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So I picked up a 2000 ranger 2.5 auto. 129k miles has a bad transmission. I have another transmission I plan to swap out this weekend with. But upon inspecting the transmission fluid that's in the truck I noticed that it seemed to be milky. I'm guessing the transmission cooler has gave way in the radiator? What's the likely hood of this being the issue that the transmission went out in the first place? I guess I'll be flushing the cooling system and getting a radiator for it before I put the new transmission in it.
Yes could be coolant that got into ATF via bad cooler, or vehicle was in high water?
There is a vent on the top of all transmissions
The problem with coolant/water in engine oil or ATF is that it will Boil/Steam above 212degF, and the bearings in either run at least that hot on the surfaces, so the "steaming" cleans off the oil, and you get dry bearings which do not last that long, lol
So yes, could/would be cause of a transmission failure
Coolant or water is a good lubricant and good for cooling except for that one flaw, lol, which is a big flaw
Radiators are not too expensive and a 2000 rad could also have some blocked passages in the coolant area as well
What happens with trans coolers at the bottom of radiators is that any debris in the coolant will settle to the bottom of radiator, gravity being what it is
Coolant has anti-corrosives to prevent metal parts from corroding, but when a metal part has debris on it, then no protection and it can corrode, same thing happens in heater cores, passages get blocked and start to rust out from no circulation
Trans coolers on the sides often last longer
But total depends on if coolant was flushed and changed on time
Every 2 years for green
Every 5 years for red and yellow
In my older vehicles I always run green because its cheaper, and I will most likely have to drain the coolant to repair a different issue at least once every 2 years anyway, lol
There is no water in the engine oil. The coolant in. The overflow tank is real dark. Almost rust colored. I went ahead and just ordered a radiator. I dont want to risk my $800 transmission. This is what the transmission dipstick looks like.
Well got the transmission pulled today. I also took my radiator out and semi flushed the system. Once my new radiator gets here and I get it up and running, I will fill the new radiator with water, drive it till it's good and hot and then drain and flush one more time before I fill with anti freeze.
The metal tube that runs from the top rear and loops up by bell housing
Needed to vent trans as it heats up but also to prevent water from entering when driving on wet roads
This is what mine has on it. Now I'm worried the transmission that I ordered from the junk yard isn't going to come with one. Is this a problem? Are they necessary, will water it in it without one?
That should be OK, Ford switched to those loose caps to save money, still vents the air as fluid heats up and will protect against water intrusion, so factory vent in later years
That should be OK, Ford switched to those loose caps to save money, still vents the air as fluid heats up and will protect against water intrusion, so factory vent in later years
03-23-2023
