Transmission fluid flush / change ? '10 fusion se 4 cyl

[SuzukiDan7]

Hey all,

I'm looking for some info about how to flush the transmission fluid, and what type of fluid to put in and how much.

 

Car is a 2010 Fusion SE 4 cylinder automatic.

 

As far as methods, Ive heard of people only dropping the transmission pan, or syphoning fluid out of the dipstick and getting about 3 quarts. I'd prefer not to do this method as it seems like its not the best way to change the fluid as you leave a good 3-4 quarts of old fluid in the system.

 

I've done a flush on the old car, a 2001 Mazda 626 v6 auto. I tapped into the transmission fluid line, cut it apart and ran an extended hose into a bucket full of fresh fluid for the intake line, and ran the output line to an empty bucket. Started the car and let it idle till the fluid coming out the output line looked fresh and clean , shut it down and put the lines back together and topped the fluid off through the dipstick.

 

Can anyone tell me if this is a reasonable approach for the fusion? Is there a transmission filter, and if so where is it and where can I find a replacement?

How about fluid? What type and how many quarts? I read about 7 quarts but not sure if thats for the 4 or 6 cyl.

 

Thanks for any help in advance!

[SuzukiDan7]

Am I asking the wrong questions, or is it just that nobody knows the answers?

[turtlejj]

The owner's manual states Mercon LV ATF. There's no pan to drop but there's a small drain plug (adjacent to the label in the photo below). Once the fluid was hot, I drained 5 qts from mine, carefully measuring the amount to refill. This removes over half the used oil and doing so on a regular interval will maintain the fluid quality.

 

[FusionDiffusion]

I would just do the pan drain and refill as suggested. I believe the 6F35 has an internal filter that can't be replaced unless you crack open the transmission housing, so the fluid would be as much as you can practically do. Taking the lines off is a better method, but it really isn't worth it when you have a drain plug.

 

Also as mentioned, your owner's manual lists all the fluids and capacities for everything. Be sure you use MERCON LV fluid and not MERCON or MERCON V fluid. They're all different.

[drolds1]

Personally, I'd pay the dealer to a fluid flush using a proper flushing machine.

 

This is the factory-approved method of changing the fluid in the 6F35 without using a flushing machine:

 

NOTE: In order to completely clean the torque converter, this procedure needs to be carried out 3 times.

1. With the vehicle in NEUTRAL, position it on a hoist. For additional information, refer to Vehicle Jacking and Lifting.
   
2. NOTE: If an internal problem is suspected, drain the transmission fluid through a paper filter. A small amount of metal or friction particles may be found from normal wear. If an excessive amount of metal or friction material is present, the transaxle will need to be overhauled. Remove the transmission fluid drain plug and allow the transmission fluid to drain.
   

1. Install the transmission fluid drain plug.
   

• Tighten to 12 Nm (106 lb-in).
  

Fill the transaxle with clean transmission fluid.

1. Start the engine and let it run for 3 minutes. Move the range selector lever into each gear position. Repeat Steps 2, 3, 4 and 5 two more times. After the transmission fluid has been changed a total of 3 times, check the transmission fluid level for a final time, making sure that the transmission fluid is at the correct level. Fill the transaxle with clean transmission fluid.
   

If you still wish to use your method, the upper cooler line that enters the radiator is the pressure line and the lower one is the return. I'd be a little nervous about cutting these lines but if you do, be sure to use a tubing cutter, not a hacksaw, to avoid getting any metal particles in the lines. As FusionDiffusion states, there's an internal filter but it's only changed if disassembly is necessary.

[akirby]

I'm with Artie on this one - just have the dealer do it. You'll change 95% of the fluid without opening the case or the drain plug. You don't need to change the filter - if it gets clogged it's too late anyway.

[SuzukiDan7]

Thanks for the replies guys! Just the info I was looking for.When we bought the car (used) it actually was missing the manual otherwise I could have probably found some of this info in it.

Having a drain plug does make a simple drain & fill process pretty easy, I might just do that 3-4 times until the fluid looks nice and clean.

[akirby]

Thanks for the replies guys! Just the info I was looking for.When we bought the car (used) it actually was missing the manual otherwise I could have probably found some of this info in it.

Having a drain plug does make a simple drain & fill process pretty easy, I might just do that 3-4 times until the fluid looks nice and clean.

 

http://www.motorcraftservice.com -> Owner Guides

[Big Jim]

Although you could probably flush it yourself, as long as you can drain it that is probably what you are best off doing. Unless you wait too long and the fluids gets grungy, this works great. Even replenishing part of the fluid extends the life quite a bit. If you want to do it even more thoroughly, do the drain and refill, drive it around the block or perhaps a bit more, and repeat. That still doesn't get a 100% change though.

 

Save doing a flush for when you must due to really poor fluid condition.

