Ford 6R60 & 6R80 Transmission Fluid and Filter Change 

Eight years later, this video is still helping people like me. Thanks for making this video. It helped me a lot!

A trick I came across. Take aluminum foil, push it underneath the exhaust pipe that runs behind the fluid pan, mold the foil in a manner that it creates a funnel, or channel. When the fluid starts to flow out of the back of the pan, that foil will channel the fluid into your catch pan. It keeps the trans fluid from getting all over your exhaust pipe and ground/floor.

Two thumbs up to Hillsong “Oceans” in the background. Also love your videos, they helped me a ton with my Ford Escapes and now my Expedition

If anyone ever has doubts about this guy, you are wrong this guy is the BEST. Followed his video on Timing chains and valve cover gaskets and followed it, came out perfect... This guy is a savior to ford

Excellent video clear and complete! Just completed my trans fluid & filter change on my 2010 F150 5.4 no problems went just as you described. saved me lots money!

Thanks for the education. $500 at dealership vs. $85 in my garage. Truly a Ford expert.

You are the man!...And I hardly ever post comments anywhere so I mean it. Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge.👍

You've got some of the best videos on the web. I do a lot of work out of my garage, (mostly Ford, drive Ford and work for Ford) and I like to look to see if other people have done the repair/service that I'm working on to see if there are any issues or special tools needed, thanks for being so informative.

1st video that I've seen to show the actual filter placement. good job! really like the background music, says alot about who you are.

Call me not wanting to make a huge mess but ive always took a 3/16 drill bit and pop 1 hole in lowest spot on all the tans pans ive serviced and took the mig and buzzed it right up lol. I know not everybody has a mig or can weld but for me it makes for a much easier and clean job.

Thanks for the video! I recently purchased a 2012 F150 with 81,000 miles, and I'm looking to do a fluid change because it's been my experience that when transmissions fail, it's because nobody bothered to change the fluid.

Great instructional video. I think its important to refill with the Mercon LV made by Motorcraft like you mentioned. Why go through all the trouble of doing this yourself, if you are going to put aftermarket fluid back in to save a few dollars. I took a Ford truck into a Transmission specialist to change the fluid several years ago. They put some generic brand crap back in, and I had trouble with it shifting into overdrive 6 months later. I ended up trading it in at the dealership to avoid a costly repair. I also took another Ford vehicle into a mechanic shop to change a thermostat for the water pump. They added back red radiator fluid that they had laying around the shop. I asked specifically for the Motorcraft Gold fluid when I dropped it off. Later, I drained the radiator myself and added the correct fluid in it. If you want anything done right, do it yourself after doing your research.

Good video, I would add that it's a good idea to take a good look at the pump bridge. It's the plastic piece between the pump and valve body next to where the filter goes into the pump. I have run across the light colored bridges cracking and causing issues. the replacement bridge is black plastic and a lot better design and is less likely to crack. I always enjoy your videos, thank you

Thanks for the great vid. Recently did this job on my 07 expedition. No surprises thanks to the video. Greatly appreciated.

I’m having such a hard time reaching the last bolt on the back of the pan that is tucked behind the exhaust mounting stud, any tips for loosening that one?

Brother, your videos are extremely helpful. Thank you for putting the time in making them. You have saved me a lot of frustration. I work on my car in the garage so I don't have the luxury of a full shop or lift. To lessen the mess, I used a fluid extractor to pull the fluid out before dropping the pan. It made the mess very minimal. I bought a concrete mixing tub from Home Depot for $8, placed it in a large trash bag, and placed it under the pan before dropping it. After I was done, I turned the trash bag inside out to contain the oil. No mess at all. I also replaced the pan gasket. The instructions that came with it state 2013 and prior have a 99 in-lb torque while newer models are 85 in-lb (I believe). My dipstick had two cross hatch areas marked A and B. I assume the lower one is for cold/warm level and the higher one is for hot level. Can you please confirm? Regardless, the engine needs to be in idle while checking, right? All in all, it went very smoothly. THANK YOU again...

