2001 Windstar tranny filter change..

Well now the Windstar is mine and not the wifes I will do the tranny fluid change myself and the filter will finally get changed after 97,000 miles of run time.. Went to the dealer and got the Mercon V $4.15 a quart. About 37.00 for the filter.. So that was a little over 60.00 in fluid and filter. Went on ebay and got a B&M tranny pan drain plug kit. So I will wait tell that comes before I change it. Hopefully in the next few days.. Summit had the same drain plug for a little over 17.00 shipped. I happen to come across ebay with only one for 5.25 shipped. The others would have beed 10.00 or so shipped so I got lucky..Ebay still has them if anyone wants one.. Cheaper than summit.. Any imput on this job welcome ,I have read over some of the threads on this job.. Tranny still pulls good, "knock on wood." So I hope everthing works out. Still the dealer says its not recommended to change the filter.. But they have them in stock... Wonder why.???? I would think they would love to charge me an arm and a leg to change it anyway...Its 156.00 bucks to do the fluid exchange.. But what they dont tell you is it takes about 15min to do it and they charge you 1.0 hour labor.. Gary..

Oh I went to the service book online and it shows not to replace filter until 150,000 miles. So it is on there to change.Wonder if a Windstar orginal tranny made it that long???

You should be able to do a whole lot better than $4.15 a quart for Mercon V - though I've found many retailers don't seem to stock it. In my area, Autozone carries Castrol Mercon V for a more reasonable price.

I changed fluid and filter on my 2000 without problem. Note that the OEM pan gasket is reusable.

Because I tow regularly, I like fresh fluid in the tranny. In addition to drop-the-pan changes, I also use the tranny cooler line to do quick, partial changes periodically (in my case, this is simplified by the lines I added for an auxiliary transmission cooler). Shifts always seem to be crisper after such changes, so I keep doing them.

I think I have the same drain plug kit on my 2000. I positioned it on the front vertical side of the pan. You might be able to place it on the bottom of the pan but it will be the lowest point on the vehicle.

When you drill the pan have it secured well and use a drill press if possible to keep the hole as smooth as possible. You'll love having the drain plug, easy to drain the ATF while you're doing an oil change.

I know I have mentioned this before, but when I have replaced the trans filter I use my vacuum/ suction pump and got almost all of the fluid out of the pan before I remove it. Makes the job a lot less messy. Getting the seal for the trans filter out of the bore can be a real pain. I used a large flat head screwdriver and carefully pried it out. Since I extract trans fluid from the dipstick every 12,000 miles I quit replacing the filter every 30K. I'm going to replace it at 50K and see how it looks.

I have pictures posted of my transmission fluid and filter change.....and detailed pictures of that pesky filter seal.....
Also, the pan gasket should be reusable.......and I would recommend using it as it is much better than the cork replacements that sometimes come with the filter.

Dropping the pan gives you the chance to eyeball around in there to see if you have chunks of junk....which would be an indication of problems to come.
It is normal for a black film to be on things......as I show in my pictures......which is 1 year between changes (and gentle wipe down).
Now....once the pan is off.....I figure that I would rather change the filter......and I know that FORD does not list it as a regular replacement item.
I would want to change mine, say every other time.......which would be 60K miles....if I was not dropping the pan on the other times....but that is just my opinion.

Although, I have gone to yearly fluid changes......which is sooner than 30K miles.....maybe close to 20K....easier for me to plan......just do it a certain time of year.....and not year and a half.....

Thanks for all the info.. I am thinking on the drill press to drill the hole. I can use one through a friend or I might just get one. Harbor freight has then starting at 39.00 bucks for a table top style.. I do like the vac pump idea and I have one, may try that since its the first time and the drain plug is not installed yet. I had other times tranny fluid in the face and running down the arms because of the cork type gaskets being stuck so I am glad to see they have the reusable rubber gasket. Always like the pics wiswind and I will post some of mine after my job is done. The pics seem to give a better idea of the job along side the very useful info on here. I have worked on many cars mostly imports and I always say every one differs, some a lot harder and some easier but the Windstar seems to be the most fun. Don't know why!! Maybe the info on here keeps me from thinking to hard on some of the problems I have had..171/174 would have sent me in many other areas if it were not for this site and a lot of others have already went those other areas with no results.. Thanks again,Gary

I did not use a store-bought drain plug kit. I merely drilled a small pilot hole in one of the small indentions that is used to locate the magnets ... on the bottom of the pan. Then a short round-headed sheet metal screw, with a little RTV under the head, is installed as a plug. Of course, this is all done while pan is removed from tranny.

The screw head is hidden inside the indention ... doesn't create a new "low spot". Being on the bottom, it allows a pretty decent drainage.