 

And as others have stressed, us the right fluid.

[4 CRUZEN]

I hope this is the right place to ask this question.

 

I have a 2010 fusion, 3.0 V6 with about 30,000 miles on it. The transmission fluid is now a brown colour and the dealer is telling me I have to drain and have the tranny flushed? Is this an inherent problem with the 6 speed 6F35 transmissions in the fusions? I have never before had my transmission fluids turn brown or needed to be changed and have put over 180,000 miles on two of my pontiac?

 

 

Sorry I guess I should have read further for the answer. Seems though like this is a problem with the Fusion transmissions, I don't know another living soul ever had to have the transmission fluid flushed and replaced.

Edited November 2, 2012 by 4 CRUZEN

[akirby]

I don't know another living soul ever had to have the transmission fluid flushed and replaced.

 

Then you know a lot of very lucky people. Transmission fluid needs to be changed at some point - even synthetic. If you went over 80K miles in a Pontiac without a fluid change you were on borrowed time.

[FusionDiffusion]

Yes, you do have to change automatic transmission fluid at some point. I believe the standard interval is 150,000 miles though. The fluid will loose it's color and look brown in about 30,000 miles, but that doesn't mean it's bad. An easy way to test it is to put a drop on on a towel and see if it spreads out in about 30 seconds. A light brown color is okay, but gray or dark brown is not.

[akirby]

Yes, you do have to change automatic transmission fluid at some point. I believe the standard interval is 150,000 miles though. The fluid will loose it's color and look brown in about 30,000 miles, but that doesn't mean it's bad. An easy way to test it is to put a drop on on a towel and see if it spreads out in about 30 seconds. A light brown color is okay, but gray or dark brown is not.

 

Ford's recommended interval is 150K but isn't that synthetic fluid? I didn't think regular fluid could go that long.

[FusionDiffusion]

The factory fluid is a synthetic blend. The interval is for the standard MERCON LV fluid.

[Jo7hs2]

Ford's recommended interval is 150K but isn't that synthetic fluid? I didn't think regular fluid could go that long.

 

Must be, because their old interval with non-synthetic was like ~30k, if I recall correctly.

[4 CRUZEN]

Then you know a lot of very lucky people. Transmission fluid needs to be changed at some point - even synthetic. If you went over 80K miles in a Pontiac without a fluid change you were on borrowed time.

 

Beleive it or not I am still driving this car and I just check the fluid, this morning after reading this again and it is still pink. I will try the towel test with both cars also have a 2004 Mustang auto with 36,000 will check it after it comes out from winter storage.

 

Thanks for all the great info.

[FusionDiffusion]

Ah, so the stealership didn't actually show you the fluid when they said it was brown?

[fusionfamily]

You sure it's brown? That isn't a 'normal' color for Mercon LV. Starts out a nice bright red and will turn a purply/gray color fairly quick (within 10k) in the 6F35 specifically (Fusion and Escape owners usually notice this pretty quick). That is normal. As the fluid gets older it will get darker. I think the 'standard' interval is 100k miles, but where I live we're considered a special/severe duty maintenance area due to the weather - so our interval is 30k miles / 48k kilometers.

[aaronformella]

Thanks for all the info! Just wanted to share my experience so far with changing the transmission fluid in my 2012 Fusion SE 2.5L I4 with 6F35 automatic transmission. Here are some important takeaways listed at the top that might be helpful for novices like myself.

 

Several things to note:

- This vehicle takes about 5 qt of Mercon LV transmission fluid for a drain and refill procedure.

- The lowest line on the dipstick (closest to the word hot) is reached at 4 qt refilled. The highest line is reached at about 5.25 qt refilled (measured when fluid is hot).

- The fill level on the dipstick travels about 1/4 inch for each 1/2 quart added (so about 1/2 inch per 1 quart) (when fluid is hot).

- "Hot" in this case is when the dashboard thermometer is at half way

- Both underfilling and overfilling are harmful

- The damn dipstick is finicky and hard to get an accurate reading with. Take a few measurements each time to make sure.

- Follow the owner's manual procedure when measuring the fluid level with the dipstick. I tested this and if you don't, the fluid level will measure much higher (≈1/2 inch) than it does after performing the procedure of warming up the car, shifting through all the gears allowing them to engage for 10-15 seconds, putting it in park, and taking the measurement while the car is running.

- Measure on a level surface. Obviously, don't make the mistake of using measurements taken while the car is on ramps.

- If draining fluid while the car is on ramps, you will get about an extra 8 fl oz of fluid out if you drain on flat ground. If you started the procedure on ramps to have more working space, put the plug back in temporarily then finish draining on flat ground.

- The 106 inch lbs or 12 Nm of torque for tightening the drain plug was way too light of force. My torque wrench (set to the equivalent 8.85 ft⋅lb) indicated that torque was reached before all the threads had even seated in completely. I just tightened the bolt down by feel until it seated firmly, then went about 1/8 turn more tight (≈ forearm tight with a 6" ratchet) which, seemed to be about how tight it was when I initially untightened it.

