[sewiv]

So I bought myself this `94 for Christmas last year, and have been working on getting it "properly" set up as a daily driver, along the `Sixlitre` line. I've done the ignition change and timing bump, added a tranny cooler and external tranny filter, and am finally beginning to get the fluids changed out (other than the oil and PS, which I've already done). As far as I can tell, pretty much no maintenance has been done on this thing, other than whatever was absolutely required. I've done a lot of greasing and tightening.

I've got a pretty good deal going with my neighbor, I fix his computers at his house and office (minor stuff, really), and he gets me fluids and filters at cost (he owns the local oil change place), and all the free oil changes I can eat. He also owns the local detail shop, so I get free detailing, carpet shampoos, and carwashes. In my book, it's a fair trade.

One thing that I have him do is tranny filter changes (on my Ranger and now the Bronco). I've done them, but I don't enjoy it, and it's so dang messy, it's nice to watch someone else do it in a place designed specifically for containing that sort of mess. He always has his shop manager do it, so it's not some high school kid under there, and I watch the whole thing.

I finally had time to take in the Bronco last night, and got several pleasant surprises. The tranny filter has never been changed in the 90,000 miles this thing has on it, I'm certain of that, but when he pulled the bolts and dropped the pan, the fluid was a nice healthy red color, and the cork gasket came off in one piece, leaving no residue at all on the transmission or the pan. I'd never seen that before. The grommet came out with the filter, no arguments, no screwing around with a pick, no nothing. Maybe a sixteenth of an inch of "fuzz" on the magnet. Cleaned everything up, put the new filter in, new rubber gasket, everything bolted up, no leaks, and after refill, nice firm shifts (well, as firm as a stock E4OD gets). I'm a happy camper.

 

[quiefinator]

90K, wow thats alot for no tranny flushes especially w/ the E40D, buts thats awesome that it worked out so well for you! what a deal

 

[sewiv]

I don't know that the fluid hadn't been changed (with a pump or something), but I'm pretty certain the filter hadn't.

 

[Optika1 illushun]

the filter is merely a screen and doesnt work so well. u should have added a drain plug to the pan to make the changes easier ;-)

 

[sewiv]

Yeah, I didn't want to mess with it at the time. I thought I did, but changed my mind.

I'm probably going to change the pan, actually, later this summer when I put the shift kit in. Either go to something a little deeper, with a plug, or get a newer 4R100 pan with a plug.

 

[Sixlitre]

the filter is merely a screen and doesnt work so well. u should have added a drain plug to the pan to make the changes easier ;-)

All the more reason to go to a remote filter

and get the benefit of a paper filter screening as well, IME (experience)

Sixlitre

 

[Streetgang]

What is making you think that the trans filter is still the original one?

 

[sewiv]

The appearance of the filter, with the factory-ish date clocks molded in, and the general repair of the rest of the truck. The belt and hoses were all original as well, and not in the greatest of shape.

The filter is actually a spongy thing, at least the new one I put in is. Not window screen, at least. The external filter is an FL-1A equivalent, according to Perma-Cool.

 

[Sixlitre]

The appearance of the filter, with the factory-ish date clocks molded in, and the general repair of the rest of the truck. The belt and hoses were all original as well, and not in the greatest of shape.

The filter is actually a spongy thing, at least the new one I put in is. Not window screen, at least. The external filter is an FL-1A equivalent, according to Perma-Cool.

Same dang filter as yer oil filter

less types to stock

Sixlitre

 

[Streetgang]

The appearance of the filter, with the factory-ish date clocks molded in, and the general repair of the rest of the truck. The belt and hoses were all original as well, and not in the greatest of shape.

The filter is actually a spongy thing, at least the new one I put in is. Not window screen, at least. The external filter is an FL-1A equivalent, according to Perma-Cool.

And you said this is a E4OD we are talking about???

The trans filter in a E4OD is in-cased in plastic housing with a neck on it......like you described. It is not like a pick-up screen or something like that. I never cut one open or had the time to actually try to see what material the filter element is made of.....but then again I always buy Motorcraft trans filters ONLY and also I will only use a cork gasket.....NEVER the alternate PN rubber one.

