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I noticed a some drops on the garage floor under Bluebelle. One drop for each of the last times we parked her in a barely different spot. I checked the oil. Down a quart. <<Insert optional quantity of expletive>> 22K mile car is leaking oil. I can't see anything going on from up top. Might as well change her oil and wipe her down before trading her in.
I got underneath to change the oil and the filter was leaking, probably had been since the day I didn't put it on there tight enough. Ohhhh it was not tight. Wiped everything down and it looked to me like the axle seal was leaking on the passenger side....if that's motor oil how did it get all the way back and up there?. The transmission fluid was way down on the stick hot, below the operating range. <<Insert more profanity>> I researched and found that the 6F35 transmission on the 2012 Fusion was born a turd. Count on the axle seal leaking, there was an imperfect finish on it where it slides through the bushing/seal and it eats that up. Soon. Very very soon. The owner's manual says the transmission fluid and filter should be changed at 150K miles. That's hilarious. The filter is inside the case, not serviceable without splitting open the case. Everybody all over the net says you'd better change the fluid at least every 30K even if the seal leaks or not, the required Mercon breaks down quickly in that particular transmission in that particular application.
But the seal that goes out after you drive if off the lot is on the driver side. My suspicious situation is on the passenger side, different half shaft, different seal configuration. Hmmm. Changed the oil, wiped it all off and keep an eye on the transmission fluid level. I might as well change the transmission fluid rather than add some to get it up in range since she's already got 22K miles on her. (((Is this ridiculous yet?))).
So, I'll change the transmission fluid and if I don't see it leaking around the seal on the passenger side we'll keep her a while. It's not like we drive her a lot anyhow. So how much fluid to put in it? I did all kinds of searches and watched all kids of videos on how to change the fluid and how to replace the axle seal. That's rolling the dice. Some sources say 5.7 quarts. One guy on a video said 7 quarts. I checked Bluebelle's birth certificate on the B pillar to ID exactly which transmission she has and in the owner's manual it says 9 quarts. Right there in a Times New Roman 14 font, black ink.
So I bought 9 quarts. I drained it, and from guessing what was in the catch pan that for sure ain't 9 quarts. Remember, we knew it was low but that's ain't even in the neighborhood of 9. So I poured in 7, since I don't have a clue what I'm supposed to do. I drove her round and round the block to heat her up. If this thing seizes up or gets caught between gears, I can manage to walk back home. Got her hot and checked the stick. It's hugely overfilled by an unknown amount. I don't know what too much automatic tranny fluid will exactly do but I know it ain't good.
So tomorrow after Bluebelle and I both cool off some, I'll attempt to drain approximately 1.3 quarts back out of the tranny case because now I'm guessing that the lottery estimate of 5.7 quarts is probably what it's supposed to hold. And I've learned that I should have used the Ford owner's manual last year when we were starting to get a little concerned about running out of toilet paper.
I got underneath to change the oil and the filter was leaking, probably had been since the day I didn't put it on there tight enough. Ohhhh it was not tight. Wiped everything down and it looked to me like the axle seal was leaking on the passenger side....if that's motor oil how did it get all the way back and up there?. The transmission fluid was way down on the stick hot, below the operating range. <<Insert more profanity>> I researched and found that the 6F35 transmission on the 2012 Fusion was born a turd. Count on the axle seal leaking, there was an imperfect finish on it where it slides through the bushing/seal and it eats that up. Soon. Very very soon. The owner's manual says the transmission fluid and filter should be changed at 150K miles. That's hilarious. The filter is inside the case, not serviceable without splitting open the case. Everybody all over the net says you'd better change the fluid at least every 30K even if the seal leaks or not, the required Mercon breaks down quickly in that particular transmission in that particular application.
But the seal that goes out after you drive if off the lot is on the driver side. My suspicious situation is on the passenger side, different half shaft, different seal configuration. Hmmm. Changed the oil, wiped it all off and keep an eye on the transmission fluid level. I might as well change the transmission fluid rather than add some to get it up in range since she's already got 22K miles on her. (((Is this ridiculous yet?))).
So, I'll change the transmission fluid and if I don't see it leaking around the seal on the passenger side we'll keep her a while. It's not like we drive her a lot anyhow. So how much fluid to put in it? I did all kinds of searches and watched all kids of videos on how to change the fluid and how to replace the axle seal. That's rolling the dice. Some sources say 5.7 quarts. One guy on a video said 7 quarts. I checked Bluebelle's birth certificate on the B pillar to ID exactly which transmission she has and in the owner's manual it says 9 quarts. Right there in a Times New Roman 14 font, black ink.
So I bought 9 quarts. I drained it, and from guessing what was in the catch pan that for sure ain't 9 quarts. Remember, we knew it was low but that's ain't even in the neighborhood of 9. So I poured in 7, since I don't have a clue what I'm supposed to do. I drove her round and round the block to heat her up. If this thing seizes up or gets caught between gears, I can manage to walk back home. Got her hot and checked the stick. It's hugely overfilled by an unknown amount. I don't know what too much automatic tranny fluid will exactly do but I know it ain't good.
So tomorrow after Bluebelle and I both cool off some, I'll attempt to drain approximately 1.3 quarts back out of the tranny case because now I'm guessing that the lottery estimate of 5.7 quarts is probably what it's supposed to hold. And I've learned that I should have used the Ford owner's manual last year when we were starting to get a little concerned about running out of toilet paper.
. Sorry you got a turd.
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