Did a Tranny Filter Kit

[Commodore Woods]

I just replaced my tranny filter and seal because it was all leaking, Take a look at the picture, that was sitting in the bottom of the pan, Everything's cool right? This just means my Tranny pan's never been taken off in 33 years right? Also why didn't Ford put drain plugs in the tranny pan? seems to me it'd be a lot less mess if they had.

[willowbilly3]

Yep, I'd say it's never been serviced. That thingy was used to keep the filler hole plugged until the tranny was installed and then they just poked the filler tube in and let the plug fall into the pan.

[FORDification]

So THAT'S what they look like! Interesting. I knew some people had run into them before while servicing their transmissions, but I'd never actually seen one. Thanks for posting that.

[Commodore Woods]

I feel special I just had my first virgin transmission

[shrektruck]

Is that what that is? See what I mean about the answer to all lifes questions!!!
I pulled one of those out of an AOD about 10 years ago (only it was shorter) and asked the local tranny shop what it was: they said the tranny obviously needed a check and rebuild which they happened to be running a special on.
The dealer-"Must be a modulator part or something, bring it in we'll check it out."
Right, I was born at night but it wasn't LAST NIGHT!
Another mystery solved.
Thanks FORDIFICATION!

[flyboy2610]

Ford doesn't put drain pans in the tranny because they know that most people would just drain the fluid and never change the filter. They figure that while you have the pan off anyway you will change the filter.
At least that's what I was told.

[Commodore Woods]

Makes sense somewhat, still pretty inconvienient and messy, with all that Tranny fluid that winds up on the ground you think somebody would have whined about the enviro. impacts (of course there's more enviro impacts with our trucks than just oil ) How easy does anybody think it would be to tap a drain plug into the pan?

[FORDification]

You can buy drain plug kits almost anywhere...just have to drill one hole. This is a highly-recommended mod.

[68F250]

What blows me away is the fact that there are still virgin trannys running around, that's Ford tough!

[surubet]

Well I just found one of these plugs in the pan and since it was still in there ... guess that means the fluid always just got added too and never replaced. Anyhow, I am impressed that my brain still recalled reading a thread about these plugs ... I might have spent weeks trying to figure where it was suppose to go.

My torque converter also has a drain plug. Now that could be handy. Much nicer that pumping the fluid out through the cooler lines. While I have things torn apart I figure to add a drain to the trans pan too for the future.

I am a little disappointed in my new filter though. I bought it from NAPA and it is of much poorer quality than the one I just removed ... which by the way did not have a gasket (new one came with a gasket) ... and the filter was made in Vietnam.

Now for a trick question ... the modulator has two vacuum hoses ... is one a vent? It isn't hooked up to anything and is located below the center one.

Later,
Steve

[xxxtina63]

Congrats on your virgin tranny! You've now earned your "red wings"

[towens]

Everything on mine is original except for the engine. Even than, the block was bored out to become a 390 by the previous owner. So I think that I have a virgin tranny as well.

[Big D's 69]

That thing scared me to death when I cahnged my ex Girlfriends fluid and screen in her 96 Mustang Gt. I had never seen one and didn't know what it was. I asked my Dad and he said don't worry about it it was a plug. I thought something had fell out and I didn't know where it went. I bet your truck shifts a lot better now.