E450 1st Transmission Oil Change?

ron.dittmer wrote:
Yep, I had planned to just keep my computer hard drive magnets in place because they are so extremely strong that they'll never come off until you pry them off. When playing with a pair of them, they will pinch and draw blood so you have to respect them. Of coarse they won't capture aluminum, but whatever they capture can only help.

I should have mentioned I have 3 of my own magnets placed about.

1) bottom of engine oil pan near the drain plug.
2) bottom most portion of the transmission pan
3) bottom of engine oil filter

For you who don't know what a hard drive magnet is, they vary in size, shape, and strength. I have found the best in the oldest desk top computer hard drives, like windows 98 for example.


They are at the bottom of this picture.

I wished I had know this before I through my old computer away.

Had the oil changed in my V-10 today at a NAPA garage.

shum02, the Service Manager there confirmed your "no synthetic" fluid in the tranny statement. He also said he no longer flushes brakes or coolant. Looks like I've reached the point where I know a lot about RV maintenance - and most of it is no longer correct!

Had my tranny fluid changed today at the Ford Truck Service Dept., 31100 miles. Agree that RV service is "severe service" as the chassis is virtually always carrying a heavy load (coach) loaded or not. Total charge for tranny service was $132.00.

I changed my 08 E450 used ford filter and fluid.If you need a good magnet, the ones out of a microwave work well.Transmission has a drain plug that helps a lot.

Yep, I had planned to just keep my computer hard drive magnets in place because they are so extremely strong that they'll never come off until you pry them off. When playing with a pair of them, they will pinch and draw blood so you have to respect them. Of coarse they won't capture aluminum, but whatever they capture can only help.

I should have mentioned I have 3 of my own magnets placed about.

1) bottom of engine oil pan near the drain plug.
2) bottom most portion of the transmission pan
3) bottom of engine oil filter

For you who don't know what a hard drive magnet is, they vary in size, shape, and strength. I have found the best in the oldest desk top computer hard drives, like windows 98 for example.


They are at the bottom of this picture.

ron.dittmer wrote: "I have a hard drive magnet on the bottom of my motor oil and trans pans but see a magnet is already there". I recently talked to a Ford transmission Eng and he said one of the best things you could do was to add another magnet inside at the bottom sump of the pan. Also said that allowing the trans to constantly go in and out of high gear also produces a lot of wear. Keep it in one gear when hill climbing. I have a Chevy trans and have changed the fluid 3 times(every 30k miles). The first time I had a lot of metal stuck to the magnet inside. The second time less. The third time was about the same as the second. I thought it would lessen each time but I guess wear is still happening after the initial break in and fluid change.

ron.dittmer wrote:

I have a hard drive magnet on the bottom of my motor oil and trans pans but see a magnet is already there.

I pulled WAY less metal off mine than in the video. I suspect that if you take even decent care of that transmission it will very likely last the life of the truck without any service work.

I've had in the old days a few cars with the TH400 and C6 tran's and don't think in the life of the cars I ever changed the fluids :E Dragged them all off to the wreckers under their own power :)

shum02 wrote:
Ford Torqueshift 5 speed.

Will take about 8 qts of Ford LV tranny fluid and a change out of the internal and external filters.

This is a great vid.

Torqueshift fluid and filter change

Takes me a couple hours labor.

Our 2007 E350 with Torqshift transmission has that toilet paper roll external filter in the bell housing. It seems it was installed on E-series only for a few years. I thought it replaced the internal filter, but the video above demonstrates there is still a filter inside the trans pan.

I have a hard drive magnet on the bottom of my trans pan but see Ford placed a magnet already in the area there.

Always learning something.

Thanks for sharing that video.

fortytwo wrote:
At that time I'll put synthetic in. Synthetic in the tranny is the only thing I ever did that improved mileage - not much, but measurable.

Use the Motorcraft tranny fluid. The Ford fluid is SPECIAL, use it. Use of other fluids can and has caused issue with the transmission, just check the Ford truck forums. The Motorcraft fluid is no more expensive than other name brand fluid, use it. Regarding the filters that is also a no brainer, use the Ford Motorcraft filters.

I have 300000kms/180000 miles on mine, still shifts like the day I got the truck.

Check the manual. Over the years, the service specifications change, particularly as improved lubricants come into use.

My 2003 chassis it was at 30,000 miles (the severe duty interval. When I went in, the fluid was looking pretty burnt. The dealer handled it as a flush (but also changing the filters) and replaced the fluid with a new Mercon specification. Ford no longer licenses manufacturer of the Mercon spec that was OEM in 2003.

I found the same thing with my 2001 manual transmission truck. I did a change at about 40,000 miles after a check on condition of the fluid. OEM was a Mercon no longer licensed, the replacement was a synthetic gear oil. Shifts got a whole lot smoother, the new fluid was like magic to the synchronizers.