To Change or Not To Change: Tranny Fluid

[Tiggie]

Here's the spill:
Tranny fluid in the Wagon is brown. Always has been. Looks like motor oil with about 2000 miles on it.

I did a pan drop/filter change and put about 4 or so fresh quarts in about 10K miles ago.

TV Bushing was broken when I got the car and it had been driven an unknown distance. I fixed the bushing and have had no problems with it slipping since, even up I-77 weekly in WV in OD at 75mph. It does have this weird thing where it vibrates up through the TV cable and makes the accelerator pedal vibrate after a long pull. It also lost first gear for three days this winter (I think due to frozen moisture in the VB). However, it has been flawless for the last five months for a stock AOD with 190K on it. I've got the TV pressure hiked up as well.

Should I change the fluid (including converter drain)? I'm going to keep driving this car as long as it runs. Motor is strong. Cancer and the Tranny are it's major life threateners.

[87gtVIC]

I have no idea. Some say that changing it leads to ts death. But i dont give a crap. Gonna be installing a shift kit soon and will be draining everything. If the tranny blows up i have a t-5 waiting in the basement calling my name.

[hav24wheel]

I'd change it! i really don't think it will hurt it.. I'm going to be changing mine soon.

[gadget73]

What did the pan look like when you dropped it? That would be my determining factor. If there were no chunks and no clutch debris, you can probably change it without it exploding.

[85crownHPP]

The pan in my 91 only had the typical never-been-serviced grime in the bottom and it gave out soon after a pan/converter drain...
I wouldnt wanna drive around on an 'iffy' transmission, I'd change it all and see what happens.

[Tiggie]

When I dropped the pan, all I found was the typical gray coating.

If it is going to go, I guess I need to find out now. I believe I will change it completely. I'll keep you all posted.

[87gtVIC]

I guess, dont go to far from home so the tow bill wont be high.

[P72Ford]

Back in the early 90s, my Dad used to service an '87 CV out of his shop. One time, while he was giving it a once over, he checked the transmission fluid, and found it to be nearly black. He changed the fluid, and the guy went on his way. No problems. A year later the guy came back and my Dad checked the fluid, and it was once again, nearly black. This happened a few times, but the transmission never took a dump. Just a thought...

[gadget73]

Sounds like the fluid was being overheated for some reason. Towing without a cooler does that.

[91waggin]

Any cooler recommendations? Been thinking about putting one in for awhile now.

[V8GrandMarquis]

when i got my 89' grand marquis the guy told me that when he went to go change the trany fluid they put the wrong filter on it??? so some times when you turn or just punch the gas some times it just slips for about 4 seconds so i don't know if the trany is going or if its just the filter some times doesn't do it for days but also i know what you mean when the gas pedal vibrates mine does that when i accelerate hard what is that????

[zoomie]

when i got my 89' grand marquis the guy told me that when he went to go change the trany fluid they put the wrong filter on it??? so some times when you turn or just punch the gas some times it just slips for about 4 seconds so i don't know if the trany is going or if its just the filter some times doesn't do it for days but also i know what you mean when the gas pedal vibrates mine does that when i accelerate hard what is that????

id change the filter and seal soon. i used mercon 5 in mine when i changed my tranny out, also do check your shift cable grommet up by the throttlebody make sure thats good if it is well..... id replace it anyway just to be s sure.