How to Check Level and Condition of Fluids in Your 1998-2012 Ford Ranger 4-0L V6
Created on: 2016-09-13
How to check and refill the power steering, brake, and washer fluid, coolant, and engine oil on the 01 Ford Ranger
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step 1 :Checking the Brake Fluid
- Twist off the brake fluid cap
- Check the cap for rubber swelling
- Use a flashlight if necessary
- Check that the brake fluid is above the minimum line
- Add fluid if necessary
- Check that the brake fluid is clear
- Flush and replace the fluid if it is murky or has contaminants in it
- Bleed the brakes, if you have flushed the system
- Twist on the brake fluid cap
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step 2 :Checking the Power Steering Fluid
- Twist off the power steering fluid cap
- Use a flashlight if necessary
- Check that the fluid is between the "min" and "max" lines
- Add fluid if necessary
- Check that the fluid is bright red in color
- Flush and replace the fluid if it is dark or milky
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step 3 :Checking the Engine Oil
- Park the vehicle on a level surface
- Remove the oil dipstick
- Clean the dipstick with a rag
- Insert the oil dipstick
- Remove the oil dipstick
- Check that the oil level is up to the second dot on the dipstick
- Twist off the oil filler cap to add oil
- Add oil as necessary
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step 4 :Checking the Windshield Washer Fluid
- Open the washer fluid cap
- Fill the washer fluid reservoir to the top
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step 5 :Checking the Coolant
- Use a flashlight if necessary
- Check that the coolant is up to the "cold fill" line
- Add coolant as necessary
- Check the coolant for discoloration or debris
- Flush and replace the coolant if it is discolored
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step 6 :Checking the Transmission Fluid
- Run the engine
- Allow the engine to reach operating temperature
- Put the shifter into all of its positions for 5 seconds each, starting with park
- Put the shifter into all of its positions for 5 seconds each, in reverse order, ending with park
- Remove the transmission dipstick
- Clean the dipstick with a rag
- Insert the transmission dipstick
- Remove the transmission dipstick
- Check that the fluid level is up to the second dot on the dipstick
- Check that the fluid is pink
- If the fluid has a slight brown discoloration, flush and replace the fluid
- Add fluid through the dipstick tube as necessary, using a funnel
Tools needed
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Windshield Washer Fluid
Funnel
Power Steering Fluid
Paper Towels
Brake Fluid
Transmission Fluid
Flashlight
Cloth Rags
Anti-Freeze
Engine Oil
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Hi, I'm Mike from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.
In this video, we're going to be working with our 2001 Ford Ranger, 4.0 liter V6. We're going to show you how to inspect the condition and levels of all of your vital under-hood fluids. We have our brake fluid, power steering-which in this vehicle uses automatic transmission fluid or ATF, our engine oil dipstick, our oil filler cap, transmission dipstick, washer fluid, and our coolant overflow.
Your brake fluid reservoir is located up on the driver's side of the firewall. We'll unscrew the cap and remove it. The first the thing we want to check when we remove our cap is that this rubber is not swollen or damaged in any way, because that's a good sign of fluid that has water contamination in it. Sometimes these reservoirs get a little cloudy with old age. Placing a flashlight over the top and turning it on makes it much easier to see where your brake fluid is at. You want to make sure that the fluid is at least above the minimum line, because this fluid level will drop with normal brake usage. As your calipers wear down, that piston stays farther and farther out to make sure the pads are close to the rotor every time you hit the brakes. This fluid fills that void in the back, so this level will drop down as your pads wear out and come back up top. After installing new pads and rotors is the only time that we can top off our brake fluid.
Inspect the condition of the fluid, as well. Your brake fluid should be clear to a green tea-type color at the absolute darkest. Anything darker or with a milky look to it or with particle contaminant floating around, should be flushed out and filled with new fluid immediately. These discolorations are signs that the brake fluid has become contaminated with water and other types of contaminants. This can reduce braking efficiency, cause premature wear of brake lines, cylinders, and seals in the brake system. A simple drain and fill procedure, followed by a thorough bleed, will get your brakes back up and stopping like they should.
