Does anyone know how much/what kind of transmission fluid I need?

 

ATF+4 (Type 9602). Very important that you use this, not ATF+3 or lower, and not Dexron or Mercon!!! (Note: Mobil1 Synthetic or Amsoil Synthetic can be used)
The 42RE - about 4 quarts for filter replacement, about 10 quarts for "overhaul fill."
The 46RE- about 4 quarts for filter replacement, about 10 quarts for "overhaul fill."
The 45RFE - about 14 quarts for "overhaul fill."

 

What is entailed in an "overhaul" fill?

 

im assuming overhaul is a complete drain of your oil

 

overhaul is. yes, a complete fill. it is NOT just dropping the pan. (the torque convertor hold fluid, plus some that is stored in the lines, etc)
if you do a flush, it will probably use slightly more than the "ovehaul fill."

 

ive actually been wanting to do a complete drain. how do you completely drain the tranny system?

 

Well, since the torque converter holds many quarts of tranny fluid, and there is no drain plug on them, you have two choices:
(1) Take it to a shop/dealership/etc.
(2) Do the following (which I did to my friends Taurus [he had a bad 2-3 shift, it helped a little bit, but those trannys were known for it, its ok though, he flipped it, problem solved!]; and will be doing to my truck, and a few other vehicles in a few weeks):
(i) Find the return line to the transmission. If you have an auxiilary tranny cooler, take off one of the lines at the aux cooler. If you do not have an aux trans cooler, disconnect one of the trans lines at the radiator. Position the end of the line you disconnected into a container (as well as the end of the side you disconnected from). Momentarily start the motor and put the tranny in gear (get a helper for this, while you watch the fluid). Determine if the line you disconnected was the feed line (if fluid was coming out of the tube you disconnected [:@]) or the return line (fluid was coming out of the radiator/cooler ). You wanted the return line. If you guessed the wrong one, reconnect, and switch to the other line.
(ii) Drop the pan (so you can change the filter, get a look at the magnet in the pan, etc.).
(iii) Install new filter, clean the magnet and pan off, put gasket on, reinstall pan.
(iv) Than, add some ATF+4 (or Amsoil Syn, or Mobil 1 Syn, or...) tranny fluid (do not run vehicle!, but make sure you add enough [use the dipstick])
(v) After you added enough fluid (reads OK on the dipstick), double check that you have a old-fluid collector (ie a pan, but something to where you can judge the amount of old fluid being pushed out is very nice!) around the out-put of the radiator/cooler.
(vi) Get a helper
(vii) Get many quarts of transmission fluid ready (put them close-by , you will want to be able to grab-n-pour)
(viii) Turn the motor on, have your helper run it thru the gears while you add trans fluid at about the same rate old fluid is being expelled.
(ix) After you see new fluid being sent out, you can have your helper kill the motor.
(x) Reconnect lines
(xi) At this point, you will probably be rather dirty, clean up!
(xii) Now that your clean, check the transmission fluid level (yes, check it cold). If it does not register on the dipstick, add only enough to where it is on the LOWER part of the dipstick (ie. do not add to "FULL")
(xiii) Turn the motor on, run the transmission thru the gears. With the motor on, transmission in Neutral, check the transmission fluid again (to make sure fluid still registers on the dipstick, see above step if it does not register)
(xiv) Take her out for a spin. Get her up to operating temperature.
(xv) With engine running, transmission in Neutral, check fluid level again. Add enough fluid to get just slightly below full.
(xvi) Be happy, you saved yourself money, and did yet another thing on your own.

Thats about all I can think of.

 

I was told that if you got an older transmission like my 2000 dodge Dakota, you shouldn't get a trans flush, cause it will damage the gears ect. but I do not know if your talking the same thing. ???.

 

You can also drain it by pulling the drain pan off. In doing so, you get to clean the magnet and replace the transmission filter/s. I installed an aftermarket drain plug in my drain pan.

 

it doesnt damage the gears, but there comes a point where things get so wore out that the built-up sludge kinda keeps things from coming apart.