thefultonhow

I'm getting ready to do the 60k service on my fiancee's 04 V6 auto convertible. Here's what I know I'm doing:

Spark plugs (do I need to do wires?)
Fuel filter (is this in tank or in the engine bay?)
Coolant flush
Brake fluid flush
Power steering flush
Inspect accessory belts
No need to do the air filter (she got in an accident recently that destroyed the right front of the car, and the body shop replaced the airbox, so I assume they did the filter too -- but I will check to make sure)

I see people recommend changing the gear oil on a manual, but what about the ATF on an auto? And should I do the rear diff? She does not drive the car hard, just has a 50+ mi/day commute.

Anything else I am missing? Also, anyone know of a good online source for an FSM? I've done plenty of work on cars, but all of it has been on imports (mostly Subarus and Nissans).

petrock

Its not required, but it wouldn’t hurt.

Its between the fuel tank & the rear diff, outside the tank.

I’d replace the serpentine belt if it is the factory original. 60k miles is towards the end of life of serp belts. I like Goodyear Gatorback serp belts.

Its not guaranteed that they replaced the filter too. So, yes, definitely check it.

Change the tranny & diff oil based on the milage interval the factory service manual. But definitely check the fluid levels and top them off if they are low.

Change the engine oil of course, check inner/outer tie rods, ball joints, rotate tires, check tire air pressure, check for uneven wear on the tires, check brake pads/shoes, check drive shaft u-joints, check the front & rear shocks, climb around the motor & trans looking for leaks.

Welcome to this side of the pond.

thefultonhow

What is that interval? I don't have an FSM.

whudson1980

Hello. Might I also suggest replacing the timing coil. Since you're replacing the plugs and wires, it doesn't hurt to throw this in too. Two bolts, and its out. 5 minute or less replacement.

petrock

I don’t have the FSM for your year mustang. The interval is also listed in your owners manual. If you don’t have that, you can pick it up at your local ford dealer or on ebay.

thefultonhow

I do have the owner's manual. Do you know what section that information might be in? (The separate "maintenance schedule" booklet is utterly useless -- looks like Ford used the same one for all 2004 Ford models.)

mustangman02232

unless your brake fluid or power steering fluid is contaminated your really just wasting your time changing it

I would do wires while they are out, you can get some upgraded stangwires or msd wires off of either american muscle, stangmods.com or autobadges.com or any other sponser I am sure, I would also suggest spending the money on a screaming demon coil pack (cheaper then motorcraft), however I would use motorcraft plugs

drain and fill the trans with ATF, make sure you use the correct merc fluid, and the correct weight oil for the rear diff, I prefer valvoline syn for my rear ends.

get ~25 gallons of distilled water and completely flush the ford dexcool **** coolant out of the car, (remove thermostat, drain rad, refill, drive, repeat)

your probably going to need shocks and struts, but I would also check the whole front end and driveline for any other problems

you could replace o2 sensors but they are a bit pricy

petrock

Open the book and look inside. It will be in the maintenance interval booklet. Its in there. Just take the time and read it. as the old saying goes, when all else fails Read The F*CK’N Manual... Just sayin’....


While power steering fluid doesn’t need to be changed that often, brake fluid definitely does. It will contaminate itself with moisture in the air over time and turn black. The general rule of thumb is to change the brake fluid out every two years or so. Its one of the few fluids in a car that needs to be changed over time instead of milage.


Now that would be a waste of time & money. Performance wires will have little to no effect on a daily driver, and even most mod’d rides out there. Stick with standard wires.
Unless the coil is not working properly there is no reason to change it. They don’t wear out. They either work or they don’t. And like performance wires, using a performance coil pack will not show any noticeable gains on a daily driver, let alone most mod’d motors out there.


If your just flushing out old coolant, you son’t need distilled water. Garden hose water will do just fine as long as you drain it out and replace with a mix of coolant & distilled water. You want distilled water due to its lack of mineral content, like tap/garden hose water has.
No need to drive in-between changes, just let the motor run with the heater on full blast till the motor is up to operating temps.

Shocks & struts don’t have a milage limit. Different shocks/struts wear out at different milages, that is why it is better to check them instead of just blindly replace them.

If the o2’s aren’t throwing a code there is no reason to replace them.

thefultonhow

Sorry, but the maintenance interval booklet is useless. Here's the link:

http://www.motorcraftservice.com/pub.../04frdmg2e.pdf

As you can see, it encompasses all 2004 model year Fords. Here's what it says about ATF at 60k:

Uh, WTF? Does the Mustang have either of those transmissions? If not, it says the ATF does not need to be changed. But, other sites say to change it.

TomKat

just drain and refill the ATF fluid and you'll be good to go... do oil change as well with spark plugs and wires.. properly inflate tires check brakes and rotors for wear