How do you change the transmission oil and filter on a Ford Taurus - Mercury Sable?

Answer 1

See "Related Links" for a photo How-to tutorialProcedures

You will be removing the transmission pan, and draining the Transmission Fluid (so make sure you have several quarts of new transmission fluid ready). The pan is attached to the bottom of the transmission by 17 or 19 (depending on the transmission model) 8mm bolts. Assuming you don't also want to do a full flush of the transmission fluid (which would be desirable if the transmission fluid is visibly oxidized (brownish with little or no sign of its original red-clear color)), do the following:

• Raise the car's front end: either drive up onto drive-on ramps, or jack up the front of the car using a floor jack (check data on your model's proper front jacking point, though usually it's the strong front frame piece behind the radiator), then slowly lower the car onto suitable jack stands placed under the two side frame pieces near the front wheels. Don't rely just on a jack, even a good one, to keep a car raised.
• Get a large container, at least 6 liter, to put under the pan as a drain bucket.
• Remove the pan's bolts, starting with the ones closest to the passenger side. Remove the 6 bolts around the corner of the pan. This will allow the fluid to start to drain and not make too much mess. Catch the fluid in the drain bucket.
• Start removing the remaining bolts, but leaving in place the bolts on the driver's side of the pan. This allows the pan to drop slowly and drain out most of the fluid.
• Let it drain about 10 minutes.
• Remove the remaining bolts, while holding up the pan with one hand. When you get to the last bolt, slowly let the pan down and hang on the last bolt.
• Remove the last bolt, and lower the pan into the drain bucket.
• Examine the bottom of the pan for metal shavings. Many or all will collect on a magnet that normally sits in the pan. If you see metal shavings, the transmission is damaged and may need repair.
• Remove the filter: it turns to the side to remove it from its retaining clip and just pulls down to remove. Be sure the rubber o-ring seal comes off too--if it doesn't, pry it off with a screwdriver. It will often be a metal band coated with rubber.Sometimes only part of the seal will come off, which will prevent the new filter from fitting onto this location.
• Let the fluid drain some more, for a while, until draining stops.
• Clean the pan using brake cleaner, and the two mating surfaces for the new gasket. There's normally no need to clean other parts of the transmission.
• Install the new filter: A new O-ring seal should be built into the new filter. If the new filter doesn't slide into place properly, often the cause is a remaining part of the old seal that hasn't been removed yet.
• Put the new gasket in place on the pan (if the pan's old gasket is cork, replace it with a new rubber gasket (which comes with most new filters), but if the old gasket is rubber, you can re-use it if you don't have a new gasket), then place the pan against the bottom of the transmission. Manually thread (finger-tight) a few bolts in place to hold it, then manually install the remaining bolts, again finger-tight.
• If you have a torque wrench, tighten the pan's bolts to nine foot-pounds. To prevent the gasket from deforming and allowing leaks, start with the middle bolt that's along the edge of the pan closest to the middle of the car, then the bolt farthest from this one on the opposite edge, then the two bolts at the middle of the other two sides, then back to another bolt on the pan's inner edge; repeat this alternating pattern until you're done. Do NOT overtighten the bolts, since they can break and strip easily, and deform the gasket too.
• Once you've reinstalled the pan, add 5 liters of new transmission fluid before you start the car. Check your car's owner's manual for the proper type of transmission fluid, since variations in models and their transmissions may not always make this determination easy. However, in general, for Taurus transmissions made in 1996 and earlier, use regular Mercon (NOT Mercon V), or Dexron III, or F type fluid. For transmissions made in 1997 and later, use only MERCON V fluid. Using the wrong fluid can cause your transmission to burn out.

