jmckinley Posted August 4, 2016 Report Share Posted August 4, 2016 Has anyone changed their trans fluid DIY? After hearing about failures, and since I tow my CMax four wheels down, I'm thinking at 45K miles I should go on and do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptjones Posted August 4, 2016 Report Share Posted August 4, 2016 The OM says 150K and problems were caused by bad bearing. :sad: Replaced my Trans at 98k mi. What year is yours? Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmckinley Posted August 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2016 Mine is early model year 2013. I took delivery in December, 2012. Did Ford replace yours under warranty? Seems that some guys are getting stiffed on replacement because dealer/Ford says they were improperly flat towed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptjones Posted August 5, 2016 Report Share Posted August 5, 2016 Mine was replaced under the original FORD 100k mi./8yr Hybrid warranty and I didn't tow, but I did have Grill Covers. :) I have 38k mi. on new Trans. and getting Great MPG's. :) Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmckinley Posted August 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 Good to know that Lord Motor Co. did the right thing for you. I'm running grille covers too but would probably remove if I have to take it in. So far tranny is doing fine. No funny noises, probably towed 20 K miles by now. Speaking of mpg, mine never got much over 40 until early this year when suddenly it started to get in the high 40s. Don't know why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptjones Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 Interesting, must be all that towing. LOL :) I'm also averaging about 4 mpg more too, little more city driving. :) Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obob Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 (edited) I wonder if Ford has started to go into full phase damage control with the 2013 transmissions, looking for excuses to not replace the trans. Though I suspect that case of towing cancelling out the warranty could be changed. Things often so depend on which person you get to handle a situation. I am thinking some significant percent of the people first denied would just give up, and that could be Ford's thinking. It might be worthwhile to Ford to have a transmission team which could swap out a trans in 1/3 the time or less of a person that has done like 0 or 1 of them, even if they are consultants rather than Ford employees. And this is not just a Ford thing. I had a friend with a Saturn engine that went bad at 70K like a bunch of other engines, but it was not under warranty because of over so may years. I had a similar thing with my Toyota Sienna transmission that had a design problem and was not fixed because of time. But really expensive problems are worth looking for ways to not give fairness. And it may be that towing does speed up the trans problem. Though there is no disclaimer about towing invalidating warranty as far as I know. I personally have no plans to change my trans oil. Edited August 6, 2016 by obob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightydog Posted August 7, 2016 Report Share Posted August 7, 2016 I have not good info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmax-nynj Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 Where is the fill plug for the transmission and can fluid be filled with conventional tool? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptjones Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 Here is a video showing how to do it. Paul obob and joshg678 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmax-nynj Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 (edited) Thank you. The reason I'm asking is that I noticed fluid weep (red) along the bottom of the transmission halves. I assume the loss is minimal since nothing seems to drip onto the ICE bottom cover. Since there is no way to check fluid in this car(which is kind of stupid); I'd like to top off the oil every 10K or 15K miles. Edited June 20, 2018 by cmax-nynj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plus 3 golfer Posted June 21, 2018 Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 Thank you. The reason I'm asking is that I noticed fluid weep (red) along the bottom of the transmission halves. I assume the loss is minimal since nothing seems to drip onto the ICE bottom cover. Since there is no way to check fluid in this car(which is kind of stupid); I'd like to top off the oil every 10K or 15K miles.The way one checks fluid level requires a little "work". You need to add fluid until it drains out the check plug. There are 3 plugs: one on top that can be used to fill, one in the "middle" which also can be used to fill but is the check plug, and a drain plug at the bottom. You fill until fluid comes out the check plug. You can buy a tool that screws into the check plug and attach a pump to it to add fluid. I believe the tool link is the correct one or you can fill from the top via a hose and funnel until fluid comes out the check plug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmax-nynj Posted June 21, 2018 Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 Thanks for the info. Which plug did you use for re-fill? Top or middle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plus 3 golfer Posted June 21, 2018 Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 Here is a video showing how to do it. PaulOne should do the procedure in the video at least two times with 10 miles on ICE driving between the procedures so that one can also get most of the old fluid left in the cooler after the first change out after the second change. If you get a fluid change at the dealer, the dealer should hook up lines to the cooler to flush the old fluid out in addition to draining