Fifty150

As for accessories, most products which work on 2017, should work on 2018. Floor mats, seat covers, and things like that should be fine. Since the doors still look the same, I would say that those vent visors should also work. You're not getting any mods to make the van go faster. No intakes, exhaust, tuners, or anything like a supercharger. My feeling is that you can use any 5W-20 oil with the API starburst. I suspect that every over-the-counter oil sold at major retailers is approved by The American Petroleum Institute for gasoline engines. O'Reilly's, Pep Boys, Wal*Mart, Costco.....none will sell you some off-brand oil which is not approved. And every major brand oil is approved...Pennzoil, Castrol, Mobil, et cetera. Amazon Basics is just Amazon.com's version of an in-house brand. Their own generic. Just like when you shop at Trader Joe's, and every product in the store is an in-house label. I like their $2 wine and Trader Jose beer (generic Corona). Same as when you buy SuperTech at Wal*Mart. Amazon Basics motor oil is manufactured by Warren Distribution, Made In USA, and meets or exceeds all the spec levels that auto manufacturers require. Warren Distribution makes perfectly acceptable motor oil. We are driving Transit Connect vans with little 2.5L engines. Not high performance engine cars. It's not like that GM scam calling for Dexos....Most oil already meets Dexos spec. Dexos is a license that some oil sellers simply choose not to pay for. And with as many years as Dexos spec has been around, there has not been 1 GM that I have ever heard of, which suffered engine seizure because the owner did not use Dexos. I suspect that plenty of GM are being serviced with discount fleet oil, whatever Jiffy Lube & other chains use, or whatever some guy finds on sale and just uses anyway.

Usually, at the dealership.

In some instances, like transmissions, remanufactured at a factory can be better than new. The factory can remanufacture with better parts and make corrections to the OEM design. I have been looking at Monster Transmissions as an option for replacing the 4R75E in my pickup truck. https://www.monstertransmission.com/4R70W-4R75W-4R75E-04-08_c_3973.html I'm hoping that they will eventually offer 6 speed Ford transmissions like 6F35 in Transit Connect.

It's all available online. Every owners manual for late model cars can be found online.

Which is probably why most small cars do not have an engine oil cooler. Engine Temperature is typically reduced by radiator fluid, airflow, and fans. Does anyone know if the Ford Specs for oil are so rigid and demanding, that you can't use just about any over-the-counter oil with the API Starburst?

For people who want diesel engines, they have already factored in the extra cost of ownership and operation as reasonable. People are willing to pay more for diesel engines, and pay more to buy fuel. My view is that with Transit Connect, if you really want a diesel engine for more torque and power, you may as well buy a larger vehicle more capable of what you want to do. Okay. I had no idea. Thanks!

That is why oil change is such a hotly debated topic. A lot of people feel exactly as you do. They will only use what is specified in the owners manual. I understand your position. The owners manual has more than one print version. Some owners manuals say that Ford recommends Castrol. I have a Ford truck with a fuel cap which says to use BP Fuel. I wouldn't get very far, because there are no BP Fuel Stations in my area. I have heard that it is simply a business decision to print a recommended brand into the owners manual. The cars are not specifically engineered to used one specific brand of oil. Others will also point out that as per the owners manual, you will be fine as long as you are using oil with the API starburst logo. My personal choice is to use the correct weight oil, and change oil at or before the recommended maintenance schedule, or follow the recommended maintenance schedule for severe duty.. My driving is at low speeds, stop & go traffic, and extended idle sitting in traffic all day. Yet I see how plenty of people will post their used oil analysis report to prove that they can drive for 10,000 miles or more with their choice of oil brand. I don't think that you have to use Motorcraft only. I have no problem with using Motorcraft, and use it every chance I can get a good price. Just picked up a case of Motorcraft transmission fluid, since it was even less in cost than the Wal*Mart SuperTech brand. While Motorcraft brand oil & filters are good, there are other options.

M12x1.5 is a common size used for a lot of different cars. I just bought 20 from amazon.com for $6.49 USD......price for 20, not each. That is about 33 cents per piece. Almost what you expect to pay for nuts and bolts.

Synthetic Blend is the exact stuff the manual says to use.

It's possible to strip nuts. Why did you get charged for them stripping your lug nuts? The dealer should have apologized and given you free lug nuts.

Major items, like engine, transmission, alternator.....there are still shops who specialize in rebuilds.

Sometimes the dealers update your car's body control module, engine control module, or transmission control module. These updates can be for anything from shift strategy, to your air fuel ratio, to whatever Ford feels is needed for your car to operate better. No schedule for computer updates. They are made available whenever the manufacturer decides to issue them.

If this will be permanent, and you will never even attempt to take it off, then all bets are off. Epoxy could create a permanent bond. Rivets will give you that cool, military look. Think about rivet nuts. U-Clips or Clip Nuts could also work.

I would.

I haven't seen prices this low in over a decade. \ Roll over image to zoom in AmazonBasics High Mileage Motor Oil - Synthetic Blend (SN Plus) - 5W-20 - 1 Quart-6 Pack by AmazonBasics 4.4 out of 5 stars 44 customer reviews List Price: $24.99 With Deal: $14.58 Free Shipping for Prime Members

Most modern transmissions have some sort of transmission cooler bypass. The fluid has to reach a certain temperature, otherwise it flows right back to the transmission without going to the cooling system. Same way your coolant stays in the engine until it is warm enough to open the thermostat. In a lot of transmissions, this could be a point of failure. Hot fluid stays in the transmission until it overheats. For those who have exchanged their own fluid with Transit Connect: with your vehicle in Park, and idling, how long does it take before the transmission reaches a proper operating temperature? I don't want to sit on the curb for 45 minutes, breathing exhaust fumes, waiting for a car that isn't moving, to warm up the transmission from a cold start. How are you guys checking your transmission fluid temperature? Are you reading from the OBDII port? Any special tool, or app?

