Changing Transmission Filter….Ford Windstar 1995

Changing the transmission filter is not difficult.  The bolts are usually not too tight and the cover comes out pretty nicely.  The bolts are unscrewed with the 10mm socket.
Here are the steps:

1) Put the vehicle on jack stands.
2) Get the box and a trash liner to collect the fluid when it will start dripping. You can buy an oil pan instead for about $10, but carton box from cans and a trashliner are FREE, so FREE < $10, hence I use the box with the trashliner. Works GREAT!!!
3) Unscrew the bolts (about 16 of them or so) and remove the transmission filter cover

4) Clean the insides from all the crap and make sure it dries off before you re-install it.
5) Pull straight down on the filter to remove it. The transmission oil will be leaking all the way by now, so be ready to get dirty and have that box with the trashliner under the cover.
6) The seal (pink in color usually) will stay in, so you will have to use a tiny screwdriver to remove it. The process is pretty easy and it took me about 5 minutes to remove it.
7) Install the new filter on by pushing it vertically up into the hole.

8) reattach the cover. Make sure you clean all of the old gasket material off the cover. The effectiveness of the new gasket is proportional to how well you prep the surface where it will be. Make sure not too over tighten the bots.
9) Put about 4.5qts. of Mercon V transmission oil.
10) Start the engine and run in PARK @around 1500rpms, then in NEUTRAL @1500rpm, then switch in DRIVE and drive around for 50 and then in REAR. Check the fluid and add more if needed.

different oil grades…

5W oil is thin oil and circulates quickly. It is used for lower temperatures.
5W-20 oil is used for outside temperatures ranging from -20°F to 0°F.
5W-30 oil is used for outside temperatures ranging from -20°F to 60°F.

10W oil is thicker than 5W and is suitable for most temperatures.
10W oil is used for outside temperatures ranging from 0°F to 60°F.
10W-30 oil is used for outside temperatures ranging from 0°F to 100°F.
10W-40 oil is used for outside temperatures ranging from 0°F to 100°F.

20W-20 oil is used for outside temperatures ranging from 20°F to 100°F.
20W-40 oil is used for outside temperatures ranging from 20°F to 100°F.
20W-50 oil is used for outside temperatures ranging from 20°F to 100°F.

Changing the strut on the right hand side/ ford windstar 3.8L 1995

Changing the strut on the front right hand side
//ford windstar 3.8L 1995//

I just discovered that the  coil spring is broken….

Click on the photos to zoom in and see all of the `in-pic` commments…

The new coil spring is about $80 (www.partsamerica.com). After a search, I located the whole strut assembly for $63 at the local junk yard.

TOOLS:
You will need 18mm, 21mm, 15/16″ and 13/16″ wrenches.
Number of People:
I changed the strut alone. 2 people would be ideal.
Directions:

1)  Get the Chilton’s manual!!!
2)  Remove the wheel
3)  remove the cowl cover to get an access to the three bolts (see pic).  It may not be necessary if you got long wrenches.  I did not, so I ended up removing the windshield wipers, cowl cover, the thingie that holds the windshield motor.


4) Loosen up the three nuts on top of the strut, but do not remove them.
5) Now remove you will need to use 18mm, 21mm and 15/16 in wrenches.
6) Loosen up the stabilizer arm nut (18mm).
7) Loosen up strut-to-knuckle pinch bolt (21mm).
8) Remove the crown nut and a cotter pin from the control arm (18mm)

9)  Use the pry bar to remove the balljoint bolt.

Changing The Serpentine Belt

Number of People Involved:
You can do it alone. I did it alone. Two people are ideal.
Time Spent:
1/2 hour
Cost of a Belt
$23.99 at checkers. Use their internet ordering thing to get more discount.
$$ Saved:
About $40-$60 labor
Type of a belt
Mileage Maker, 1005K6. Use checker’s vehicle identifier to find this belt.

Tools:
Suggested: Ford Tensioner Tool…. Go ahead and waste about $25….Essentially it is a long and thing wrench that give you plenty of torque. Remember Torque = Force* Lever Arm Lenth…
I used: 15mm regular wrench. Worked just as fine.

Direction:
1) Note the routing diagram.

2) The tensioner pulley is in the VERY back.

It is a major pain in the butt to get to. You will be pulling the tensioner toward yourself (the front of the car) so the idea is to get the wrench as far back as possible so that you will have enough space to rotate the wrench.
3) Pull on the wrench HARD and watch tensioner move. there are marks that tell you where
…..

4) Here are some photos of the old belt.

RESULS:
  Once the belt is changed, you will notice that the engine runs smoother,  more silent and the overall engine `imagery` just looks pretty!!!

Tires

Ford windstar takes 215/70/R/15 tires.
The original part number of the rims is F58A-1007-FA.
The diameter of the wheel hub is 2.5 inches
The wheel has 5 lugs
The diameter of the lug stud is about 0.465″, while the dia of the holes for these studs on the rim is 0.67″.

Power Steering problem on a Ford Windstar

So, I lost my power steering……OUCH!!! the problem was the power return cooling line that goes in front of radiator.

I located it at CarQuest for $17.02 (incl. tax).

The removal process was pretty easy….
1) Jack up the front of the car.
a) you may want to unscrew lower part of your bumper
2) Remove the hose clamps…
3) Remove the old cooler line
4) Attach the new part
5) Secure it with the hose clamps.

YOU ARE DONE!!!