E450 trans oil change?

On some years (I don't know exactly when they stopped doing it) you could drain the torque converter simply by removing the drain plug from the torque converter assembly, after lining it up with an access hole on the transmission case.

The best way to change fluid is from the output line from the radiator transmission cooler. Put a hose on it going into your pan and have your helper start the engine and when you see bubbles coming out of the hose, have them turn off the engine. At that point drop the pan and change the filter, there will be minimum fluid left in the pan at that point, minimizing the bath you would otherwise suffer. Clean the pan and put it back together, refill the transmission, and have the helper start the engine again. Repeat the "run until bubbles and refill" until the fluid starts coming through with the new, fresh red fluid color. During one of those cycles, have your helper hold down on the brake and move the shifter through it's different positions to make sure the valve body gets flushed with new fluid. Then, reconnect the cooler line and fill to the dipstick mark. This is the only way you will get a total fluid change including the torque converter. You will also avoid the mess of dropping a pan full of fluid if there is no plug to drain it. For many years Ford trucks had a short piece of hose to remove on that cooler output line for this exact reason.

Theoldwizard1,
The pan does have a drain plug so draining is easy. As for the filter, there is an inline filter between the transmission and the coolers that must be changed when changing the fluid. I was not talking about the filter in the pan. I know that it does not need to be changed.

I have changed the transmission fluid three times in our Class C on the 2003 E450 chassis using this procedure. Easy job in the driveway. Currently at 112,000 miles with no transmission issues.

TakingThe5th wrote:
My '05 F350 6.0 also calls for a 30,000 trans oil change interval.

That seems kind of short, but a Class C IS pretty heavy !

I am not familiar with that transmission, but it it did nor have a drain plug from the factory, I would certainly install a magnetic drain plug the first time the job was done. Don't worry about changing the filter. They really are good for life of the transmission. Even though you are not completely draining all of the fluid, I would not worry about that either.

The recommended Motorcraft ATF is either 100% synthetic or at least semi-synthetic.

TXiceman wrote:
When we had a Class C, at 10,000 miles, I changed the transmission to Mobile 1 synthetic oil and added an auxiliary external transmission oil cooler.

I am shocked there was no auxiliary external transmission oil cooler from the factory !

I would like to see some pics of your installation,

RAS43 wrote:
The manual for my '06 F350 states to change the transmission oil at 30000 miles, along with the inline filter. I change it sooner 'cause the truck is used for towing mostly and west of me is the rocky mountains.

My '05 F350 6.0 also calls for a 30,000 trans oil change interval.

The manual for my '06 F350 states to change the transmission oil at 30000 miles, along with the inline filter. I change it sooner 'cause the truck is used for towing mostly and west of me is the rocky mountains.

RoyF wrote:
Is it gas or diesel? On my 2008 F350 6.0L diesel (same engine as 2006), oil changes intervals are 7,500 miles for normal usage, or 5,000 miles for heavy usage.

If the vehicle is used primarily for towing (as mine is), then the 5,000-mile interval is recommended.

He has an E450, probably a class C motorhome and with a V-10 engine. He is asking for the transmission oil change interval, not an engine.

When we had a Class C, at 10,000 miles, I changed the transmission to Mobile 1 synthetic oil and added an auxiliary external transmission oil cooler.

Since oil change are cheaper than rebuilding transmissions, I went with a 50,000 mile filter and oil change interval.

Ken

Is it gas or diesel? On my 2008 F350 6.0L diesel (same engine as 2006), oil changes intervals are 7,500 miles for normal usage, or 5,000 miles for heavy usage.

If the vehicle is used primarily for towing (as mine is), then the 5,000-mile interval is recommended.