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    Changing fluid: is it worth it?

    The AOD on my Lincoln seems to be in pretty good health. I haven't had any issues with leaks, shifting or slipping so far (knock on wood) but I also haven't checked or changed the transmission fluid since I bought it three years ago. I haven't worked with transmissions before so I did some research. I read somewhere that changing the fluid could potentially ruin the transmission (since it knocks stuff inside loose or something like that.) Even if it was a 20% risk of happening, that's still too much of a gamble for me, since I wouldn't have any money for a rebuild until the end of the summer, and I need my car for work anyways.

    The tranny was rebuilt by the PO at 103,000 miles, so that means that the current one has about 135,000 miles on it. 135k seems a bit beyond the average life expectancy for these AODs anyways, so the trans on my car may already have its days numbered. So the question is: Should I go ahead and change the fluid & filter, or leave it alone and save my pennies for a rebuild sometime in the future when it completely goes out?

    1989 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series | 249k miles, current project car
    2018 BMW 430i xDrive M-Sport | 50k miles
    2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport | 97k miles

    #2
    If its still the right color, change it. The only time changing the fluid kills the trans is if it was already dead. The fluid is normally very dark and stinky when thats the case. To play it safe, you might want to just drop the pan and change the filter and refill it rather than doing the pan and the converter. Normal life for a properly maintained automatic is at least 200k miles. AODs seldom lived that long because of the shitty TV bushing, but I have driven 200k mile AODs that worked fine. I was actually driving it when it rolled 200k. Lincolnmania still has that trans in his car and it still works.

    For whatever it's worth, I changed the fluid in my Mark VII's trans when it had about 80k on it. The fluid came out pitch black. I did the pan and the converter. It still works, though it has a wonky downshift from 4 to 3 now. I think I over-tightened the filter though. I did the original fluid in my Towncar at 120k and it was black and smelled like used gear oil. It went another 5k miles or so till I caught the car on fire and burned the trans to death. Up to that point though, it shifted just fine.
    86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
    5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

    91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

    1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

    Originally posted by phayzer5
    I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

    Comment


      #3
      I'll definitely have to check the fluid tomorrow morning! Hopefully that will give me the green light to go ahead and change the fluid and filter. Should I bother with getting synthetic fluid? Especially if it's mixed with whatever is left inside the torque converter?

      Also, was Ford nice enough to provide a drain bolt for the trans pan? It would be awesome if they did.

      1989 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series | 249k miles, current project car
      2018 BMW 430i xDrive M-Sport | 50k miles
      2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport | 97k miles

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by L1011tristar17 View Post
        I'll definitely have to check the fluid tomorrow morning! Hopefully that will give me the green light to go ahead and change the fluid and filter. Should I bother with getting synthetic fluid? Especially if it's mixed with whatever is left inside the torque converter?

        Also, was Ford nice enough to provide a drain bolt for the trans pan? It would be awesome if they did.
        No drain bolt for the pan, draining the trans fluid can get messy.
        IIRC the way I did it was loosen each bolt enough to break them free but not enough to cause fluid to start dripping. I may have even just left one or two bolts in each corner and removed the rest. Then start at one corner and loosen the bolt(s) at that corner enough to start dripping fluid. Loosen the bolts a little at a time when the draining begins to slow, eventually getting the bolts out of the side that I was draining from. Then push the pan up with one hand, remove the last couple bolts the rest of the way, then lower the pan with both hands trying not to spill whats left in the pan all over.
        Last edited by VicCrownVic; 06-09-2013, 12:05 AM.
        Vic

        ~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
        ~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
        ~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
        ~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"

        Comment


          #5
          I would recommend changing the fluid by dropping the pan to change the filter. I always drain the converter (you may or may not want to do that) I change mine every 28-30 K. The color has changed and there is black stuff (not shavings)on the bottom of the pan. I use brand name fluid not the cheap stuff.
          Carefully install a new gasket. Torque bolts crosswise to specs. I never go to the places that "flush" out the old fluid. A properly maintained transmission will normally last for 200,000 miles. In my opinion, one of the best things to do, is to keep the trans out of overdrive when under 45. That prevents premature band wear on the O.D.

          Comment


            #6
            "In my opinion, one of the best things to do, is to keep the trans out of overdrive when under 45. That prevents premature band wear on the O.D." Funny as most trany shops tell you to ALWAYS leave the car in OD mode. Maybe there is a reason for saying that??? Bobby


            "Hope and dignity are two things NO ONE can take away from you - you have to relinquish them on your own" Miamibob

            "NEVER trade your passion for glory"!! Sal "the Bard" (Dear Old Dad!)

