Transmission Fluid Change schedule?

DKVL · Nov 14, 2008

I have 27,800 miles on my Gt. When should i be changing the transmission fluid and I am assuming Royal Purple is the best? How much of it should be added?

AdRock · Nov 14, 2008

What year is your car. What trans does it have in it TR3650, T45.. ? Or is it automatic?

I try to keep to a schedule of every 30K for most automatics. Or 20-25k if you run the car hard. Filter & flush.

On the 3650 in my car i change the fluid every 25k. I service the rear diff at the same time.

I prefer Mobil1 over RP, but any good synthetic will do.

DKVL · Nov 14, 2008

I have a 2002 gt, 5 speed manual.

I have the TR3650.

So I guess i am do for a transmission flush and filter change.

What is the normal price range for such a job? anyone know?

flstang65 · Nov 14, 2008

no filter on the that tranny. 4 quarts should do you good. i use mobil 1 synthetic. make sure you get the bottle that says mercron.

ThunderHorse · Nov 14, 2008

DKVL said:
I have a 2002 gt, 5 speed manual.

I have the TR3650.

So I guess i am do for a transmission flush and filter change.

What is the normal price range for such a job? anyone know?

Prices vary but to give you a good idea of what its gonna cost, when I went to get mine done for the first time way back I went to the Ford dealer. They wanted about $100 for the tranny and somewhere around $120 for the rear diff. Outrageous huh? Im sure if you went to any regular shop it would significantly less than those prices.

GettinThere · Nov 14, 2008

DKVL said:
I have 27,800 miles on my Gt. When should i be changing the transmission fluid and I am assuming Royal Purple is the best? How much of it should be added?

You have low miles for a 2002. I think Ford recommends 100k miles, I prefer every 50k miles. You are not due for a fluid change, but it might help some, and couldn't hurt (assuming you don't underfill or overfill with the wrong fluid). I used Mobil-1 synthetic ATF.

Check this out:

BULLITT Archive Transmission fluid change

There was a TSB out a few years ago about the Tremec 3650, including info on the correct fluid level. I'll try to find it...

GettinThere · Nov 14, 2008

From a previous post:

I found it easy to fill the transmission through the shifter, and to use a shifter gasket to reinstall the shifter:

Stang Shifter Gaskets

Info about draining and refilling the transmission with the correct amount of new transmission fluid, from a Ford TSB published July 20, 2004:

"Fill the transmission with 3.0 liters (6.3 pints) of Motorcraft Mercon ATF (XT-2-QDX). The full fill level is approximately 19 mm (0.75") below the fill hole. Note: shift quality may improve further with break in, approximately 644 kilometers (400 miles) of driving."

Jbauer · Nov 14, 2008

i replaced mine at 80k but it came out real clean so i assume it had been changed once before.
The best way imo to add the fluid is to buy a suction device, like a hand operated one. I bought mine from napa for like 7 dollars.
If i were you i would stay away from Royal Purple. Aside from the fact that i don't like there products from there analysis i've seen on Bitog.com it's nothing special. It's really popular in the mustang scene but lb 4 lb i believe Redline is a much better fluid. That being said, you shouldn't use EITHER in the Tremec transmissions in our cars. Synthetic transmission fluid is not a good idea for these transmissions, your best off with the Motorcraft stuff.

In all honesty, our transmissions use ATF.. i mean crap, The fluid will probably go the life time of the car itself. ATF is built for straight up abuse, heat and friction. You won't be encountering much of that at all on a manual. Change it for peace of mind if you want. Call me crazy but i'm willing to bet you can go 200,000 miles on the FACTORY fill.

AdRock · Nov 15, 2008

Jbauer said:
i replaced mine at 80k but it came out real clean so i assume it had been changed once before.
The best way imo to add the fluid is to buy a suction device, like a hand operated one. I bought mine from napa for like 7 dollars.
If i were you i would stay away from Royal Purple. Aside from the fact that i don't like there products from there analysis i've seen on Bitog.com it's nothing special. It's really popular in the mustang scene but lb 4 lb i believe Redline is a much better fluid. That being said, you shouldn't use EITHER in the Tremec transmissions in our cars. Synthetic transmission fluid is not a good idea for these transmissions, your best off with the Motorcraft stuff.