  NOTE: Ford issued a TSB regarding the phasing out of Mercon, and specifying Mercon V as the replacement fluid for 1986-1997 Taurus/Sable (and most all Ford car products). Refer to TSB linked below

• Start the car, and let it run until normal operating temperature is reached (usually 15 minutes is enough). Then check the transmission fluid level using the transmission dipstick, and add more fluid in small amounts (one ounce at a time is good) until it reads full. DON'T OVERFILL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID (as shown on the dipstick), as this can eventually damage your transmission. If you overfill, drain some out until the proper level is reached.

  Filter Prices

  A check of Autozone & O'Riely's shows: $12, $18 & $29 (Motorcraft)

Check with auto parts to make it has a filter -- some do not If so drain and remove transmission oil pan Clean oil pan Filter should be held in place by 2 bolts Remove bolts and filter should pull out Replace filter and "O" Ring Install new gasket and replace oil pan

I'll take a stab at this one since i just did this on our 1988 Mercury Sable 3.8l with AXOD transmission. i assume your transmission will be similar.

The oil pan from the transmission must be removed. It can be a messy job because there are no drain plugs in the transmission oil pans. i think that's so the filter HAS to be changed each time the oil is changed.

TIP - I got around the ultra messiness of it all by using a device called a "dock mate" which is used on boat engines. On boats you change the oil by putting a plastic tube down the dipstick, then pumping on the dock mate to create a vacuum. if you do this when the oil is hot, it comes out really fast, like in a couple of minutes. By doing this first, the oil pan had much less oil in it.

• Remove the bolts from the oil pan. You may wish to wait until it has cooled.
• The filter is on the bottom of the transmission, which was covered up by the oil pan. Our transmission had a clip on the filter, which you just move out of the way & the filter pulls straight down.

  NOTE: Check to make sure the O-ring that is on the filter did not stay up in the hole. It did when i changed it, so i just used a small tool to pull it out, being careful not to scratch the walls.

  The transmission fluid pan gasket comes with the filter and O-ring. ours was about $11.50 @ NAPA>

• I cleaned out the bottom of the pan and the bottom of the transmission lines. There might be some light gray colored material. this is pretty normal, as long as it is like a liquid, not pieces you can see.
• Then you are to put the new filter in with the new O-ring, and clean the bottom of the pan with a solvent, then air dry with waterless air. You should also do this to the bottom of the transmission. i just used lens paper. the idea is not to leave any lint.
• Put the new gasket on ( ours was cork, which is much cheaper). I applied some black Permatex non-hardening sealant to the bottom side of the gasket & the pan & let them sit until tacky, then mated them. on the top of the gasket I put a light coating of wheel bearing grease. The idea for that is so the gasket doesn't stick to the transmission when you change it next time.

  NOTE: The directions actually said to use NO sealants of any kind, but i got my ideas off the web. It held anyway.

• Next, bolt the pan back up using a cross-pattern so as not to warp the pan. use a torque wrench. the specs for the AXOD are 12.5 ft/lbs (actually 10-15 ft./lbs.)

Then you are done & can have a nice cold margarita ( no salt on mine, please)..

OK, now this question has been ed. Jenni

You'll have to take it to a dealership and ask to have a transmission flush. It used not to be possible to get ALL the fluid out unless the transmission was completely removed from the vehicle which could cause other problems if all the outer seals were not replaced.You could get most of it out by draining the pan and the Torque Converter. However, there is no longer a drain plug on most torque converters these days so a flush is just about the only way to do it with the transmission still in the vehicle. It is a fairly new procedure that is now possible thanks to the new flushing machine which hooks up to your cooling lines (the metal tubing that runs from your transmission to your radiator).

I have been a mechanic for MANY years and as stated, the flushes havent been around very long. I have changed just 4-6 quarts of fluid for many years and have had no ill effects from just changing that much especially if it is done every 30,000 miles. This is MY 2 cents worth. Good luck, Joe

Answer 2

1A Auto shows you how easy it is to check and replace the transmission filter on a 2001 Ford Taurus. This procedure should be the same for any Ford Taurus 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, and 07.