by Robert Kittredge
All Ford and Tiger books I’ve seen say to check the level and fill if necessary. One tech tip contributor writes that after 12,000 miles on his Tiger, it became difficult to get it into any gear before the engine warmed up. After noting that the transmission oil had never been changed, I suspected that the Ford Transmission Wizard had something in mind when he designed the drain plug. After I had it drained and refilled, the problem disappeared within a few days.
Additional Hint
Since then, I have always said “Drain and refill” on my service order every 6,000 miles. A few years later my wife’s Mustang (3-speed) started doing the same thing, and the mechanic swore he drained it like I asked. I explained my experience with my Tiger and demanded that he drain it now! The problem again went away.