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In this article, LMR explains how to change the fluid in your manual transmission on the S197 Mustang chassis. The transmission fluid in your Mustang is a vital maintenance part that needs to be changed from time to time. Keeping your transmission fluid clean and cool is vital to prolonging your transmission life expectancy. Routine transmission maintenance should include fluid change every 30,000 miles to keep your shifts smooth and your performance up to par.
Today in the shop, we will be working on employee Jay Walling's 2012 GT500. This car is nearing 200,000 miles, so keeping the transmission fluid fresh is one of the top priorities. These same general steps can be used on all 2005-2014 Mustangs with manual transmissions. Depending on the year and make of Mustang you are working on, the fill and drain locations and fluid capacities can vary. Check out our Mustang Fluid Capacity Articles to learn more!
Tools Needed
- Lift or a jack and a set of jack stands
- 3/8" drive ratchet
- Drain pan
- Funnel
- Few feet of 3/8" hose
- General cleaning supplies
Overall this one should take you roughly half an hour to complete. Let’s head over and show you how simple this one is to complete this service.
Steps To Change Your 05-14 Mustang Transmission Fluid
- Start by popping the hood on your car and support the vehicle via your lift or jacks and jack stands.
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- Moving under the car, locate the drain plug on the side of the transmission.
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- Using your 3/8" ratchet, insert the square drive into the plug and remove this from the body of the transmission.
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- Make sure to have your drain pan handy and slowly drain all of the fluid.
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- Once you have the fluid drained, reinsert your plug at this time and wipe the surface clean with a rag.
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- Moving back to the topside of the engine bay, route your 3/8" hose down between the bellhousing of the transmission and the bulkhead of the Mustang.
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- Go back under the car and remove the fill plug on the transmission. Insert the hose and make sure it is secure in the fill hole.
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- Our funnel didn't fit the hose we used so we made a quick adapter from a fill cap we had laying around the shop.
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- Back at the top, insert your funnel into the hose, and slowly add the recommended fluid. Our TR6060 in this Shelby takes 3.7 quarts or until the new fluid starts to dribble out of the fill hole. Depending on your model, these specs will be different.
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- Once you have the fluid coming out of the fill hole, Remove the hose from the underside of the car.
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- Reinsert the plug at this time.
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- Using some brake clean again, make sure to clean off any residual fluid left behind.
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- Lower the car back down and check it over for any leaks. Test drive the car, and you are all done!
We hope that this article has helped you and you have a better understanding of how to change your manual transmission fluid for your S197 Mustang.
As always, make sure to keep it here with the Real Mustang Enthusiasts at LMR.com.