I have a 2012 f150 with 5.0 and all parts stores and Amazon say I need a ft187 filter which looks different than the filter you installed. Mines a 6 speed. What's up with that? Did they change filters?

All the cars you tinker on look like they see a good bit of road salt. You should do a salt corrosion prevention video. I'd like to see what you'd have to say about that.

Would it hurt them to put a drain plug in the pan?

Hey have you ever done this on the new transits ? Not the connects but the big vans? I just got the van and it looks next to impossible to drop the pan . Thanks man

Thx for doing these videos for the guys that cant afford to take it to a mechanic, i like to do most of the work on my truck and your videos help alot thx man😎

I plan on changing my fluid, filter and the transmission cooler lines tomorrow. Thanks for the awesome step by step videos. Any reason I can’t use a brake bleeding vacuum pump to remove most of the fluid before I drop the pan?

I'll second the importance of factory fluids. Drain and fill 3 times on a vehicle with valvoline fluid, started shuddering almost immediately, added aftermarket friction modifiers which helped, but the shudder eventually came back. Drain and filled 3 times with factory fluid, shudder faded away. Lesson learned. I will not mess with aftermarket fluids ever again.

Is all Motorcraft LV/ MERCON transmission fluid the same,in my owners manual the P/N is #XT-10-QLV and i can only find P/N #XT-10-QLVC

I vouch for this video...just did it on my 2014 F-150...piece of cake. Thank you so much Ford Tech!

A tip is to use some tin foil over the exhaust pipes

Would it still be a good idea to change the fluid if it’s past 130k miles? I bought one used. Not sure if it’s ever been changed before and not sure I need to

How do I find out if my transmission is 6R60 or 6R80? Awesome video and thanks for the tips at the end of the video.

Hi, thanks for your great videos, they are very valuable for us in Europe. My Expedition 2007, 5,4L sometimes kicks a little just after braking to full stop. Do you think a fluid change will help and should I use Mercon SP or is LV allowed? Cheers!

Best video on this yet! Getting ready to do my 2007 Expedition

I just finished my pan drop and fluid refill. Followed your instructions to the letter. Matter of fact, had your video on my iphone playing and pausing as me and my buddy were under my F150 dropping it. It was EXACTLY like you say. A little messier for me but had plenty of cardboard under it. The pump your recommended worked perfectly as well. I measured my fluid and I replaced exactly 6 quarts. Weird, it was exactly minus what missed the drain pan. I had a replacement filter on hand but decided not to use it because the foam inner part looked good. I will use it for my 60K change. I feel good knowing my trans pan is free of contaminants. I hope to have this truck till 200,000 miles. THanks again !

Good Video will be doing this here soon. And I like the music in the background. Oceans by Hillsong

That fluid looks ripe.

Just want to say Thanks to Makuloco, for all the videos, thank you very Much

Just watched this and you new 6R80 trans video tying to get hyped up to change the filter on my 2016 with 171,000 (i got it with 149K) miles and the trans has yet to be opened. What did they dealer ship think of you making these videos on the job? Keep up the great work, I wish your shop was closer than an 8 hour drive...

dealer quoted $600 bucks to fix a leak...I have been reading thats probably just the seal gone bad...I might try this soon enough and if I jack it up ill just end up paying that money to the dealer anyways

I have 2012 f150 platinum 3.5 eco boost . After I perform filter and fluid change . My truck will not switch gears and if I put in drive it will not move and kinda shutter ? Any possible solutions why it is not working . Truck 89000 miles . Transmission fluid was clean and transmission look good. What could be the problem

I found your name on one of the Ford150 forums and hoping you could give me some guidance. I just bought a 2013 with 36,000 miles from a friend who was first owner. I am contemplating a trans fluid change but the manual says at 150,000 miles is the interval. I tow a 1500lb camper, plus gear and passengers adds to about 2400lbs, a few times a summer and the F150 has the full tow package, trans cooler, trailer brakes etc. Am I wasting my money having the fluid changed at a dealership with only 36,000 miles? If so, when would you suggest I have my first trans fluid change? There is so many contradicting information out on the web but you sound like you know what your doing. Thanks

Any reason why he undoes the bolts on the exhaust side first and not the rear ones? Seems to me like it would make less of a mess over the exhaust if you loosen the rear ones first and let it drain out over there initially...

