Writeup for changing tranny fluid and filter?
Writeup for changing tranny fluid and filter? I've searched and I can't find anything. I know you just drop the pan and let the fluid drain out, but is there a writeup with step by step instructions? I already have my dexron III fluid but where do you buy the filter from? I looked at autozone and couldn't find any tranny filters. Is there a gasket that needs to be replaced after dropping the pan?
Autozone does have the filter but you will have to go to the counter to get it. The gasket that is on the tranny now is reusable so save your money.When refilling just drop 4 quarts in to start off with,start the car and let it start to warm up and check your fluid level.Once your getting a accurate reading on the dipstick you will probably have to add 1 to 2 more quarts.Take car for a drive and let the fluid get up to operating temp and check it again.Fluid should be upto the middle to upper part of the crosshex area at this time.
Your new filter will probably include a new pan gasket as well as a new sealing ring for the filter neck. Most of the time the one on the filter neck doesn't come out with the old filter. I checked mine and it didn't look bad so just reused it. I did replace the pan gasket with the new one provided. Pan leaks are a pain to fix (drop pan again) so be safe and use the new one.
Loosen one corner of the pan to drain instead of just trying to drop the whole thing at once. Do one of the low corners if your on ramps/stands, take a couple bolts out around the corner and then start loosening the ones on either side of those until it starts draining. You may need to work the pan some to get it to start coming loose.
Hit the pan with some brake/carb cleaner to clean it up and then put it back together. Don't forget to add fluid before starting! To many people get excited about being done with the job and forget to add fluids before they crank them up. By the way, you'll probably need a flexible funnel if you don't have one. And put a shop towel under the bend in the dipstick tube to catch any over flow if you happen to power too fast.
Loosen one corner of the pan to drain instead of just trying to drop the whole thing at once. Do one of the low corners if your on ramps/stands, take a couple bolts out around the corner and then start loosening the ones on either side of those until it starts draining. You may need to work the pan some to get it to start coming loose.
Hit the pan with some brake/carb cleaner to clean it up and then put it back together. Don't forget to add fluid before starting! To many people get excited about being done with the job and forget to add fluids before they crank them up. By the way, you'll probably need a flexible funnel if you don't have one. And put a shop towel under the bend in the dipstick tube to catch any over flow if you happen to power too fast.
Thanks for all the advice. I got it done, but since autozone gave me the wrong f'n part the filter wouldn't fit. I tried to make it fit for like an hour and it just wouldn't go in. I had to get someone to run by o'reillys and get a different one. The one from o'reillys fit, but it was very difficult to get the filter neck up high enough.
Also, on the bottom of the pan there was a black square with thick black oil on it. What is that?
Also, on the bottom of the pan there was a black square with thick black oil on it. What is that?
It's a magnet to catch "most" of the metal floating around in the fluid. The "thick black oil" is transmission fluid with fine metal particles in it. Part of the reason to make sure you clean the pan well when you've got it off.
Yeah the filter neck can be a little tight but it needs a good seal there to keep anything from being sucked by it without going through the filter.
Yeah the filter neck can be a little tight but it needs a good seal there to keep anything from being sucked by it without going through the filter.
I thought that might have been what it was but I wasn't sure so I left it alone. I cleaned the rest of the pan. I'm getting a TC here in the next few weeks so hopefully leaving the black crap in there won't be too bad until then.
