Greetings!
Although some transmission replacement jobs are fairly easy, this particular model is a very difficult, complex installation. In our shop, I would not assign such a replacement to anyone but an experienced technician; there is a very real possibility of being injured if the replacement procedure is not performed correctly.
On this model, the entire engine and driveline must be supported by an engine crane or a special holding fixture during the process; the subframe that the engine is mounted on has to be unbolted and removed in order to get the transmission out of the vehicle from the bottom. To get the transmission out from underneath the vehicle means that before removing anything, the vehicle has to be lifted and positioned about 3 feet off of the ground to allow enough clearance to remove the transmission from under the vehicle, while the engine is being held up in the air by whatever fixture you want to use for the job. this can be very dangerous if you do not have a lift, engine crane, and the other equipment that can safely support the vehicle and engine during the process. I myself have 26 years of experience doing this type of repair, and would never attempt a taurus transmission at home or without the proper lifting equipment for safety reasons.
There is also the problem of flushing the cooler and lines. This requires special equipment and solvents, and MUST be done before starting the car after the transmission is replaced, or as soon as it starts it will push debris and contamination from the failed transmission out of the cooler and back into the new one, likely causing a repeat failure.
If you have an equipped local shop that is willing to perform this installation for $400, that is a very good deal, especially if they will guarantee their work. This job takes over 10 hours to complete, by an experienced Ford dealer technician with the proper equipment at hand.
Used taurus transmissions are kind of scary though. The automatic transmissions used in Taurus models had a very high failure rate, and finding one with no problems lurking inside can be a difficult process that involves a lot of luck. When installing a used transmission, a technician can remove the pan from the bottom and look for metal fragments or other obvious signs of impending disaster, but that is by no means a guarantee that there is not a worn or damaged component deeper inside where it cannot be seen. The only way to be absolutely sure that a used transmission is a good one is to completely disassemble it to check for internal problems, which costs the same (is the same job) as rebuilding your old one. If a used transmission is installed, and turns out to have unforseen internal problems, who pays the $400 labor to remove it and install another one? Most shops will not guarantee a used one, as they diodn't make any money on it in the first place. A salvage yard may guarantee a replacement one if it turns out to be defecticve, but they never pay the labor for replacing it.
For this reason, most shops will not sell or install a used transmission if they have to guarantee the job; a much better repair is a factory remanufactured one. Althjough it costs more, you know exactly what it will cost when you begin the repair, and it comes with a factory parts and labor warranty that covers it for several years after the repair.
I hope this is helpful to you; if so, an accept would be most aprpeciated! thanks!
