capt, you can do a non-power flush as I noted that will exchange the torque converter fluid just as well as a professionally done power flush. It may take a bit more fluid, but it will get changed.
tom

 

the filter can not be changed unless the unit is removed and disassembled, and even then it doesn't come out of the case easy.
i have one of these trannies out of a 2005 on my work bench right now for repair, thanks to the cars owner, playing do it your selfer, using the pull the lines style change, fresh in one pail,old out into another pail. HE FAILED! to make sure the lines were properly seated into the cooler when he reinstalled them, the return line at the cooler came off driving on the highway and burnt out all the clutches and drums inside big time. by burnt i mean the steels are bright blue.nothing left,

in my mind being a veteran dealership mechanic and factory field tech. serviceing this trans is best left to a trans shop or dealer where it can be power flushed by machine,

 

Are you a dealer tech?

 

If the fluid is kept clean from the beginning there is no need to change the filter.

Easist way to keep fluid just about new is too just drain the 4 quarts at an interval you desisre, 10K, 15k, 20k whatever.

The process is called progressive dilution. I drop 4 quarts out of the pan every 15k miles now and my fluid basically kept like new at this interval.

When I first started back when the vehicle was fairly new (30k on the odometer) this is what I was told to do. I dropped the 4 quarts out of the trans. I filled it with 4 qts of new fluid. Drove the vehicle for about 25 miles. Came back and dropped the 4 quarts I previously just added. Then added 4 qts. of new fluid. Drove the vehicle for 5k miles and did the same thing. After that it was every 15k miles. I would estimate that I now have about 80% new fluid in my tranny at all times.

You start out by progressively diluting the old fluid with new fluid. That first dilution really brings the fluid to a good level of new fluid. The second one at 5k miles gives it bump up in the dilution. I found for me 15k intervals works best. When I drain the fluid at 15k miles it still is bright red and that is what you want to see.

The CD4E transmission is the weak link in the Escape, especially the older models like mine (2003). I know have 156K miles and knock on wood, no trans problems ever.

 

lol careful there Tony...you are bucking the trend there sir.


don't go against the gurus. lol



method I stated has been used several times by many folks I speak to on here and other boards. 6 bucks a quart...sure...since this thing is AWD I am thinking that a tranny service at a dealership will be significantly MORE. And not doing ANYTHING will be even more pricey.


So yeah...a bit of your time and about 70 dollars worth of tranny fluid shouldn't be a big deal.

 

4WD/AWD parts are just add ons to the transaxle that don't use ATF.

 

Whether you do the "progressive dilution" method as most of us with Superdutys do, or the pull the hose and do a full fluid change as I did on my granddaughter's Escape, keeping the fluid free of wear debris is the best ways to prevent excessive wear of all the internal moving parts. And of course the potential of the fluid aging and depositing varnish on the valve spools.

I've been a motorhead all of my life. Doing the dropped hose full flush is on of the easiest full fluid changes i have ever done. If you are comfortable changing spark plugs, doing a full changeover should not be a problem unless you also are a klutz.

The rare instance of a person forgetting to re-tighten the hose clamp can have disastrous results, but I'm also familiar with rare occasions of dealer and private garage mechanics doing things that cause just as much of a disaster.

I'm in the process of recreating all the pictorials I had on the now defunct Webshots on my Facebook page so I'll try to throw together what I had for this work later this week.

 

My '09 was in the dealer for a ATF leak from the converter half-case cover and had to go back right away for a leak caused by a loose plug, IIRC.

At 2600 miles later, it's back again for a ATF leak again which "may" be from them overfilling it, the new style dipstick isn't calibrated correctly or it blows out when filled to the max level. Could be the cover again also.

 

sure they are simply add ons to the transaxle...and will be added to the price of whatever service is required to perform on said transaxle if it is necessary to remove the unit.

perhaps I should have been more clear. I understand that the PTO is separate and not part of the transaxle's hydraulic circuit. but it IS attached.

 

This is my first FWD and haven't done any transaxle work at all, only RWD. I'm not sure how much more it adds to removal other than disconnecting the driveshaft. Maybe they leave the PTO on, not sure.

Maybe I'll ask them! I think mine will be coming out for the second time. They power washed it, added dye to the ATF and gave it back to me to drive till it starts dripping again. OMG!! Maybe they'll come over and power wash my driveway????

 

lol


no bro...the AWD unit has a Power Take Off that attaches to the transaxle...Haldex unit if I remember correctly...and feeds the rear wheels when it detects slippage....works pretty good too...wife and I drove it to Colorado for our honeymoon and never missed a beat in fairly deep snow and black ice.

they filled it with dye and told you to keep driving it till it leaked again?

wow...Wiley Coyote school of mechanics....seems like that's whats been going around here lately. :|

real mechanics like who I learned from (dad) just don't seem to be around anymore...guess they think if they can't plug into it they can't fix it.

 

To clean up oil on your concrete pick up some Lystoil put it on the oil spot let it set or scrub it in a little I let it set a day or 3 then hose or let the rain wash it away.I have had great luck with it.

 

I had another leak in the summer of 2011 but since I don't drive that much, it was only 2600 miles ago. Anyway, they used dye that time and didn't involve me driving it till a leak showed up again. All they did was kick the can down the road and annoyed me.

 

I see they sell that at Lowes. I did soak the spots with a wax/grease remover used to prep prior to auto painting and used 409 cleaner after that. That did a pretty good job. Prior to that, I tried Tide which didn't even touch it.

 

yes! just now i'm retired after 45 years in dealer shops and work is only part time in my garage shop.