I have some questions about servicing the Freestar transmission.
Does removing the Transmission pan drain all of the fluid, or is it necessary to disconnect the cooler line and run the engine at an idle to pump it out?

 

Drop the pan and replace the filter. You may need to use a small screw driver to pry out the old filter retaining seal. I prefer WIX filters. Box should contain a new filter, retaining seal, pan gasket. Clean all of the crud out of the pan. If you pul the magnet out of the bottom of the tranny pan, make sure you put it back in after cleaning. The pan gasket is a "RE-USABLE" gasket per Ford, but I always use a new filter. I apply a light coating of COPPER+ silicone to the pan surface and apply the gasket. Then I turn the pan over onto a flat surface and let it set while fluid continues to drip out of the tranny. After pretty much all fluid has finished dripping (couple cups of coffee), apply a light coating of COPPER+ silicone to the pan gasket and wipe off any fluid from the transmission mating surface. Apply the pan up against the transmission and run the pan bolts in by hand and then snug them. Let it set for a few minutes, then tighten the pan bolts up, but not too tight.

All of this will net about 6 quarts of fluid with the remaining old fluid (about 8 quarts) in the converter, lines and radiator. Since I was installing AMSOIL, I topped my transmission off with Mercon V and then took it to my friends shop and paid him to perform a fluid flush with my AMSOIL since the lines are kind of a pain to disconnect to do the engine run/pump and fill in the garage.

Plus, I let him have the mess to contend with. I'll be a 100,000 miles by the end of this month and he'll get it in his shop for another full fluid replacement with AMSOIL.

If you do it yourself, you need to add fluid as fast as it comes out so that you don't run the pump dry causing pump failure.

My personal opinion is adding 6 quarts of fresh Mercon V to the tranny just to have it replaced again by a good shop is well worth the money to ensure a "FULL" fluid replacement is done.