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Fluid change 2013 gt500 10,000 miles

3224 Views 38 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  Robert M
My cars now 9 years old. I barely drive it. Other than a yearly oil change I’ve done nothing. I’ve gotta change my battery for sure this year. But I’ve been thinking that maybe I need to change my trans and diff fluids due to age?
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My cars now 9 years old. I barely drive it. Other than a yearly oil change I’ve done nothing. I’ve gotta change my battery for sure this year. But I’ve been thinking that maybe I need to change my trans and diff fluids due to age? View attachment 235677
Welcome back! Haven’t seen you here in a handful of years. Your car is looking fabulous as ever.

Other than oil, I’d do a coolant flush/fill in both systems. That should be all your car needs right now.

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I don’t think have a transmission cooler. What the other system ?

I’ll call my dealership to get it done. I never did the airbag recall either. Ford sends me weekly postcards for 5 years :)
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I don’t think have a transmission cooler. What the other system ?

I’ll call my dealership to get it done. I never did the airbag recall either. Ford sends me weekly postcards for 5 years :)
Engine coolant and supercharger intercooler system. You have two coolant reservoirs in your engine bay. They are separate systems.
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I don’t think have a transmission cooler. What the other system ?

I’ll call my dealership to get it done. I never did the airbag recall either. Ford sends me weekly postcards for 5 years :)
If you have the track pack on the '13, you have a trans and a diff cooler in addition to the engine and s/c coolers. The trans cooler is mounted in front of the engine cooler and can be seen in the upper portion of the front cowl. It's about 5x18.
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If you have the track pack on the '13, you have a trans and a diff cooler in addition to the engine and s/c coolers. The trans cooler is mounted in front of the engine cooler and can be seen in the upper portion of the front cowl. It's about 5x18. View attachment 235699
Just to clarify for huggytree, he only has 2 separate coolant systems on his car. Flush/fill them both per the video I posted above. The other coolers don’t need maintenance at this time.
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It’s got the performance package. But I think the track pack wasn’t available for convertibles. It’s loaded I know.
That is a very cool color combo! I need to do that coolant flush on my '13 vert.

What about brake fluid flush?
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Tad surprised no one mentioned brake fluid. If yours isn't clear, it's bad.
It's hygroscopic and should be replaced every two years max, or it will allow the water now in the system to sink into the calipers causing pitting causing hangs with the pistons.

I will post a couple pictures, doubt mines been done ever.
For you track guys this is huge, that water will get hot and boil causing your brakes to lock up.

Droptop posted his as I was typing mine out, LOL.
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I have Mustangs from the 90s still rocking the original brake fluid. On the flip side, I have changed the fluid in my 2020 many times as that is my track car.

Look in your owner’s manual for the maintenance schedule.
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From the 2013 Mustang owner’s manual:

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I don't drive my 07 much but I did have the coolent systems changed. I did it at the dealer. They have a trick machine that sucks out to old and puts the new back in. How are the tires? those are old as well.
From the 2013 Shelby supplement:

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SO brake fluid isn't on the service list find that odd. Motorcycle service
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i fount AirLift tool to be the best method so far in refilling supercharger cooling system and or engine cooling system, this way you can verify leaks as well as guarantee system is refilled without air pockets.

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Raptor131 two new things added to the information bucket. Nice find, how big of a compressor do you use. My 20 gallon (non piston) isn't a CFM dynamo.
like the video says minimum of i think 90psi , may want to check out manufacturer about cfms but i dont think that matters as much as psi to get the venturi effect vacuum magic to happen, 20 gal should do the trick. but the real cool part is before you refill the system if the gauge doesn't hold vaccum you know you some sort of leak prior to refilling the entire system.
Below is brake fluid removed from my 2008 with 600 original miles and 6 years old. Already started to Brown......



...............and moisture sediments/jell in the bottom.......600 original miles, stored in a A/C humidity/climate controlled garage since new (early 2009 when I got it back from Shelby), and only 6 years old (approx. 2014).......



I have brake fluid color descriptions.......New (Pee), Starting to Degrade but still somewhat safe (Tea), Much Degraded (Root Beer) and Very Neglected (Coffee)............and moisture in the brake fluid degrades the braking ability, especially if the fluid is heated through "spirited" braking.......

