100k maintenance

[captainhero]

Hi

Truck is getting to the 100k mark, (bought it slightly above 90k) and i have no idea what maintenance was done before. My maintenance book is in MINT condition haha.
What do you recommend doing at this stage ? Here's what i'm planning, is it overkill or am i missing something ?

- oil & filter
- air filter
- spark plugs
- front and rear diff oil change
- tcase oil change
- fuel filter (although i'm dreading this as at some point in its life the truck was ziebart'd with no care given for electrical connectors or various fittings. The double whammy, good ol' rust accelerator and major PITA

Things i'm not doing :
Service manual says transmission is lifetime so i don't think i'll touch that.
I had a seized caliper earlier and rotten brake lines so I already did a brake fluid change

Appreciate your input.

Thanks

 

[Dirtman]

The transmission fluid and filter is not good for life, at all. It should be done every 60k... so change the fluid and filter.

Also flush the coolant. Pcv valve should be changed as well. A quickie power steering fluid change wouldn't hurt either. (Just suck out what's in the resivior and refill).

 

[adsm08]

I agree, the trans fluid is not "lifetime". They claim it is by saying the "lifetime" of the trans is a little more than the warranty period, and the fluid will make it that long.

I'd say 60K is the MAX for light usage, towing at all shortens it to 30K.

 

[captainhero]

I'm not used to these auto transmissions and i feel like it shifts a bit rough sometimes - I've only ever had manual or super-fancy 5 clutch 18-speed autos (making this up obviously but you get the point) so i can't really compare. I've read that changing fluid could actually damage it or make things worse (with clutch material mixed with the fluid). Thoughts ?

 

[Dirtman]

Changing the trans fluid cannot in any way harm the transmission. The reason that myth exists is because of people changing the fluid AFTER the transmission is already damaged in an attempt to fix it instead of changing the fluid as routine maintenance. Transmission fluid degrades and needs to be canged regularly.

 

[adsm08]

Changing the trans fluid cannot in any way harm the transmission. The reason that myth exists is because of people changing the fluid AFTER the transmission is already damaged in an attempt to fix it instead of changing the fluid as routine maintenance. Transmission fluid degrades and needs to be canged regularly.

Right. However changing the fluid for the first time on a high-mile transmission can be a crap shoot. It does have the potential for cleaning out deposits that are holding things together.

The flip side of that coin is that when this happens the transmission was already in trouble and on borrowed time, the new fluid cleaning things out just brought an already existing but hidden issue to the surface. I usually tell people that if you change the fluid and it breaks right away you would have been lucky to get another 5 or 10K out of it.

 

[Dirtman]

My point is, in those situations the transmission is already damaged and living on borrowed time. You should be shopping for a new trans not hoping the old fluid will hold it together for another 100k...

 

[19Walt93]

Ford had atransmission fluid change on the maintenance list for my 2011 Ranger at 150,000 miles, I'd changed it twice by the time I sold it at 42,000 miles. I added a drain plug to the pan so I didn't have to drop it to change the fluid. Transmission fluid has a friction modifier component that breaks down over time. If the filter needs to be changed the transmission probably needs an overhaul. If your truck is 10 years old I'd also replace all the brake hoses and really inspect the lines if you're in salt country.

 

[sgtsandman]

I agree with the original list plus the items added. When you buy used, never, ever assume all the proper maintenance was done unless the previous owner gives you a receipt to prove it. Even then, don’t take for granted it was done correctly.

For added food for thought, fordtechmakuloco just did a youtube video on the subject of fluid changes based on what he has seen as a Ford Technician.

I would recommend 30k fluid changes on a transmission but I live in an area with a lot of hills and I use my truck to haul stuff. If you live in a flatter area, a longer interval might be acceptable.

Don’t believe any BS about any fluid being able to last the life time of the vehicle. First of all, lifetime of what? Until it fails or based on when it goes to the junkyard because it can’t be repaired anymore or it is cost prohibitive to do so in say, 20 or 30 years down the road?

My bet is the first, until component failure. Technically, they would be correct. It did last the the lifetime of the vehicle... or at least the lifetime of whatever warranty you have and their desired lifetime expectancy for the vehicle. Whatever it takes to get you to sign on that dotted line.

 

[captainhero]

Dirtman adsm thanks it all makes sense.
Should i change the gasket on the transmission pan ? Where do you recommend getting the gasket from ? regular auto part or stealership ? same question for the filter

sgtsandman Yes i actually just watched that video. Agree on the lifetime comments. But you have to say, it just sounds so good to a lazy a** like me

 

[sgtsandman]

You wouldn’t like my maintenance schedule then. LOL

A lot of what I do is based on time instead of mileage. So every Spring and fall, I’m quite busy with whatever fluid changes are needed, tire swaps, so forth and so on. For three vehicles (used to be four). Much of my maintenance is done on a gravel drive way, so I would much rather do things when it warm than when it’s figging freezing and the ground is snow covered. Thus, preventative maintenance is a high interest item for me. Most times, it works...

 

[Dirtman]

Dirtman adsm thanks it all makes sense.
Should i change the gasket on the transmission pan ? Where do you recommend getting the gasket from ? regular auto part or stealership ? same question for the filter

sgtsandman Yes i actually just watched that video. Agree on the lifetime comments. But you have to say, it just sounds so good to a lazy a** like me

If your original gasket is the steel/rubber style it's re-useable if it's in good shape. I've re-used mine 5 times so far.

 

[Bill]

It wouldn't hurt to change the thermostat too. I've owned three Rangers and had to replace the thermostat at around 100,000 miles, and from what I've read, the thermostat in the 2.3L Duratec starts opening early soon after 100,000 miles.

 

[91stranger]

The transmission fluid change should be done before 100k. If you're over 100k a lot of places won't even do it if you are over 100k because it could cause more issues than help. Use your own judgement for this. Be prepared for the worse (new trans) if you do decide to do the transmission fluid. Can you afford a new trans or rebuild? Is it worth the risk if it is driving okay? Money is always my biggest issue so I can't afford to spends hundreds and possibly thousands of dollars for something that could have waited a year. As for the "lifetime" theory.... I had a 97 explorer that had 200k when I bought it and it started having shifting issues so I went to drop the pan and change the fluid and filter. Low and behold there is a small plastic piece floating around the pan which I found out was the plug for the dipstick from the factory. So one would assume the fluid was never changed since the plug was still in the pan. It may have had the fluid extracted through the dipstick but I don't know of that since the previous owner didn't know squat about it. So that explorer could have had 200k on the original 1997 trans fluid. just saying.

 

[Dirtman]

It wouldn't hurt to change the thermostat too. I've owned three Rangers and had to replace the thermostat at around 100,000 miles, and from what I've read, the thermostat in the 2.3L Duratec starts opening early soon after 100,000 miles.

I could be wrong here but I think this was only an issue with the 01-04 2.3 trucks that had the electric thermostat. I know they changed designs to a traditional thermostat from 05+.
The earlier eletric ones also cost about 150 bucks.