- If you want to strain your fluid through a paper filter to look for metal debris, it will take a very long time; at least if using a paper coffee filter like I used. I drained the first quart through it and didn't see much so proceeded sans filter.

More detailed information below:

I recently bought the car used from a private seller with about 92k on it. My Fusion would occasionally have a delay in shifting into either 2nd or 3rd gear (6F35 automatic transmission). I took it to an auto tech friend for an inspection and he recommended a transmission fluid flush. The car now has 97k on it and the fluid is a light brown when spread out on a paper towel. The fluid appeared to be overfilled because it was showing way up into the "do not fill" section on the dipstick and it was very hard to get an accurate reading on the odd plastic design.

 

This is where it was initially measuring when hot

 

My dipstick is bent...I hope yours is too (somebody please tell me this is the way it's supposed to be)

I was guessing this could be the cause of the shifting issue and figure it is good preventative maintenance to replace the fluid, especially not knowing the car's history. The plan was to use the procedure posted earlier in this thread (also referenced below) to 'flush' the transmission, but after procuring 12 qt of new fluid, I realized that this will not be enough so I settled for a single fluid change for now until I get more fluid (≈20 quarts are needed for this procedure, I didn't know at the time that the car will take 5 qts during a fluid change).

 

An additional part of the plan was to measure the difference between the fluid level when hot vs cold, before draining, so I could figure out how much fluid to add later, since when adding fluid from the quart containers, it is at ambient ("cold") temperature and the fluid expands when heated. Several days before changing the fluid, I drained 1 qt to bring down the overfilled level with the plan of measuring the level again with the dipstick afterward to get an idea of what distance on the dipstick corresponds to what amount of fluid. I was surprised when I checked the level again and it was now well below the minimum fill line. I refilled with 1/2 qt and the line only went up a little way. I filled with another 1/4 qt and the fill level was just barely into the hashmarks. I don't know how to explain why the the dipstick level went down so far then didn't return to it's initial mark after most of the fluid was returned, but my best guess is that when the fluid level is near the maximum fill line at the end of the hashmarks, the surface tension of the fluid causes some capillary action and it is drawn up the letters of the 'do not add,' while some fluid leaks down from the wide section above and conjoins with the fluid below it when the dipstick is drawn out of the filler tube making it appear to be overfilled. Ughhh...Anyway, for some reason, I was not getting an accurate reading when I measured it initially several times before draining.

 

One of the frustrating things is that the owner's and service manual instructions tell you carry out the procedures when the fluid is hot and the dipstick tells you to measure the level when hot, but I'd rather not have to figure out a way to preheat the new fluid to 185-200°F before adding it to get an accurate reading. The best way would be to get a cold reading on the dipstick, then measure the fluid drained when cold, then refill with that same amount when cold, making any adjustment according to the initial reading. The problem that prevented this was that I couldn't get an accurate dipstick reading initially as described previously. So, I settled for adding in a full 4 qt then driving to warm the fluid, bringing the temperature up to where the dashboard thermometer was at the half-way point, then going through the pre-measuring rituals from the owner's manual, then adding in more fluid, and repeating the process. It was very time consuming but I was finally getting accurate readings while knowing the fluid was around, "normal operating temperature," (185-200°F).

 

I ended up placing in a full 5 qt with the dipstick measurement finally reaching about 3/4 the way up the hash marks (11 dots up the dipstick to be precise). The fill level on the dipstick travels about 1/4 inch for each 1/2 quart added (so about 1/2 inch per 1 quart). Below are some photos of the dipstick with marks corresponding to how many refilled quarts.

 

dipstick level when 4 qt refilled was at bottom of minimum fill line

 

dipstick level when 4.5 qt refilled was at 3 dots up the hashmarks

 

dipstick level when 5 qt refilled was at 11 dots up the hashmarks

 

 

 

Below are listed owner's and service manual procedures referenced above:

 

Here is the 'flushing' procedure mentioned previously

This is the factory-approved method of changing the fluid in the 6F35 without using a flushing machine:

NOTE: In order to completely clean the torque converter, this procedure needs to be carried out 3 times.

• With the vehicle in NEUTRAL, position it on a hoist. For additional information, refer to Vehicle Jacking and Lifting.
• NOTE: If an internal problem is suspected, drain the transmission fluid through a paper filter. A small amount of metal or friction particles may be found from normal wear. If an excessive amount of metal or friction material is present, the transaxle will need to be overhauled. Remove the transmission fluid drain plug and allow the transmission fluid to drain.

• Install the transmission fluid drain plug.

• Tighten to 12 Nm (106 lb-in).

Fill the transaxle with clean transmission fluid.

