Hello, this is my first time on the forums, so please forgive me if I’m asking this question under the wrong category. I have a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport and just changed the transmission fluid. I accidentally overfilled when I noticed the fluid spilling out from a “spout” that was located right next to the transmission pan. Is that some sort of “reliever” for excess transmission fluid? My transmission pan doesn’t have a drain plug. If so, do I need to pump-out the fluid anyway? Or does that spout take care of it?
Yes, you need to drain some out. You want the dipstick reading full or full hot depending on how your dipstick is marked. To check, drive at least 8 miles, stop and run through all the gears and check the dipstick with the engine running in park or neutral.
The easiest way to drain it may be to loosen a transmission cooler line at either the transmission or radiator.
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Would it be fine if I drove to my local autopart’s store (3 miles away) to have some of the fluid removed? Or will it be dangerous?
And yes, I thought about the cooler line, but I can’t tell which line is which since it’s my first time.
There are 2 metal lines going from the transmission into the bottom of the radiator. One for fluid going in and one out. Either on will do.W hat makes you think your auto parts store will remove fluid from your radiator? Did they tell you thjey would?
Because they loan/sell siphons. I can siphon it from the filler tube. But would driving it for a short distance be dangerous?
If both cooler lines are disconnected from the radiator and a length of snug fitting rubber hose is attached to each and hung into a bucket you can start the engine which will pump the fluid out at a fairly quick rate. I would guess that 2 to 3 quarts per minute has been pumped out when I used that method.
Those siphons you’re talking about are terrible for this type of job
First, they almost certainly won’t reach all the way down to the transmission pan
Second, the cheap ones operate so slowly that it’ll take you until the end of the year to remove the fluid
You’re better off following oldtimer’s advice
Let’s start with this first. How many quarts did you put into the transmission and what did the book say was the capacity for a drain and refill? So it’s hard to tell from here if you put in a couple quarts too much or a pint or what?
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On transmissions with an overflow to relieve overfilling operating the engine up to normal operating temperature and opening the overflow should be all that is necessary but the OP leaves me wondering. Transmissions I am familiar with that use an overflow don’t have dipsticks.