I'm always surprised to hear that Wal*Mart SuperTech brand oil & filters are of good quality. You just don't expect that. In real world observation, fleet maintenance speaks volumes for regular maintenance. Most fleet service programs follow factory recommended service intervals for everything. They never change the oil at 3000 miles, or 10,000 miles, if the maintenance schedule says 5000 miles. If the book says 5000 miles, they change it at 5000 miles. Where I work at, and almost every private or government fleet, they are not paying extra money for premium grade synthetic oil or high cost oil filters. They use the least expensive oil from a drum, and the least expensive oil filters which may be even worse than a Fram. Yet, with regular oil changes, none of these vehicles have blown an engine within the warranty mileage, and all go over 100,000 miles easily.

I feel that the machines do a better job of exchanging fluid. When you do it by adding fresh fluid, running the vehicle to bring the transmission back up to operating temperature, then draining again, then refilling again.......you are mixing fresh fluid with contaminated fluid. Sure, it makes sense. Do it 3 times, and you will have diluted the contaminated fluid with enough new fluid, so that even if not 100% fresh fluid, it's better than 100% contaminated fluid. I like being able to drain the pan, refill fresh fluid into the pan, then start pumping out old fluid from the cooling line as you add fresh fluid. With that process, I can see the fluid leaving the line, and continue doing it until clean fluid is being pumped out. Then I know that only fresh fluid is in the system. That's a tried and true old school fluid exchange which has worked on a lot of older cars. Does anyone have a service manual which shows the cooling and return lines for Transit Connect, and how to disconnect the line at the radiator?

On the side of the 6F35 transmission case, there is a fill level plug. You can open the plug, and fill your transmission up to that point which it reaches the port and begins to trickle out. When filling from there, it is impossible to overfill. Other members have filled their transmissions from the breather cap on the top. One easy strategy is to use a paint mix bucket with measurement lines to indicate how much you drained out. Then refill with the exact same amount. This is not accurate if you drain hot fluid and add cold fluid. But should be okay if you drain cold fluid, and add cold fluid.

The dash kit and harness are available. But the real problem is that your aftermarket equipment may not support all the features of your car. If you are an audiophile, OEM is never good enough. But how much are you going to enjoy the better sound, in a vehicle with lackluster insulation and road noise? If you want to do-it-yourself, start at Crutchfield. 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About a decade or so ago, Ford claimed that the 4R75E 4 speed transmission was maintenance free. All that you had to do was check the dipstick. For what? I don't know. You will see the fluid turning dark. But nothing matters if you are not suppose to service it. That transmission was the updated version of the AOD & 4R70 transmissions that they used 1980. It came with a pan that did not have a drain plug, and no way to drain the torque converter. Every dealership did service it. The dealerships would not say no to an extra couple of hundred dollars to flush it with a fluid exchange machine. Amazing how a little maintenance on a maintenance free transmission, will offset catastrophic failure. Ford is not alone in the world of "lifetime" transmissions. Toyota, VW, Mercedes.....have all offered a version of a "lifetime" sealed transmission. No automaker can make a transmission which does not wear, with fluid which does not break down. At the dealership level, they use a machine to flush the 6F35. In the days of yore and yesteryear, flushing a transmission was considered a sin. The belief was that flushing did more harm than good. Some people felt it better to leave the contaminated tranny fluid in, and just wait for the rebuild. Modern transmission service equipment does not use a pump of any sort to damage the transmission with pressure. The typical dealership uses a machine with collects your contaminated fluid from the cooling line, and allows fresh fluid to refill your transmission from the return line. Even Jiffy Lube has that type of machine.

Present this at your local dealer, and see if they will honor it........

Ford actually specs their vehicles for Motorcraft Synthetic Blend. Not Full Synthetic. Motor oil prices vary. I believe that Wal*Mart has the best price on Motorcraft oil filters. As far as oil brand, everyone will have an opinion. I won't weigh in on boutique oil brands or even boutique filters. Plenty of research has already been done with used oil analysis and oil filters cut open. I will encourage using oil weight as specified in your owners manual. Transit Connect is 5W-20, with 0W-20 as an alternate for cooler climates. Again, with used oil analysis, plenty of people have found that even the Wal*Mart brand SuperTech is perfectly fine. Fram filters on the other hand, do come in different grades. The lowest price Fram is not very good. The higher price Fram models are better built. Out of curiosity, what do you mean by "Ford Certified Mechanic"? I was not aware that Ford has a certification program for independent mechanics. I was under the impression that only the dealership technicians received continual ongoing training. In my area, there are shops that which specialize in certain makes & models. Even a shop which specializes in Mustangs, housed in a former dealership. They are probably more knowledgeable about Ford Mustang than most independent shops. But I don't see anything that says, "Ford Certified". And they cannot do things like "reflash" your computer when Ford releases an update. Nor are they allowed to perform warranty work. To my knowledge, no independent dealers get software updates to reflash the car, nor are they allowed to perform warranty work. Dealer rates will vary. Most dealers still put those little stickers in the windshield that ask you to return within 3000 - 5000 miles. Performing extra oil changes allows them to upsell you on other services. They want you in the shop for those oil changes. Ask your service advisor. I don't think they will have any problem charging you the "coupon price" every 3000 miles. Look for those coupons online. There is always a discount price for "The Works".

If you care enough to change oil more than recommended, then you care enough to use higher price oil and filter. Which is expensive, and not cheap. Not possible to get better, and cheaper.