hi guys im stumped g/f has a 1998 fairlane with trany probs. It has no filler pipe ive worked out how to put fluid in though top oil line. My problem is i can not find a drain plug is there another way to check fluid. Problem is it will not come out of 1st gear after we had put fluid in thinking it is over full. Thank u

Ford done away with the filler/dipstick around 95/96 sometime
the filler plug hole is located on the RHS of the car towards the back of the trans about half way up from memory.

Full level is where it trickles back out the filler hole when the car is on flat level ground.

There is no drain plug at all to drain you undo (Loosen) the bolts of the sump break the gasket seal and let it run out until the sump is the only thing holding oil remove all the bolts and then make a huge mess as you drop the sump

So you only have 1st gear? If you get the road speed high enough, and back off the throttle, does it pick up 3rd gear? I ask as it sounds like you have broken the 2nd gear band. A very common fault, and the easiest fix is to get another transmission.
If it is overfull, it should puke out of the vent in the top of the trans case.
Good luck.