I need to flush the trans on the new tow pig excursion to flush the system drop the pan etc takes about 18qts with 2qts extra. Needs to be mercon V would prefer higher end stuff since this vehicle is meant for towing most of its drive time now.
Walmart?
Some place online?
Where do you guys source your fluids in large quantities?
Anyone run Redline or Amsoil vs cheaper stuff and have an opinion?
Valvoline Maxlife full synth. Run it in all my vehicles as it's pretty much compatible with everything. Never had a problem.
Buy it at Walmart or similar in the 5 quart jug for cheap.
I was looking at that stuff it seemed like Walmart was the best place for it. Just wondered if it was worth the huge premium to run the redline/amsoil
No idea if the additional expense of redline is justified. I do run thebMaxlife in my Armada that does tow duty for my camper all summer long.
In my opinion, keeping the trans at normal temps as well as keeping clean decent quality fluid regularly drained and filled is the key, not so much high dollar fluid supposedly made to handle extremes you shouldn't be seeing in the first place.
Suggestion that you didn't ask for....
Don't flush. As someone who ran transmission shops for 7 years, I strongly recommend against it. If anything, you could do a pan drop with filter, then do that again in about 10k miles. I can't tell you how many times I rebuilt a customer's transmission because they had flushed it at higher mileage. The clutches show up as completely missing any friction material or big chunks of material missing from sections of the clutches.
A full flush is usually OK on a very low mileage transmission, but at low mileage it isn't needed. On higher mileage transmissions it rapidly accelerates clutch wear. Clutches are basically paper. They get hot and get micro fissures in them. Those fissures fill with carbon and burned material. This is a good thing. A full flush allows that stuff to get dissolved out and clutch material will suffer. Its like taking the mortar out from between bricks.
Shutting up now.
Curtis said:Suggestion that you didn't ask for....
Don't flush. As someone who ran transmission shops for 7 years, I strongly recommend against it. If anything, you could do a pan drop with filter, then do that again in about 10k miles. I can't tell you how many times I rebuilt a customer's transmission because they had flushed it at higher mileage. The clutches show up as completely missing any friction material or big chunks of material missing from sections of the clutches.
A full flush is usually OK on a very low mileage transmission, but at low mileage it isn't needed. On higher mileage transmissions it rapidly accelerates clutch wear. Clutches are basically paper. They get hot and get micro fissures in them. Those fissures fill with carbon and burned material. This is a good thing. A full flush allows that stuff to get dissolved out and clutch material will suffer. Its like taking the mortar out from between bricks.
Shutting up now.
I appreciate the input Curtis, I am using this thread as a guide
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1222821-4r100-automatic-transmission-flush-pics-and-video.html#post12824085
The original guide poster Mark K
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1222821-4r100-automatic-transmission-flush-pics-and-video.html#post12824085
Is a retired Ford Automatic Transmission engineer (1988-2003) so his word on these trans seems to be taken as the gospel on the ford truck forums.To be clear by flush I am talking about putting all new fluid in not one of those hot flush machines
In reply to Jaynen :
Gotcha. I disagree with him, but he has more experience with 4R100s. I'd trust a Ford engineer over my random experiences too 
Anything that back flushes, etc. is bad, but a flush in the sense of the machines that just do a full fluid exchange (take fluid from cooler line, feed in new fluid going back) shouldn't hurt anything. Generally, if fresh fluid kills a trans, it was pretty close to death already.
In this case we are just talking about using the return line from the cooler to evacuate fluid and add more until you cycle it.
Check with a local oil wholesaler, they should have good quality fluids in 5-gallon quantities. If it's cash and carry they may cut you a good deal. If not that something like O'Reilly's or Advanced Zone
Does Costco carry it?
Doesn't look like it. I think Walmart at 17 bucks a gallon will be the cheapest and buy 5 of em
Jaynen said:In this case we are just talking about using the return line from the cooler to evacuate fluid and add more until you cycle it.
Absolutely. Just take the line from the trans cooler to the trans and drop it in a bucket. For the new fluid intake, I either create a reservoir in another scrupulously clean 5-gallon bucket or set up a funnel and a hose on a smaller trans for when I have a helper to cycle the trans while I pour. When the output color matches the input, you're done. Then add or subtract fluid to get the level correct on the dipstick. No "hot flush." No pressure. It's just like having a three gallon trans pan. I've done this when I've had no choice because the car in question had fluid so wretched, it would no longer shift correctly. New fluid replacement cured it completely. There's probably a YouTube video outlining the procedure for the car of your choice so you can figure out a reservoir /feed line setup.
You should be able to find a commercial/industrial lube supply that sells in 20L pails. I think our local TSC does as well.
I'd also recommend Maxlife. I've never been a believer in a 'fits all' fluid but I've run it in multiple vehicles including Fords, a Mitsu and now a VW. I used it to service a 4R70W in a Mustang I had w/ over 100k on it's original fill as well as my Ranger that had over 180k w/ unknown service history. No issues
Not sure if the Excursion has a drain plug on the TC, but if you can drain that and do a pan drop, change the filter and re-fill, it's the safest bet. Otherwise to drain you can 'flush' via your trans cooler lines if they're intact(not rotted/rusted out). I installed a replacement Dorman trans oil pan w/ a drain plug on my Ranger so I could do multiple drain/fills since my ATF lines were rotted at the fittings and I really wanted to change out all the fluid. You may want to see if they offer a pan for your truck, makes servicing the trans so much more convenient.
Pan has a drain plug and a filter in it that does not really need changing, some models have a drain on the torque converter as well
It’s already a semi pos trans. I’d firm up the shifts with 4 gals of tractor fluid.
I buy that stuff in bulk from commercial truck suppliers. They're used to selling it in 5 gallon jugs.
Ranger50 said:It’s already a semi pos trans. I’d firm up the shifts with 4 gals of tractor fluid.
I just don't want to damage anything mercon V non mercon blah blah?
So just an update on this, I removed the return line from the trans cooler to the trans, put a clamp on it and a length of hose into my 5gallon bucket with measuring points. I'd run the vehicle in park until it started to show air in the line then add whatever I pumped out. I did this until I pumped through about 5-6 gallons and what was coming out was clean.
Seems to definitely have helped towed to Charlotte last weekend with the 20ft enclosed and never saw trans temps over 172 with the new cooler and new fluid
Are you doing the FULL J-Mod to this trans?
It worked great for me on my 96 f150. At that time I was able to buy Royal Purple in 5 gal jug from Jeg's at the lowest cost. Sold the truck in 2010 and still see it around every now and then a few towns over. Last time i spoke to the owner it was still going good.
Not sure what the J-mod is?
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