Thanks for really good instruction. The process would be so much easier and less messy if the pan had a drain plug and if there was some clip to hold the filter in place a little more securely during installation of the pan.

The problem we ran into on a 2012 F150 3.5T is that the clearance between the exhaust pipe and the tranny pan bolts is very narrow, especially for the bolt located on the driver side corner (about 1.5"), and therefore we could not take out that one. It seems there is more clearance on the truck you are working onto. Do you have any advice on which tool to use in that narrow space?

I have a '13 Navigator with 90k, it's too late to change fluid and filter?, should I do it or leave it as it is? I want to do a drain and refill plus filter only, thank you.

I miss having a trans dip stick. My 02 f150 had it but not my 2010. Figures

Great video but if you change the filter and refill with 7.5 quarts of fresh fluid defeat the purpose as there’s still about 6 quarts in the transmission and new fluid mix with old fluid. how can you get all the fluid out?

IDK why all car manufature's don't put drain plugs in their pans would elminate alot of mess.

I just did this service today on my newly purchased 2012 f150xlt. When I took the fill cap off, fluid came shooting out and running down the side. I started first thing this morning and the truck hadn't run in over 24hours. I guess the last guy thought it should be to the top of the stick while cold.

Also note that these pan bolts will round off VERY EASILY! Just make sure you have a good bite on them when you take them off or put them back in

Step 1: have a lift.

If the filter does not drop, is it simply a process of pulling it down by hand? Do the "O" rings need to be replaced if it has to be pulled out of the hole? Thanks

Just finished my 2010 F-150 5.4 (150K km just shy of 100K miles) and thanks to your video I got through it. The rear bolts, especially the pass side, were a real bitch with barely enough room for a socket. I thought I had rounded one and would have to take it to the dealer but went back at it and found a angle where I could get to it. Thanks so much for your videos they are helping me and lots of others keep their trucks on the road when it's difficult to get anyone to work on them.

What is your experience with high mileage (almost 273,000) and never having had the transmission fluid changed. I'm being told not to change it as it will make my transmission go out shortly after doing it. What is your opinion on this matter??

Seems to me it would make more sense to drain via the front so you don't leak that stuff all over the exhaust just to burn it off the first time you drive it YUCK!!!

How do you change the rest of the old fluid

I have been meaning to comment for quite some time. I just want to thank you for sharing your knowledge. I have used your videos several times to support my shade tree mechanic projects. You have provided me the confidence and know how to take on projects that would concern many folks. I have been able to make several repairs with no issues due to your information. My next project will be replacing the Trans bulkhead seals. Keep it up. Thanks!!

Thank you sooo much for the video! I am replacing my molded lead frame and want to go ahead and replace the filter too, but when i click your link and check the fitment guide it says does not fit my vehicle. I have a 2012 Ford F150 with the 6R80 6 speed transmission. But then I go to Rock Auto and there are several filters that look identical to what i need. I want to order and get it right the first time. Any help greatly appreciated. Thanks!

For the sake of God, why don't they just put an extra $5 in the pan and put a drain plug on them. Ford, please think about your end user. We're the ones buying your shitty products!

I was at the local dealer the other day for a recall repair for the engine block heater. I asked two questions: 1. How much was it to have the computer modules updated (pcm, bcm, etc). 2. Transmission service recommendation. He told me that there was no reason the firmware updates shouldn’t be needed. He also said they recommend a flush of the trans fluid when towing a few times a week with lots of city driving at 60,000 miles, as opposed to mainly highway driving and no towing at 80,000 to 100,000 miles. Please give me better advice than this. I can tackle just about any job with the right tools and knowledge. Thanks.

Great video and Thank you. Is there a way to flush the transmission cooler with new fluid while the pan is off?

Great videos FordTechMakuloco. Have you tried to suck the majority of the old fluid from the pan backwards through the filler hole using the Plews 55001 Lubrimatic Fluid Quart Pump? It seems this would help prevent spilling the fluid everywhere. Thanks

Is the filter held in place by the pan? What is stopping it from falling down during driving?