 

[sewiv]

And you said this is a E4OD we are talking about???

The trans filter in a E4OD is in-cased in plastic housing with a neck on it......like you described. It is not like a pick-up screen or something like that. I never cut one open or had the time to actually try to see what material the filter element is made of.....but then again I always buy Motorcraft trans filters ONLY and also I will only use a cork gasket.....NEVER the alternate PN rubber one.

Right, it's in a plastic housing, but you can reach in and feel the filter material, or look in and see it.

Why only cork gaskets?

 

[SigEpBlue]

I've cut one apart. In fact it was the factory filter; I was the first person to drop my E4OD's pan, and the truck had ~110k miles on it! Torque converter failed too, so that didn't help. The fluid was burnt and almost black.

Anyhoo, the filter media isn't going to stop too much. Possibly a furry woodland animal, but that's about it....maybe a yam or two. It's just a synthetic sponge-like material made into a sheet and folded over itself. The filter media itself appeared very clean, but there was a black slime covering everything, and my magnet you couldn't even see.

 

[Sixlitre]

I've cut one apart. In fact it was the factory filter; I was the first person to drop my E4OD's pan, and the truck had ~110k miles on it! Torque converter failed too, so that didn't help. The fluid was burnt and almost black.

Anyhoo, the filter media isn't going to stop too much. Possibly a furry woodland animal, but that's about it....maybe a yam or two. It's just a synthetic sponge-like material made into a sheet and folded over itself. The filter media itself appeared very clean, but there was a black slime covering everything, and my magnet you couldn't even see.

So if I read you right, you're saying

they could use additional filtration, over and above the factory filter ? Such as, say a remote transmission filter ?

Sixlitre

 

[SigEpBlue]

:beer

 

[JVHBRONCO]

I ALWAYS USE 2 BOTTLES OF LUCAS TRANS FIX. THAT STUFF IS AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ubermich]

THANK YOU... ?

Sixlitre... should I buy a remote filter for my E4OD? (hehe)

 

[94_chickentaco]

In my experience, its all too common to flush the E4OD at high mileage like 90k and have it load up with detergents and die within a month or so.
But, its only happenend to me twice. :doh0715:

 

[Streetgang]

Right, it's in a plastic housing, but you can reach in and feel the filter material, or look in and see it.

Why only cork gaskets?

The first service I did on my E4OD like a year ago I......you know the deal.....drop the pan, drained the torque converter, clean the magnet and gasket surfaces, replaced the filter. Installed the cork gasket, with just a bit of some yellow looking crap that my nephew said to use (he didnt like the cork at all though), button her all up, top it off and be on my way.....tight as a drum and dry as a bone.....al is good.

Well ok....so late in the Fall of 05 it was time to service the E4OD again.....so this time I said let me take my nephews advise (he owns a shop and been turning wrenches for a living all his life.....and I use his lift all the time!), and use the rubber gasket instead of the cork. So this time I button her up and top it off, and as I am backing the truck off the lift, I hear them yelling to shut her down. The dam thing was pissing that VERY expensive synthetic ATF all over the shop floor......I lost about 5 or 6 quarts, and at $6.00 a quart...you do the math. Anyhow when we looked at it you can see where the rubber gasket could not seal up the gap the same way as the cork gasket that I just ran over to Ford and picked up could. The rubber one just didnt fit the pan as well as the cork one when you compared them side by side.....but the rubber gasket is still a alternate part number for the E4OD.
I aint sure if this is the case with all E4OD's, but as for mine.....they will get only cork from here on in.





Well I like using Mobil-1 synthetic ATF, so I dumped in like 12 quarts, and a quart Lucas

 

[jrdbronco]

i actually prefer the rubber gasket over the cork. the rubber one has sealed alot better than the cork in my experiences

 

[sewiv]

There are apparently two pan designs, and two gaskets for them. There's the soft rubber gasket, which fits one of the designs, and the stiff rubber/plastic gasket, which fits the other design. Cork fits either. I think you ran into a case where you needed the stiff gasket and used the soft one. That was specifically mentioned on the box my new gasket and filter came in.