I am getting ready to change the transmission fluid on my truck because it smells a little burnt and looks brown..

I got 10qts of the ford V fluid, My friend who is a ford freak tells me I have to drop the pan to change the fluid.. which is fine, no worries. Then he says I have to drain the torque converter... Problem is I don't see an access point or drain for the torque converter.

Is there a bolt after I remove the pan that will enable me to drain the torque converter? I checked youtube and didn't see anything for the 2.3l autos...

EDIT: Guess there is no bolt on the TQ converter... I have read something about the return transmission fluid line and hooking it up to a hose and bucket to drain it while pouring new fluid in....

Where is the return line?

Is it this:




Thanks.
-Nigel

 

The TQ converter holds a lot of fluid, but to drain it while still in the truck...... Dunno about that one. I'd find out exactly how much it holds and then you may find it not to be more than 20% of the fluid in which I wouldn't care if I drained it or not since I'd have 80% fresh fluid mix it would only be slightly tainted considering you're not going in there and blowing everything clean inside....... it'll already be a LITTLE tainted anyway and all that fluid is going to cycle pretty much immediately.

 

I pretty much want to do exactly what this guy is saying:


I just don't know the return line on the truck...

After researching a little it appears that I don't have rubber lines, they are only hard lines...

http://www.etrailer.com/question-26594.html

And this picture is exacflty what my lines look like...



-Nigel

 

Most Fords have a drain plug in the torque converter. You need to remove the inspection cover from the bell housing and rotate the fly wheel. If it has a drain plug it will be close to one of the four studs that bolt the converter to the flywheel. It will be a 1/8 inch pipe plug. Remove it and drain the fluid it will hold anywhere from 3-4 quarts of fluid.

 

Torque converters are a solid piece, and therefore you can not access the inside of it.
There is no drain or fill hole on the torque converter, but bleed valves and holes for fluid to enter and exit the converter.

The return line on the ford tansmissions ive worked on is the top line and the lower one is the feed line.

 

What year is your truck? Is your transmission an overdrive? Did you remove the inspection cover and rotate the flywheel and check all the way around? I have worked in a transmission repair shop and have overhauled hundreds of transmissions. It depends on the year and model transmission. Not all Fords have a drain plugs.

 

I have an 2001 Ford Ranger XLT. With overdrive.

I don't even see an inspection cover.. .is this after I drop the transmission pan? Then I would see an inspection cover to rotate the flywheel?

I figure it would be easier to drop the pan. Change the filter. Then run the bottom line that is circled above to a hose and then start the truck as the old fluid is being pumped out I keep filling it from the fill tube... Seems like that would get the old fluid out of the torque converter... and be a lot less mess than trying to do things with moving the flywheel..etc.

Right?

-Nigel

 

The inspection cover is on the front lower portion if the bell housing. You don't have a drain plug anyway. Drain it as you described.