the transmission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plus 3 golfer Posted June 21, 2018 Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 (edited) Thanks for the info. Which plug did you use for re-fill? Top or middle? I have not changed it yet in my C-Max but have done similar on my VW using the top to fill. I didn't want to spend money for a VW adapter and fluid pump for one time use. Edited June 21, 2018 by Plus 3 Golfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmax-nynj Posted June 21, 2018 Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 I wonder if I can open the middle plug and fill from the top plug. When fluid begins coming out from the middle plug I assume it's at the optimal level, correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plus 3 golfer Posted June 21, 2018 Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 I believe the guy in the video used the middle plug (which is the Ford standard procedure). I posted an image of the top plug before but deleted it (reached image limit) and can't find it anywhere yet. But to get to it you would have to remove the engine cover and duct work (probably not worth it) and I don't know how easy it would be to remove it. I would use my FloTool funnel (which I purchased at Walmart for my VW probably 8 years ago) with a vinyl extension hose and use the middle plug. I suspended the funnel above the engine via the handle and a hook attached to the open hood. With the other end of the vinyl hose inserted into the middle hole, you can open up the FloTool funnel flow valve and add fluid slowly. When the fluid begins to overflow, you can quickly shut off the flow valve. ptjones 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmax-nynj Posted June 21, 2018 Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 Thanks for the info. Assuming I'm filling the fluid on a flat surface from the middle plug there is no way to overfill the transmission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxHeadroom Posted June 27, 2018 Report Share Posted June 27, 2018 About this HF35 transmission: Anybody know if there is a magnet in there somewhere to grab the loose iron particles from the new gears and long-term wear? ( In differentials, the drain plug is often magnetic.) Drain plug magnetic here? Anybody know if there is a fluid filter somewhere inside (likely not serviceable, but I guess it could catch the big chunks). Odd story, this person's C-Max HF35 transmission somehow survived with very little fluid: http://theotherpta.com/a-strange-lesson-about-the-durability-of-the-ford-cmax-transmission/ "The CMax had been driven just over 1,000 miles during extreme heat with a transmission that had next to no fluid in it. " Its worth noting again here that our C-Max has a temperature sensor in the tranny to warn us of problems. Low fluid, then you get high temperature, its as simple as that. That should make us worry less. Still, it would be nice to get the iron dust out by changing fluid, for lower wear. I've got 65,000 miles & have never checked the level! My bad. I should at least look for leaks along the bolts and seams. Ford says we should check the transmission level once a year or 10k miles, whichever comes first. And, who knows where we can get really geeky-cryptic, but cool, shirts to puzzle everybody about? HF35 shirt: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxHeadroom Posted June 27, 2018 Report Share Posted June 27, 2018 Anybody know where the HF35 fluid goes in? I guess we could use the Leveling Plug, yet I think I can see and get to a bolt on the lower side top of the transmission, IF that is the fill hole: obob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptjones Posted June 27, 2018 Report Share Posted June 27, 2018 I can't see any reason to check level unless it's leaking fluid, that is the only way it could go down. I have 102k mi. on new trans and it's working great. I do monitor trans fluid temp with ScanGaugeII. :) Change it at 150k mi. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxHeadroom Posted June 27, 2018 Report Share Posted June 27, 2018 ptjones, Yes, maybe no need to worry about checking the level annually as Ford wants. Mercon LV is red, making it kinda easy to spot seeping out from the seals I'd assume. What's the hottest temperature you've ever seen on the the ScanGauge? I've got an app on my phone and with a bluetooth OBDII port adaptor, etc., to take a look at temperatures. I could hit it hard going up some mountains in some warm ambient temperatures and see what temperatures I see. I want to establish a baseline maximum acceptable temperature, of course below where the sensor warning happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptjones Posted June 28, 2018 Report Share Posted June 28, 2018 I think 194*F is the highest with Grill Cover on, If you don't have Grill Covers I can't see where TFT would get above maybe 170-180*F without them. If It did I would start wondering if there was a problem. :) Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plus 3 golfer Posted June 30, 2018 Report Share Posted June 30, 2018 (edited) Agree with Paul on TFT based on my observations. 176F is the highest I recall seeing with no grille covers. In normal driving, TFT is around 30F lower than ECT. TFT increases during regeneration due to heat losses from the traction motor and no TF circulation to the cooler because ICE is not spinning. Edited June 30, 2018 by Plus 3 Golfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptjones Posted June 30, 2018 Report Share Posted June 30, 2018 I also noticed this and I think if the trans pump ran all the time the TFT would be lower. My temps are higher partially caused from having higher EV % which means the Trans Pump is running less of the time. :) Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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