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Yeah, so I decided to change my transmission fluid and filter today by dropping the pan. It's the first time i'd ever done it and i believe it had never been done on my car. I bought it used last summer and it had 48,000 on it then, now has 69,000. The work went smooth until i'm on my 8th bolt on the pan. I go to loosen it and the socket jumps off the bolt. I try again and it rounds the edges off this time. I think "oh crap, this is bad." I tried for 45 min to get that thing off using vice grips and a 7mm socket, but it never came off. Well, I decide that since I can't get it out, I'll have to put the other bolts back in until I can get it out. While I'm tightening up the other bolts, the socket jumps again. I look at the socket and there is a crack running 2/3 of the length of it. Wow, never seen that happen before. That's why it rounded off my bolt. So, with the use of a dremel and a new 8mm socket i got the stubborn bolt out along with the rest. I drain the pan, clean off the magnet (which was totally covered in metallic shavings, hope that's not too bad), and remove the filter. Of course, when i remove the filter the seal does not come with it so i have to get creative with a screwdriver to pry the metal ring out. After the new filter is in and the pan is back on (btw, i love ford for giving us that reusable gasket), I put 6 qt. in and start the car up. No leaks. I back the car out and shift into drive. The car starts to move then stutters. I stop, try reverse again, and then drive. It goes, but is a little shakey. When I got back home I checked the dipstick again and it's dry. In the end it took a total of 9 qt. to get the fluid to show up on the dipstick in the middle of the crosshatch area. I'm def glad this doesn't have to be done nearly as often as an oil change, but at least I know what i'm getting into now. Anyone else had as much trouble doing this job in the past?
P.S. After the fluid change my car shifts under moderate acceleration much smoother and downshifts are much better.
P.S. After the fluid change my car shifts under moderate acceleration much smoother and downshifts are much better.