If you don't feel good about a sheet metal screw ... a short round head screw, complete with lock-washer and nut, can be used. The pan HAS to be dropped every time if you go this route.

I did a pumpout and refill on mine @ 34Kmi, and paid the dealer to do a pan drop and filter change at 36K and again around 65K. IIRC, my local ferd dealer charges around $100 for a pan drop/filter change and that's the only service they recommend for the AX4S/N. Good call on the drain plug kit. If you go thru the trouble of dropping the pan while on your back, you might as well drill a hole in it for a drain plug kit. I've used the <$10 napa drain plug kits and they work fine. I also wouldn't sweat the O-ring seal on the trans filter tube either. If the original wont come out, leave it and shove the new filter neck into the old O-ring. It's not worth the risk of gouging the aluminum bore on the valve body trying to dig the old seal out. Oh, and valvoline maxlife multi use ATF (red bottle, merc 5 spec'd) works really well on the AX4N.

Joel

A step drill bit might be better to cut through that pan. A standard bit can really catch on the metal.

Thanks again for all the info.. Rodeo I wish I had your dealer service. I found out the service guys and the parts guys dont get along at my dealer. When I told them every time I tried to get them to drop the pan they say Ford does'nt recomend it. The parts guy rolled his eyes and said your doing the right thing..I asked "why you say"?? In other words he said it was less trouble and easy money for the fluid exchange than it would be for the fluid and filter change. Less than 15min but they charge an hour is what I was told by the parts guy.Which my service sheet said 1.0 labor as well.. An as for my drain plug I went to NAPA they did not have any and they are the main stock store.. Advanced Auto were out of them so i got lucky with the ebay one. One of the main reasons for the drain plug is 1. less mess and the other drain tranny pan at the same time as oil change to keep fluid as fresh as I can between filter changes.I know all fluid want drain because of the torque converter so at least 6quarts of fresh fluid would help..Lewis will a step down bit work on metal that thick?? I used one once on a floor board fix on a VW bug worked great but the tranny pan seems to be a harder metal..Thanks again...Gary

Thanks again for all the info.. Rodeo I wish I had your dealer service.

They are very friendly and fair, but not without issue. The reason I know maxlife ATF works excellent on the AX4N is when I had the van in for the pan drop/filter change over a year ago, I discovered a few days later [after some shifting issues] it was almost 4qts low on ATF!!:banghead: I topped it up, called to complain and get it on record & they mailed me a $50 service gift certificate.:disappoin My simpleton experience with transmissions is, if you can do a minimum of 2-3 pan drops / cleanouts in the units life, you are usually good to go. Only once did I do a third drop and there was hardly anything on the magnet. The ATF doesn't even darken on my AX4N anymore @ 75Kmi. She'll probably blow today!:uhoh: Main thing IMO- is keep fresh ATF in a modern trans.

Joel

http://community.webshots.com/album/557341448nNXypM
Well got it done... I had everthing so I could not wait.. 27 was the temp when I started. 32 when finished. For some reason did not feel that cold until the wind started up... SHHHHHEEEEERRRRRRRRRR.
Did not add the drain plug. Want to drain again in spring and replace the filter again.There was a nice thin coat off material on the bottom of the pan and my magnet at first was thought to be some type of rubber groment until I looked closer and saw metal shavings by the billions, it was thick..I think over half the trans was on there..Thats why I am going to take a wait and see,before I take the drill to the pan..
Had some issues removing the filter seal gasket. But I broke out the seal pry and got a little too aggressive and scuffed the sides up a little. But the seal should be able to seal ok. Did not have much luck with the needle nose pliers so went for the seal remover. Got the job done quick, but next time will be more careful. Notice that the Motorcraft Mercon V also said Dextron III on the label... All I know is that is the worst smelling stuff I have ever messed with.. And I like the smell of grease,oil,and gasoline
But Mercon V STINKS!!!!!!!! Had it all over me...LOL

Great pics WisWind! When are you going to publish your service manual? :)

I hope to do the trans fluid/filter on wife's van this spring/summer.

My 89' F250 has been getting all the attention this winter (rear seal, new exhaust, blower motor, etc) since I need it to plow snow on our property.

Gary, those are good pics!

And take heart, unless you saw chunks of metal ... that isn't an alarming amount of metal on the magnet. You probably noticed that when you wiped it off with a shop towel ... the metal is nothing but a smug on the towel. It's just the way the metal "stacks up" on the magnet ... makes it look more than it is.

Actually, your dirty pan and dirty filter aren't that dirty ... you should be in really good shape now.

My '99 looked a bit worse at 93,000 ... and there were two magnets in my tranny. So the tranny must have been upgraded by 2001.