Great video, thanks for sharing. I am an Amsoil fan, they have a transmission fluid that is Mercon LV compatible. Do you have any experience with Amsoil transmission fluid. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Would this be the same on my mustang gt 2015?

Wow. They decided to save money and not engineer a bolt or two to hold the filter in place.

Great video. I followed all the steps and used the Ford recommended trans. fluid. I have since noticed the transmission whines. The trans. shifts smoothly and I have driven it several hundred miles since. I recently rechecked the fluid level and it was right on the full mark at normal operating temps. One forum I read mentioned the filter could have dropped and it was sucking air. But I am certain the filter was well seated before I installed the pan. What do you think. This is on a 2006 Ford Explorer with a 4.6L engine and the 60R6 transmission.

You make good videos on these ford trucks and explain things well as well as show what you are talking about. Thanks

2014 f150 with 145k miles. had it for a year now. Transmission pan bolts look untouched. should I change fluid or is it at the point where its best to not change the fluid? ive heard changing fluid after so many miles can make transmissions slip? any suggestions? thanks

Is it normal for a 12’ svt raptor trans temp gauge to not work with the hood up but it comes on when hood is down? I found this weird today when trying to check my fluid level with my B&M transmission dipstick. Digital gauge works fine either way just the dial gauge was full cold with the hood up and as soon as I closed it, it worked

I bought a 2013 f150 with 170k miles 5.0 the truck drives and shifts very well. no problem with it I wonder if there is a problem with changing the transmission oil without knowing if it was changed before?

Hi, What does changing the trans pan fluid do? As I understand, there is up to 3X more dirty fluid left in the Trans, Torq converter and cooler. I am trying to understand what changing this little bit will do for the trans if you still have alot of dirty fluid left in the transmission? I am still learning. Thanks for any replies.

at how many mileages until i have to replace the transmission fluid & do I have to replace the filter too? do you really have to remove the transmission pan? can you just suck it out and pump new fluid back in the the tube that you are using?

My Ford Service dept at the dealership wants to flush the transmission . Is this an acceptable method ? I have a 2013 Ford F 150 3.5 liter .They say it will also change the torque converter transmission fluid .

I've heard that SP is safer for 6 speed transmissions and that the LV can cause earlier failures, but there was no info on exactly which transmissions required the extra additives in the LV. Is it required for a 2013 built in 2012 F150 to use the LV or os the SP actually safer?

Thanks for the info great job your doing it really helps the video you put out .when I need ?'s answered I go to the site an look for it awesome job

I did this this past weekend in addition to replacing the transmission cooler line given your recent video on that issue as well. Thanks for the videos.

Hey Brian I'm getting ready to swap the fluid in my trans I got a 2012 F150 3.5 parts stores are telling me there's two different filters for the 14 bolt tranny pan one has I think a half inch pickup tube on the bottom of the filter and the other has like an inch and a half is there a way to tell which filter my truck takes before I remove the pan or was I dealing with a part store that didn't know what they were talking about?

Man, didn't replace the bulkhead sleeve o/ring's, mine leak's !

getting ready to do mine. 10yo old Mustang 6r80. Any ideas on good aftermarket aluminum pan??? My oem is about to rust through.😳

Excuse me how many quarters we need to put it back in the transmission I have 2014 ford f150 3.5 v6

This along with the bulkhead o ring video I was able to complete the job with no issues. Thanks!!!

I would like to meet the engineer that designed this tranny.....really, couldn't provide a plug to drain the whole thing? How much did you save in manufacturing?

Just changed the fluid in our '06 Explorer with the 6R60, this summer. I used Mercon SP. A couple hours ago, I topped the fluid off with 3/4 quart of Mercon V. Nuts! Is my tranny in peril? Not too keen on doing a whole transmission fluid change this soon. BTW, I am a grateful subscriber. Many thanks for all the effort that goes into these vids!

This is the same transmission in the 2014 4x4 F-150 Ecoboost (3.5L), correct? Also, 97 inch pounds is around 8 foot pounds, correct? (I don't have a torque wrench in inch pounds, only foot pounds).

