2012 EL XLT.

See this post for good instructions on the process. https://www.expeditionforum.com/threads/tranny-service.49248/page-3

... my experience for my 3 drains and fills starts on post #22. If you are going to do this more than a 2nd time (you'll only be at ~82% new fluid after 2 drain and fills. You're in the low 90% range after 3 drain and fills), you may wish install a new pan with a drain plug as I did. Much cleaner to do! I quit at 3.

 

[DAHE]

Have you checked the spark plugs since you bought it? These engines will run until the electrodes are gone and they can cause stumbling on acceleration that feels a lot like the transmission. It doesn't take much, just going up hill can cause it. My sons 2007 which is approaching 500,000 miles on original engine and transmission and my 2014 had plugs eroded down to the ceramic when we bought them. Neither vehicle set a misfire code except when a coil went bad. It is a quick and cheap item to check before doing anything more with the tranny.