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How To Get More Than 8 To 7 Quarts

57K views 51 replies 30 participants last post by  Term3 
#1 · (Edited)
I change my transmission fluid on Saturday and I wanted to get more than the usual 8-7 quarts of fluid from the pan and external filter.








These are the tools that I used.
A breaker bar with extender
air hose
10mm socket and extender for the pan bolts
a universal socket joint
you can use a 13mm socket but I chose to use 1/2" socket because it had a tighter fit on the pan drain bolt
brake cleaner
19mm socket for the external filter and if you have a 12 toothed socket, use it, that would be better than a 32 toothed socket for the external filter because it is hard to get off.


Here is how I got more fluid out.

The first thing after I removed the external filter, pan, internal filter, and let it sit for 20 min. Then I started the truck and let it sit running for 5-10 seconds. Allot more fluid came out.

Then I did this below.


After I took off the pan and removed the filter, I cut the filter tube off. I used this along with a grommet and the air hose. I put it back into the valve body and push out more fluid. I got ~1 quart out doing this.

Then...




With the external filter off I use air pressure to push fluid out of the cooler (allot). And fluid came out of the rectangle opening on the side. Fluid also came out of the valve body area. This and letting the truck run for 10 seconds really got the extra fluid out.
With letting the truck run for 10 seconds, If it was pumping air, then it would not be moving the transmission fluid. And if there was no fluid in the transmission system, then the pump would have not moved any fluid. There is residual fluid all through out the transmission systems. Since there is a major amount of residual fluid in the transmission system, fluid was removed during the 10 seconds.
That is why you only get 8-7 quarts when you drop the pan, not the entire quantity of the transmission, because of the residual fluid.



Here are some other things that I did.





Before I change the fluid, I had two 50 LB magnets on the pan for ~15,000 miles.





Looks like they worked :nod:




Magnet around the bolt.




Now After I cleaned the pan I removed the stock magnet and used the larger one from an extra 50 LB magnet.







This is just to compare the size. I did not leave the stock(smaller) magnet there. The stock was not used.


I also painted the pan and external filter housing :)













I replaced both filters. I got them at Dieselfiltersonline.com
I put grease on the threads of the external filter housing before I put it on so that it will be easier to remove the next time around.



Not including painting, It took ~ 15 min to get the extra fluid out. I put in a total of almost 11 quarts of LV. The level sits at the max line.


Another thing is when the transmission temp hit 170* the level drooped. This is because of the thermostat in the transmission opening, allowing the fluid to get to the empty oil cooler. This drooped me ~ 3 quarts.

-FINAL total ~14 quarts-

I used a piece of card board on the lower half of the radiator to get the trans temps up. The highest temp was 190* with light driving. I did this before and after the work.
 
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#4 ·
good write up man
 
#5 ·
I have seen a procedure for doing this yourself that involved removing the lines from the external filters and using hose to extend them temporarily. You need 2 buckets, one marked in qt graduations that is at least the capacity of the system. You place the hose from the filter in line into this bucket to collect the used fluid. The hose on the output line that goes back into the transmission is put into the second bucket which you put the new fluid in. Then you start the truck and let the trans suck the new fluid up while it pumps the old stuff out.

Now because of the thermostat on the cooler line you need to do this while the trans is at operating temp. So get all you gear lined up and ready to go, get the truck up to temp. and then work quickly and be careful with the hot lines.

Just because I'm a lazy sob and this is a just one of those jobs I choose not to do mysyself, I'll just take my fluids to the dealer and let them reverse flush it it. :nod: :thumb:
 
#9 ·
#8 ·
nice. the paint looks good too!
 
#10 ·
Great writeup. I'll be doing mine soon. Now I don't have to guess at socket sizes...
 
#12 ·
#18 ·
Another method that Amsoil recommends is; after draining what you can, removing the pan, changing the filters, reinstalling the pan, replacing with new fliuid the amount that came out, then - disconnecting a cooling line into a bucket, with the engine running have someone pour new fluid into the dipstick tube at the same rate that it is draining from the cooler line until the fluid changes color or until the known capacity is reached.

Has anyone done this? I'm going to change my fluid soon. Going with Amsoil synthetic SP equivalent.
 
#19 ·
I was about to post thinking you had made a major mistake using LV, but I'm impressed with the spec sheet. I hadn't educated myself on the new LV fluid yet, and SP being a high quality fluid I was a bit skeptical!

The Ford Motorcraft Mercon LV actually has a higher Viscosity Index (VI) than Amsoil ATL. Hard to believe. LV 155, Amsoil 152.
The viscosity at 40C and 100C is almost IDENTICAL as well. GOOD STUFF.

Needless to say I will be using Mercon LV when I change the fluid in my KingRanch's Torqshift. If it is still $4/quart that is a real affordable price, too!
It is AT LEAST a synthetic blend of GROUP III and PAO.
 
#21 ·
Subscribed, nice write up
 
#22 ·
My 05 King Ranch says dipstick handle says use SP fluid. its $7.00 a Qt. at my stealership. Everybody talks about the LV fluid and I was wondering if it was ok to use in my tranny.
 
#23 ·
One of the times I took my truck in, they chaged that dipstik to "LV". Both LV and SP are to be used in our transmissions. I acctualy just purchased SP to change my trans fluid. Im almost to 90,000 miles.

I will post some links on places to get SP and LV in a bit...
 
#24 ·
Is it not bad on the pump and internal components to run the trans dry like that and have to re-prime itself? Just curious. Getting ready to do mine in the traditional drain the pan, change external filter and refill. Love to do a more thorough job.
 
#25 ·
Not sure. m sure mark kovalsky would know that. I doubt I 100% emptied the fluid from the system.

Pushing the compressed air through part of the system removed the most fluid. When I filled it up I put in 10q to start. Once I started the truck I put it in N, then I kept on checking the level and added fluid.
 
#27 ·
On your write up,when you started the first drain, this would be after the truck has been driven and the fluid is warm correct?
 
#26 ·
I was about to ask the same question when running it low like that does it hurt anything? I wouldn't think it would be too bad since in park there is no load and there is still fluid traces on all moving parts and I'm sure the oil gets sucked up from the pickup tube and through the transmission pretty quickly.
 
#30 ·
Where did you get the bigger magnet from?
 
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