Watched this after doing mine , regretted swapping to rubber gasket followed the tourqe spec and broke remember torque spec varies w/ gasket

So I go to local Ford dealership to pick up Ford motorcraft LV fluid. Tech says I only need 4-5 quarts. Book says it takes 13.9 qts. He goes on to say it's better to do a fluid replacement service for $239 moving 17 quarts through transmission. I asked what about the filter. He states Ford did a test doing a fluid replacement vs a drain and refill. They found that after replacing the fluid doing the replacement method they dropped the pan and found the original filter to be white as new. Needless to say, I'm lost now as to what I should do. When doing a drain and refill how much fluid do you actually need? Also, is their method better or is a drain and fill with new filter the way to go. My 2009 F-150 Lariat XLT SUPER Cab 4x4 with 5.4L engine is at 91,000 miles and transmission has not been serviced yet as far as I know. Perplexed Navy Veteran...

Just completed my fluid and filter change. Thanks for making this video. Made the job do much easier.

I did my '13 F-150 yesterday and put 7.5 quarts back in and it started running out of the fill hole. This was with engine running. What's up with that??

how many liters of mercon lv will be used if I only change the fillter (not repair or overhaull the transmision) the users manual says 12 liters, but in a service manual of 6r80 says 3.5 liters if only remove the pan and change filter, i'm really confused please your hlep.

question how much has this changed for a 2020 F150 3.3L with 6 speed transmission?

I have a 2016 with 50k miles and I changed the fluid. and filled the fluid up until it was inbetween the A and B sections of the transmission dipstick. car wont move. it was just a filter change. I measured the fluid in my drain pan and the fluid I put in and they were both about 5QTS.... Truck wont move at all. Any advise would help. I did not fill it till it over flowed...

Great video!! I have a 2007 Expedition the owners manual say to use Mercon SP, you mentioned Ford may be moving to Mercon LV so I wanted to make sure I am using the right stuff.

You are a godsend to cheap a$$ Ford owners such as myself.

Just spoke with a garage to have my trans serviced. He told me that due to newer flushing techniques the pan doesn't need to come off; all the minute particulates will be evacuated during the flush. Quoted me $189. Your thoughts?

Great video thank you. I know this is six years old, but still applies to newer vehicles. Just did my 2017 f-150 with 52k mikes. Everything was still pretty clean. A bit of black material on the magnet. Fluid was only slightly discolored. Could have possibly gone a little longer, but it should be good for quite a while now.

I have a couple things I want to note: I have a 2015 F150 with the 6 speed transmission. This is the first time the fluid has been changed (I bought the truck new) and bought the same kind of filter shown in the video. Thing is, the original filter has the shorter pickup tube (1 inch) while the one in the video (and the one I bought) has the longer one. I would have thought that Ford would want to keep replacement parts as similar as possible throughout the years. Kind of surprises me that they would change something as simple as the filter for whatever reason. Also, B&M sells a transmission pan for this transmission (6R80) with a drain plug (and it fits on my transmission 😆🤷‍♂️).

Does this apply for the 2015 f150 with the 6r80 mated to the 5.0L v8 coyote? Dealership keeps telling me there wasnt a filter made for it for 2015. Which even the tech i was talking to said doesnt make much since

Hi I have one question please I have explorer 2010 I put transmission oil (typeM) now I have problem or not. thanks

I have a 2010 F150 and 160k miles. Should I have a transmission flush or just have a fluid change? Will either cause slippage of the transmission?

Hey Brian I just wanted to thank you for all of your videos! You have saved me tons of money! I really appreciate it! I have a quick question for you. My truck is a 2009 f150 xlt 4.6L with a 4 speed automatic transmission..is mine the 6R60 or the 6R80? I'm just a lil confused cause there are 6 speed and 4 speed transmissions so I'm not sure which one is mine. I'm thinking it's the 6R80 by you're videos but I'm not certain.

At 130k miles on a 2012 f150 5.0, with a trans that's never been flushed, do you recommend a flush or a drain and refill?

Thanks so much for the video. I feel more confident now to do it myself...