onebad82z

iTrader: (1)

Has anyone done this on an aftermarket shifter?

I am thinking about drilling/tapping a hole on the front of my Pro 5.0 base and add an allen key headed plug to allow me to service the fluid easier.The factory fill plug is damn near impossible to fill through in my '82.

Will this severely weaken the shifter?

I got the idea from looking at the TA cover on my 12 bolt.This way I can drain it underneath as usual,remove my shift plate and lower shift boot (6 screws), remove the allen key plug and fill with a funnel through the hole.Seems alot easier in theory than removing the shifter each time,plus there is less chance of messing up the shifter bolt threads from repeated uses.

camaroguy26

iTrader: (21)

I don't see why it would be a problem. Just make sure you don't drill too big of a hole I guess and put it in the right spot. That base is pretty thick! I'm sure you know this already but don't drill it with it installed lol. You don't want shavings in your tranny! haha, maybe I'll be doing this too next time I have it removed, good idea!

onebad82z

iTrader: (1)

Yeah I have it off the trans right now I am about to start putting the trans in for good as I just finished the swap from a 4 speed.

I just figured it would make servicing the fluid that much easier.4 less bolts to remove and no need to clean off all the old silicone just to put fresh back on.

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (17)

Hey man... I had this idea when i was installing my Pro 5.0. I got the idea while the shifter was off the car and the sun was setting, so I didnt have time to commit. However I think its a great idea!!

I plan on doing it next time the shifter has to come off... Its just a pain like you said to fill through the fill hole in the side. And once I get the shifter sealed up nice, its a pain to pull that all apart as well.

Just make sure you use a NPT tap when you make the hole..duh.. Let us know if you do it and how it works! Its a great idea! Pro 5.0 should do it from the factory since so many of us fill the trans through the shifter opening. I dont think it will hurt the structural integrity of the shifter base. Like mentioned above its pretty thick. 1/2" pipe thead hole would probably work decent. Maybe a 3/4"...have to check.

Justin

onebad82z

iTrader: (1)

I plan to do it tomorrow or early next week and will post back with pics.I need to get over to Lowes and see what kinda allen key headed plug they have. Like mentioned,the base is plenty thick so I have no worries about it really.Mainly posted to see if someone DID do it and had some serious issues.Kinda looks like no one has done it though


There is more than enough room for a 1/2" hole when I measured last night.I marked two parallel lines, one from the center of the front mounting holes and one at the bottom of the radius at the base of the shift "tower" and it comes out to exactly 1".A 3/4" may work as well...but I want to keep as much meat in there as possible while making the hole just the size needed to keep strength up as well.

Tudds

iTrader: (4)

buy a fluid pump

onebad82z

iTrader: (1)

A viable option indeed.

SPEEDYws6

iTrader: (9)

It's a great idea. It turns out that everytime I have to add fluid the shifter is already off. Thats how it goes for me atleast. But I change the fluid every time the trans comes out of the car, and thats atleast once a year.

What I did once when I forgot to put in fluid before I put the shifter back on was take out the fill plug and run a hose strait up and into the car (dust boot was off), then I stuck a funnel in the hose and filled it from there.

INMY01TA

iTrader: (1)

Ditto.

Bryan28

Summit Racing sells very nice 1/2 5/8 3/4 chrome steel allen head pipe plugs like you are seeking.. I have never found them at Ace or Home Depot or Lowes hardware stores. They will sell you a brass or steel plug with a big head on it , it will probably work though

onebad82z

iTrader: (1)

I noticed that as well, the fact the Home Depot, Lowes or Autozone did not have them.I will try one more lil mom and pop auto parts store in town this week otherwise I will order from Summit.Thank for the heads up!

98 SNAKE EATER

Yep


It's easier for me to just fill it through the normal filler with a pump than to take the console apart and remove the #6 boot

SladeX

Taking off the console has become second nature to me and the idea of filling it through the shifter is so damn quick rather than the underneath pumping/switching bottles and fill till spill concept.

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (17)

Yeah I thought about that.... Gotta find a way to make a hole in the lower rubber boot as well. Maybe find a grommet to plug that with afterwards...

Doing anything under the car is such a pain in the butt. I like to just reach under, slide the drain pan under, pull the drain nut, let it drain. Reach back under and put the drain plug back in. Then you are done under the car. Fill through the top, good time to inspect the shifter and see if there is anything weird going on. This makes that much easier.

I was wondering if you could adapt one of those fram quick drain deals to work. I think you install it like a drain plug...but when you want to drain you just screw an extension hose onto it. It should work the opposite way. Screw the hose onto it, attach a funnel to the top, and you can fill without having to pour down into the console. Ought to work both ways....

Justin

Tudds

iTrader: (4)

Those fram things drain VERY slowly

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (17)

Really? My friend had one on her car...guess a garage installed it. Worked great. Drained just as fast as just removing the plug. I just assumed they were all decent. Maybe you could modify it to drain/fill faster?

Maybe you could figure something out along the same idea...just with a bigger opening/tube..?

Justin

jd783

i bought one for filling kerosene stoves for about $5 and it will empty a quart of tranny fluid in about 15 pumps. that does sound like a good idea but thats a lot of stuff to remove just to change the fluid dunno just my.02

SladeX

I think I can have the console and shifter disassembled in roughly 10 mins now. While that's being done, the transmission can drain itself till it's a very slow drip.

I honestly think it's more of a PITA to jack up the car than it is to disassemble the shifter.

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (17)

Agreed...Just gotta make an acess hole through that rubber boot and the only thing you have to remove is the leather shifter boot on the outside. Thats why I was trying to come up with a way to have a hose go down to your new shifter fill hole. So you can just pull up the leather boot, move it aside, pull a plug in the boot out, take out the fill plug, and good to go.

Justin