baren

Checked the tranny fluid and it's pretty brown so planning to do a drain and swap the filter while I'm at it. (I know it's just a screen I like the peace of mind) If anyone has seen a good write-up or video showing how to do this that would help. I'm sure I can handle it, but would prefer to follow along with a guide/video since I've never done this before. Thanks guys

DieselD

Its pretty straight forward.

There's a drain plug, open it and drain the fluid out, well as much as will come out that way. Unbolt the pan.

Hopefully the dipstick tube will become separated for you easier than any of the ones I've dealt with have. You may have to unbolt the dipstick all together to get the Pam to drop.

clean the pan as much as you can. And the magnets too, clean those.

Get the surfaces clear of old gasket (or gos forbid... rtv).

My dad taught me a little trick for putting the new gasket and pan on. Take zip ties, feed them in backwards (so they don't "zip") and use them to attach the gasket to the pan. Then after you get a few bolts in you can pull them out. No fighting to keep the gasket lined up.

Cruechief

Ok that there is a great trick! I just hope I can remember to use it.

DieselD

Here's a pic of that trick in use...



Also how a clean pan should look lol.

djb383

The bolt holes, in the new gasket that came with our tranny filter kit, were snug enough around the bolts to hold the bolts in place which held the gasket in place.

xjsnake

Good advice given above. I had to unbolt my dipstick tube from the firewall and work the tube down because it wouldn't separate. Oh and my trans pan had RTV so I used a putty knife to loosen some of it then took a block of wood against the pan (not the body) and hit the block of wood with a BFH which popped it loose without deforming anything.

baren

The zip tie trick is a great idea. Do you use any gasket sealant then or is it not needed?

Pelican

There is a neat trick using a small hose clamp to easily separate the dipstick tube without having to unbolt the whole thing.

I found it in a post in one of the forums but it was 5 or 6 years ago when I did my pan and I don't remember exactly how it worked and haven't tried to search.

I mention it here to hopefully jog someone's memory about how it works.

Radi

Tighten a small hose clamp around the upper dipstick tube section, just above the joint. Knock it upwards with a hammer and drift to unstick the o-ring and separate the tube sections?

DFlintstone

Or you can just change if more often, (like with oil changes), till it "pinks up". I myself wouldn't go to all that hassle unless I thought there was a problem with the screen.

DFlintstone

SUPPER trick!, great info. (I guess some are really seized though)

Radi

That's the only way to change what's hiding in the torque converter. That or a powered 'fluid exchange'- cooler line in a bucket, keep adding fresh...

DFlintstone

OK, I get what you are saying. Multiple changes of the high detergent Dexron III will get through everywhere.

The "flush trick". Running the output to the cooler to a bucket, while adding fresh in the filler tube, until the stuff going in the bucket looks good....I have issues with that. Might that dissolve/free crud than might be better dealt with gently? I don't see any reason to risk it. Just upping fluid change intervals will achieve the same result, without the risk of chunks of stuff coming loose? What say you sinsay?

djb383

Another trick post by a member that I stole (borrowed). Small tubing cutter, rubber fuel line and clamps.

DieselD

That trick with the hose clamps sounds good. I'll have to remember that.

When I had one that wouldn't separate I took the whole thing out. Sprayed PB blaster on it and let it hang by the tube. Gravity did the work for me when I came back a few days later the pan was on the floor and tube was hanging.

I used a dremel to clean the inside of the tube that was rusty and gunky then reassembled with a new oring and some grease.