            "Cars are for driving - PERIOD! I DON'T TEXT, TWEET OR TWERK!!!!"

            Comment


              #7
              I have my cable adjusted so the trans keeps itself out of OD under 45. Makes it far less irritating to drive. The Towncar was in overdrive at 32 mph when I got it. Even with a 3.55 rear it lugged horribly. The Mark VII also shifted in right about that speed and lugged badly too. A little more pressure so the shift points are extended out a bit and it seems a lot happier. Much more responsive downshifts too.
              86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
              5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

              91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

              1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

              Originally posted by phayzer5
              I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

              Comment


                #8
                it was a quirk of the AOD (and maybe some other models).
                For general advice, sure, OD all the time (except when going up hills, or towing) makes lots of sense. Some pickups or suvs have that button built into the multifunction switch to take you out of OD for that reason --towing, hill climbing. A not-car-savvy friend had a honda-something suv that she'd left in 3rd gear for a whole year, wondering at the bad fuel econ, before I pointed out that little button that put it in OD

                But anyway.
                The AOD likes to shift right around 45.
                Guess what many of the streets around my neck of the woods have speed limits of?
                So I was going in and out and in and out and in and out of overdrive.
                Not good for the transmission.

                One fix is to just keep it in Drive, until you're back on the real highway.

                The other fix is,
                a) adjust cable tension so it shifts at higher than 45mph
                b) mustang governor also raises shift points
                c) mild valve body shift kit also can raise shift points.

                I sort of did a gentle combination of all 3. Looking for some light performance boost without too much fuel econ cost. But just messing with the tv cable a little bit will get you there-- if you want to spend $100 on a shift kit + $60 on trans fluid, you can do so, but that's more extreme. I was just rebuilding the trans anyway.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by L1011tristar17 View Post
                  The tranny was rebuilt by the PO at 103,000 miles, so that means that the current one has about 135,000 miles on it. 135k seems a bit beyond the average life expectancy for these AODs anyways, so the trans on my car may already have its days numbered...
                  Don't cut your transmission short. Mine has over 260,000 miles on it and is still shifting strong. It does leak though and I put in a quart about twice a year.


                  sigpic

                  I'd rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate.
                  George Burns

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I drive around in D most of the time, since the roads around my house are all hills. I've also found myself doing this in other cars too. Whenever I drive the van I put it in D3 on certain roads.

                    1989 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series | 249k miles, current project car
                    2018 BMW 430i xDrive M-Sport | 50k miles
                    2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport | 97k miles

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I am kind of on the same boat as you guys, My fluid is like a dark red. I don't think it smells, but I don't know when the fluid was changed last. I know I shift into OD at around 39-41 which I know I need to adjust
                      "To Find yourself, you must first lose yourself"

                      -1973 Volkswagen Bus Westy
                      -1986 Honda Magna 700cc
                      -1989 Lincoln Town car Signature Series
                      -2011 Subaru Outback

                      Comment


                        #12
                        might could stand a fluid/filter change... and bump that TV cable 1-2 mm tighter.

                        Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
                        rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
                        Originally posted by gadget73
                        ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
                        Originally posted by dmccaig
                        Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          In city driving would you get better MPG's taking the car out of OD?? Any damage to the tranny?


                          "Hope and dignity are two things NO ONE can take away from you - you have to relinquish them on your own" Miamibob

                          "NEVER trade your passion for glory"!! Sal "the Bard" (Dear Old Dad!)

                          "Cars are for driving - PERIOD! I DON'T TEXT, TWEET OR TWERK!!!!"

                          Comment


                            #14
                            No damage driving in D, possibly better economy, but you'd have to drive it. It might save some wear if its hunting in and out of overdrive, but if it goes in and stays, you're not damaging anything.
                            86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                            5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                            91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                            1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                            Originally posted by phayzer5
                            I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Yeah I am going to adjust the tv bushing, its shifts to OD at around 39-41 mph. I am going to do 45-46mphA

                              Also, what color fluid should my tranny fluid be to change it??
                              "To Find yourself, you must first lose yourself"

                              -1973 Volkswagen Bus Westy
                              -1986 Honda Magna 700cc
                              -1989 Lincoln Town car Signature Series
                              -2011 Subaru Outback

                              Comment

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