In all honesty, our transmissions use ATF.. i mean crap, The fluid will probably go the life time of the car itself. ATF is built for straight up abuse, heat and friction. You won't be encountering much of that at all on a manual. Change it for peace of mind if you want. Call me crazy but i'm willing to bet you can go 200,000 miles on the FACTORY fill.

Synthetic fluid is just fine for these transmissions

TSB 06-26-1

01/08/07

MERCON ATF IS BEING REPLACED BY MERCON V
AS A SERVICE FLUID FOR SOME MANUAL
TRANSMISSIONS

FORD:
1981-2003 Escort
1984-1995 Thunderbird
1985-2007 Mustang
1985-1996 Bronco
1985-2007 Ranger
1986-1997 Aerostar
1991-2004 Explorer
1995-2007 F-150
1996-2007 F-Super Duty
2001-2003 Explorer Sport Trac, Explorer Sport

LINCOLN:
2001-2002 Lincoln LS

MERCURY:
1984-1995 Cougar
1987-1999 Tracer

ISSUE
MERCON(R) Automatic Transmission Fluid is being replaced by MERCON(R) V as the service fluid for manual transmissions originally requiring MERCON(R).

ACTION
Beginning immediately all manual transmission applications requiring MERCON(R) can now be serviced using MERCON(R) V or MERCON(R) Automatic Transmission Fluid or dual usage fluids labeled MERCON(R) / MERCON(R) V. After July 1, 2007, MERCON(R) Automatic Transmission Fluid will no longer be manufactured, therefore, availability of this fluid will continue until remaining inventory has been depleted

Jbauer · Nov 15, 2008

I use mercon V also... are all mercon V synthetic?
EDIT: it turns out mercon V IS synthetic. Wow, i never knew that. If i had known that I would of just bought Redline transmission fluid. No where on my Mercon V bottle say that it is synthetic though, why wouldn't they advertise it as one? ..heh i guess you really do learn something every day

poindexternasty · Nov 15, 2008

Do NOT put 4 quarts of tranny oil into a 3650. The recommended fill is 3.0 litres or 3.2 quarts. 4 quarts is WAY too much oil.

Jbauer · Nov 16, 2008

it won't even let you add 4 qrts. It'll just start spilling out after 3.2

SVT32VDOHC · Nov 16, 2008

The T45 and TR3650 takes just under 4 quarts of ATF. Just fill it up with the fill plug out. When the fluid starts leaking, let it stop, then put the fill plug back in. You don't want to overfill it because it will blow out of the seals.

Your transmission will be fine with that many miles and the current fluid, but it cannot hurt to change it.

I have always used Valvoline ATF conventional. I've had that in my T45 for 5 years and I have a blower on my car. I have the trans at my trans shop right now for a new reverse syncrho and they siad every part in my trans still looks brand new. Reverse is always bad in T45's and TR3650's, they said it's a manufacturer defect. Too much paly in Reverse from the factory.

GTtopLESS · Nov 17, 2008

So it takes 3.2 quarts, huh....How the F can that be exacted..? I am assuming when you all say fill until it flows out the fill hole, the car is on ramps or evenly jacked up.?

AdRock · Nov 17, 2008

GTtopLESS said:
So it takes 3.2 quarts, huh....How the F can that be exacted..? I am assuming when you all say fill until it flows out the fill hole, the car is on ramps or evenly jacked up.?

The manual says 3.8 qts but after a ginormous thread on here it was learned that 3.2 qts is what it needs to have. This amount was posted on the forum by some engineers at Tremec. They said this because of all the 3650's with 1-2 shift problems.

Here's the archived thread if you feel like reading through it. http://forums.stangnet.com/328655-official-tremec-3650-issues-thread.html

Irish50 · Nov 6, 2010

Great Thread. Glad I found it today before heading to autozone.

Skidawg · Nov 13, 2010

Yeah, one of the easier things to do. I try to keep it at three years, which is about 12k miles.

Transmission Fluid Change schedule?

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