Remove the cap for the power steering reservoir. Again, these containers can become murky with old age. Putting a flashlight on the top will help us see our level. You can see we're just above our max line, which is right where we want to be. This particular power steering pump uses ATF, or automatic transmission fluid, as opposed to a traditional clear power steering fluid. This is fine. It's a hydraulic fluid just like any other. It's just that this system happens to be designed to work with this type of fluid.
Next, we'll want to check the color and condition of our fluid. You want to make sure that it is a nice, bright red color. Dark discolorations or burnt smells can be signs of failing power steering components, causing the fluid to overheat and be less effective. Whereas a milky discoloration can be sign of a contaminant, such as water or another type of fluid. If any type of discoloration is found, flush your power steering system and refill with fresh, clean ATF.
Remove the engine oil dipstick. Wipe it clean with a clean paper towel or rag. Be sure that the truck is parked on a level surface for the most accurate reading. Reinstall the dipstick fully, and remove it again. We're simply checking that there's fluid on the dipstick up to this dot here. These two dots signify the last quart of oil for the proper capacity inside of the oil pan. If the line of fluid is lower than this top mark, this marks signifies that it is one quart low. The middle would be a half quart low. If it is below the dipstick, we'll add a quart at a time until we get back up into our range and fine tune from there. Our fluid is up top where it should be. Clean off your dipstick. Reinstall it into the dipstick tube.
If your fluid level was below that line, remove the oil cap here. Top it off with 5W30 engine oil. Recheck and top off as needed until it's within an acceptable range.
Open the lid on the washer fluid reservoir. Simply fill it right up to the top.
Open the cap on the coolant reservoir. Again, we'll put our flashlight over the top to make it easier to see. The full line is actually down here behind the air box. You'll see it actually says cold fill. Be sure that the fluid is up to that level, that it is clear of dirt and debris or any milky discolorations. Otherwise, you'll want to flush out the system and fill it with fresh 50/50 coolant to make sure that your engine is being cooled properly.
With the vehicle running and at operating temperature, we're going to put our foot firmly on the brake, click this shifter into each range, and hold it for about 5 seconds. Then, we'll go back up into park the same way. Hold each gear for 5 seconds. What this does is it allows the transmission to properly cycle all the fluid through.
Once we're back in park, we'll leave our vehicle running. We'll get out and check the fluid. Remove the transmission dipstick with the vehicle at operating temp, running, and in park, after we've cycled through all of our gears. Wipe it clean. Reinstall it. Check the level and condition of your fluid.
These two dots here signify the full range at operating temperature. Our truck is actually a little bit cold, so being just below this line is acceptable. We're within an acceptable range here. If it's below this line, add a quart of fluid and repeat the process of cycling through the gears. Check the dipstick again, and repeat the process until it's up top. Our fluid is nice and pink. If it looks dark, has a gritty texture, or smells burnt, these are signs of transmission wear and possible failure. A little bit of a light brown color to the fluid is acceptable and means that we should probably change our fluid. If the fluid gets too dark from friction material coming off the clutches and getting into the fluid, changing our fluid could mean our transmission is going to start slipping and eventually fail.
If the transmission fluid needs to be filled, do so by placing a thin neck funnel into the dipstick tube that you use to check the fluid and fill through there. Keeping up with your fluids to make sure that they're always at proper levels and in good condition is the best way to ensure the longevity of the parts and systems that use them. Proper coolant condition and level keeps the engine cool and running the way it should, as does engine oil. The level of transmission fluid and condition ensures the longevity of your automatic transmission. Brake fluid makes sure that your car stops like it's supposed to and keeps your lines in good shape, where fluid getting inside of them can slowly rot them from the inside out. Power steering fluid ensures that your steering system stays in good condition, being the pump and the gear or, rack on some vehicles. These simple steps can make sure that your truck or car stays in good condition for longer.
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