Below is a 2011 owners brake pictures I grabbed from the internet a few years ago, this car had 50K miles and was 5 or 6 years old at the time.........

.............looks ok from the outside?....No worries, shut the hood......




............but Wait!!............Let's investigate a little further.......NASTY!!!!!



..........and that fluid is in the Master Cyl., the lines, the ABS module and the calipers........How Exciting!!!



^^^^^^^^and in the Clutch Master it's line and the TOB..........

R
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The easiest way that I have found to fully/completely flush the S/C cooling system is to use a simple Shop-Vac on the blower side.

This will work for the 2007-2012 and 2013.14 S/C systems, but for the Step Number 4 below, do not completely remove the S/C reservoir hose from the upper nipple but instead a 3/4" 18mm plug will need to be installed in the hose end that was removed from the I/C nipple and keep the original hose attached (upper and lower) to the reservoir, but use the rest of the procedure outlined to blow the old coolant out, completely flush with clean water and then refill the system. I guarantee the dealership will not fully flush the system in this way.......

1 - Completely remove the upper hose on the S/C reservoir. 2007-2012 only, 2013/14 outlined above.........
2 - Install a 3/4" - 18mm 90 degree turn-down hose on the I/C outlet nipple where the reservoir hose was removed.
3 - Place towels in the area below that installed 90 degree hose and place a large Ziploc under that 90 degree hose.

^^^That is the "catch end" for the old/contaminated coolant.........

4 - Install a 3/4" - 18mm hose cap over the S/C reservoir nipple where the upper hose was removed. 2007-2012. See above for 2013/14.
5 - Open and remove the S/C reservoir cap and using the Blow side of the Shop-Vac (with a towel wrapped around the Shop-Vac hose), blow the coolant out.
6 - Keep an eye on the Ziploc bag as it fills, to not make a mess remove the Shop-Vac hose from the reservoir cap hole as needed to empty the Ziploc. Of course the larger the Ziploc (Gallon size, etc.), the more fluid will be captured at a time.
5 - Put fresh water into the S/C reservoir, I used Distilled Water so there are no minerals or Chlorine in the water.
6 - Keep the S/C reservoir filled with water and keep blowing, air and water will come out at the capture bag, empty as needed. Continued to blow the clean water through until it is clear at the capture bag, this may take a few times of flushing with the clean water until it is crystal clear. then blow all water out of the system so it is empty.

..........Now the refill w/o air pockets.......

7 - Pour the new coolant into the S/C reservoir, it will gurgle and the fluid level will go down as the coolant finds its lowest level (gravity works). Keep filling the reservoir until it will fill no more.
8 - Now with the blower side of the Shop-Vac start the blowing process again, BUT THIS TIME be sure not to allow the coolant level to go below what you can see in the reservoir <<<<That is Very Important.
9 - Blow some coolant into the system, verify the level in the reservoir and ad as needed do NOT let that coolant level get out of sight in the reservoir. As you blow the new coolant through, it will push the air out into the capture bag along with some new coolant, you can either pour that captured new coolant into the reservoir or throw it away. I reinstalled that coolant in the reservoir, it is new coolant and my system was completely flushed with water until clean.
10 - Continue to blow the new coolant into the system (keeping an eye on the level in the reservoir) until there is only clean coolant flow out of the nipple at the capture bag and no air.
11 - Remove the capture bag and towels, the main purpose of the towels was to protect that Zip-Loc from being punctured by a fan blade, or a hose clamp tip or anything else in that area between the engine and radiator., plus the towel(s) also hole the Zip-Loc upright and in position under the discharge hose.
12 - Remove the 90 degree turn down hose from the I/C outlet nipple and also the rubber cap on the reservoir nipple. 2007-2012 cap and 2013/14 hose plug.
13 - Reinstalled the original hose connection(s) run the car to operating temp. ad add coolant as needed, most likely you will not need to add much, if any at all.......

No need for any specialty tools, a simple Shop-Vac, a Ziploc baggy, some towels and the rubber plug/cap mentioned above along with a "turn down hose".........

If you just want to blow it through and refill it, it won't take long, if you want to fully flush all of the old/contaminated coolant out with water for a clean system, it will take a little bit longer......

R
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