About 3 months or so ago I completely flushed and filled my tranny with Amsoil Synthetic ATF.

I don't have temperature monitoring or anything -- but the main effect has been smoother shifts -- particularly the dreaded 2-3 shift on the 5R44E/5R55E auto like I have. It never "bangs" between 2 and 3 like it used to, but every shift is still firm feeling. I like it very much and recommend it if you have a bumpy transmission like I did.

Amsoil has instructions for how to flush it out using the transmissions internal pump. Basically:

1. Drop the pan, drain the fluid, chenge the filter, and put the pan back on and refil with about 4 to 5 quarts (see your owners manual for "initial" fill amount).

2. Disconnect the TOP line from the tranny cooler in the radiator. Slide a piece of 3/4" bilge hose or equivalent over the stainless steel pipe you disconnected, and run it DOWN and out under the front bumper to the ground. DON'T run the tube up over the radiator and then down again or the fluid will just back up and run out at the top! Go straight down behind the radiator or you'll have a mess (trust me on this one, lol).

3. Have a drain pan down there that can hold 8 to 10 quarts or so.

4. Take some empty 1 quart containers (like the ones you just emptied in the transmission) and have them there by the drain pan.

5. Put the hose you ran down into one of the containers and put it in the drain pan.

6. Start the truck and as each quart bottle is filled, dump it and fill another until you have drained 6 to 8 quarts. As you dump each one, add a new quart of fresh fluid at the dipstick. You need 2 people to do this easily.

7. When you've taken out the remaining fluid (take too much to be sure), then stop the engine.

8. Put the fitting back on the cooler, and clean up your mess, lol!

9. Start the truck and top off the fluid. After you cycle it through all the gears, check again and top up as required.

10. Drive it a bit, then check the level once again.

That's it! Cheap and effective way to get a near total fluid change. You will need a couple of extra quarts of fluid to do it right, but it's still cheaper than having it done at a shop.

 

Ok, I have a question. I did this same procedure last month and had terrible tranny slipping for all of two-three weeks. Every time I would check the trans it was a quart low. I even had major major slippage offroading. Did you have this problem?

I have a temp gauge. I went with Royal Purple instead of Amsoil but same principle. The temperature stayes the same under normal driving conditions. It takes longer to reach full temp (150-175) and cools down faster. But under load is where it reall kicks. Towing my trailer the tranny stays right around 180 at its hottest. I have my sender on the hot line so it is not the average temp but the hottest of hot before being cooled.

 

Wow, no! I'm surprised and I can't see it's the oils problem for sure. The Royal Purple ATF is excellent. Which tranny do you have? The only thing I can figure out is that some "air pockets" were up in it that couldn't fill up for some reason.

The less desirable answer was that you have restrictions in your internal piping that caused the fluid not to circulate and fill the tranny properly -- kind of like narrowed arteries. It's possible that the clean, new oil has removed those. Since you're not having problems I wouldn't worry about it, I guess.

In the absence of leaks, or alien abduction of your tranny fluid, I would say it was either air pockets in the housing or an internal restriction that prevented the fluid from properly flowing somehow resulting in misleading levels when checked.

I wish I had instrumented the transmisison -- I would have liked to know the temps like you did.

 

I have the 5r55E trans. My thoughts are that I took out closer to 12 quarts rather than the 8-10 its holds. The way it was acting seemed like the Torque Converter was draining back to the pan overnight and when it was started it took a minute to refill the torque converter. And no leaks and no Aliens, that i know of .

So, if anybody else trys this, yes Royal Purple oil is excenant. I have experianced the same benefits that John did with Amsoil. Just bear in mind what happened to me "Could" happen to you. But it will fix its self.

 

Anyone try the Amsoil in a 5 speed yet? I think the manual tranny uses the same AFT, but I don't have my manual in front of me. I would think it might help the truck shift better with less grinding.

 

It'll wear longer, George, regardless. I have no data on any "improvements" in shift quality and so forth. But it's just a better fluid and if you're changing it might be a good idea. I'm delighted with it in the auto trans but I don't know of anyone that put Amsoil ATF in their Ranger manual trans.

 

I have mobil synthetic in my ranger manual transmission, and transfer case.

 

Update on switching to these synthetics (Amsoil/Royal Purple)in Auto trannys. I towed my 16ft toybox this weekend, weighing in at around 4500 lbs the transmition ran great and stayed cool. It stayed in the 180 range sometimes even running lower. The hottest it reached was 200 which is still in a safe range. I suggest this for everybody!

 

I checked the manual, and Ford says to use Mercon ATF in the 5 speed and Mercon V ATF in the automatics. Does Amsoil have a comparitable oil to match the regular Mercon? Or, is there really a difeerence between the two?

I saw a blurb on Gen-Edge regarding which Amsoils to use. But I trust your judgement more John.

 

yea i'd like to know before I change my manual trans fluid...and gear lube

 

Fortunately, the Amsoil synthetic has characterisitics that allow it to meet the newer spec (Mercon V) while maintaining backward compatibility with the older stuff. The synthetic base stock is such that the additives are less important.

Hence, Amsoil calls it "Universal ATF" and it does in fact meet both specs. It's one of their best products to my mind because ATF formulation is really voodoo and this stuff is great.

 

Thanks John. I'll probably change the tranny oil at my next oil change. I'm at 37K, and probably a tad overdue.

 

Can i request grease monkey to add amsoil insead on my trans service?

 

I'm sure you can. My brother ran a Grease Monkey in New Jersey some years ago and they were pretty flexible -- don't know about the ones near you.

Keep in mind that most times all they do is drop the pan and change the filter and refill. That replaces only about 1/2 or less of the fluid. So you need a full "flush and fill" to really replace all the fluid. Make sure they understand that before you get them to quote you a price.

However, you will get some benefit even with a partial replacement.

If they use the vacuum removal equipment, then it can suck all the fluid out without the tranny running. Some machines are equipped to replace the fluid at the same time, but only from bulk tanks, making adding quarts of Amsoil difficult. Talk to them about EXACTLY what you're trying to accomplish, and see what they say.

 

Wal-mart sells a multi-car atf that susposedly meets mercon V mercon, dextron III etc. 2.50 a qt.. not sure i'd use it though.