• Start the engine and let it run for 3 minutes. Move the range selector lever into each gear position. Repeat Steps 2, 3, 4 and 5 two more times. After the transmission fluid has been changed a total of 3 times, check the transmission fluid level for a final time, making sure that the transmission fluid is at the correct level. Fill the transaxle with clean transmission fluid.

 

 

 

Here is what the owner's manual has to say about this specific 6F35 transmission (note: it lists different information for the manual transmission and AWF21 automatic transmission):

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

Good observations! Mercon LV naturally turns that brownish color, so by itself, that is not a trouble indicator. Here's a video on this "issue"

[aaronformella]

This is a follow up with my previous post about transmission fluid fill levels

 

I recently drove from Atascadero, CA to Bakersfield, CA, which is 120 miles, taking about 2 hours on mostly level terrain. I'm assuming this heated the transmission fluid to what could be considered a temperature achieved during prolonged driving conditions. I checked the fluid immediately after I arrived and the level was right at the bottom of the max fill line next to the "do not add" indication, which is great. So it seems that refilling with 5 quarts is safe to do as it will put your fluid level at the max fill line during prolonged driving and won't result in overfilling (which can damage the transmission) during prolonged driving. However, if I were frequently driving for long distances in mountainous terrain, I might add just a bit less (like 4.8 - 4.9 quarts) to keep the fluid from expanding past the max fill line in case it gets much hotter during such conditions. The user manual sort of addresses this when it mentions that you should have some fluid drained prior to using the car for towing, which would generate higher temps.

 

As user "WWWPerA_ZN0W" posted immediatley above, apparently the brown color isn't necessarily an indicator that fluid needs replacement (it would actually depend on its 'degree of brownness'), but in my case, I didn't know if the fluid had ever been changed since I bought the car secondhand. The user manual indicates to change the automatic transmission fluid at 150,000 miles. However, I recently found out the hard way that as transmission fluid increases in mileage, it can cause 'varnishing' on the internal parts and reach a 'point of no return,' where, you're damned if you do or damned if you don't change the fluid. My understanding is that if you wait too long to change the fluid, the fluid performance decreases and transmission parts start to wear out more than they should, but the aged/high mileage fluid will 'fill in' worn areas in the transmission with a 'varnish' effect, keeping it working for a while, and that when new fluid is added, these areas are cleaned by the new fluid, resulting in the transmission no longer working properly when the fluid is changed. However, even if the old fluid is left in, eventually the transmission would fail that way too. I recently paid over $3k to have a CVT transmission replaced in a Nissan Cube when the fluid change interval was exceeded (by 60K btw). The transmission guy I talked to explained that it would probably be best to just leave the old fluid in, not change it, and just run it "into the ground." I got a second opinion from an auto tech that said changing the fluid, not flushing it, would probably be good to do. So, I decided to change the fluid (drain & refill). I should have listened to the transmission expert. The transmission problem immediately became worse and within a week the vehicle was inoperable and we had to replace the transmission. I'll admit this was a different situation however, with the 2009 Nissan Cube having a CVT transmission and the fluid change interval indicated as every 60,000 miles and it was only 'changed' at 30,000 miles when the transmission was initially replaced under warranty. The service was neglected thereafter until problems started to arise at 149,000 miles and then it was replaced again (unfortunately not under warranty). So now, I guess I would be a bit paranoid about waiting until 150,000 miles to replace the trans fluid in any vehicle and would much rather pay the ~$50 or less for new fluid and just do a drain and refill myself at half the recommended interval. In conclusion, keeping the transmission fluid fresh will do no harm, will help prevent future problems from aging/worn fluid, isn't expensive to do if you're doing it yourself, and even if you're paying someone else a couple hundred dollars to do it more frequently than recommended, it's much cheaper than fixing preventable problems.

 

Here is a video that more thoroughly explains the 'varnishing' of a transmission

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

Sensors and solenoids in modern transmissions abound. They get gunked up and compromised too if the fluid's detergency is allowed to fade. So even if the ole mechanical parts don't fail (clutch packs, gears, etc), the sensors and solenoids surely can. To paraphrase Heart, "one way or another, they're gonna getcha" LOL.

[Bcuz.fusion]

Does anyone reccomend a way to remove the cooler lines from the trans return lines? Besides using the disconnect tools? 

[sirtanon]

1 hour ago, Bcuz.fusion said:

Does anyone reccomend a way to remove the cooler lines from the trans return lines? Besides using the disconnect tools? 

Totally unnecessary, and could potentially introduce a new point of failure.  Just do a standard drain-and-fill using the drain plug in the transmission every 30,000 miles and don't overthink it.

[crazy4u]

This will be greatly helpful. I am planning to change the transmission fluid by myself.

I bought 12 qt Mercon LV from RockAuto. Hopefully I can do this alone.