tiny tim

Time for my first dumb noob question.Did lotsa searching and still can't find anything

First,I dunno even which tranny I have,after lotsa searching for the proper fluid,I THOUGHT it must be an AX-15,but now after lots more searching to find out what tool I need for the plugs,it sounds like my plugs are quite different from all the info on the AX-15

Mine LOOK like the kind that you just shove a regular ol' 3/8" ratchet into the hole,(square hole in the middle of the plug) but it doesn't quite wanna go in.I dunno if that's what it is and I just need to pound a ratchet extension in there,or if there's a special tool with a metric size square male end

RenegadeT

scrape the square hole clean so you can tell for sure, make sure its not a large hex needing an allen wrench. It might just be the detent ball on the ratchet that is hangin up preventing you from inserting it in the plug. I've never heard of any special square tool other than the standard 3/8". Dunno though, all my XJs have been AW4s.

DFlintstone

I don't remember what's in the manual in my 84. I'd get it real clean, spray it maybe. They keep butting those dam torx everywhere, pisses me off. One is probably torx and the other allan! No pounding

tiny tim

Just got under there again and thoroughly cleaned the plugs,checked them out real carefully,and shot them with WD-40

Appreciate the replies,but they definitely are square holes,and definitely a little smaller than 3/8

I tried a big screwdriver but can't get them broke loose,even with my Superman strength They're flush with the tranny,so can't get vice grips on them

Desperately hoping someone knows what's up wit dis.In the meantime,guess all I can do is start Googling tool companies and tranny parts suppliers to see if there's a metric or other size ratchet or adapter or something

tiny tim

I got it under control

After deciding to go to Sears tomorrow and look at the Craftsman tools,I figured I'd take one more look around the garage and see if I might have anything that'd work.Turns out the handle end of one of my pin punches fit in the plug pretty well,and a 5/16 wrench fit fairly well on the punch.Then it was just a matter of getting enough leverage on the wrench,which was accomplished by sliding a deepwell socket with all my extensions over it

That still wasn't enough to break the fill plug loose,so after jamming the aforementioned combo of tools against the exhaust pipe to hold pressure on it,I added a second wrench with vice grips for leverage,and that did the trick

Seems like every dumb little thing ends up being an adventure

DFlintstone

And the crowd cheers! I wanted to suggest something McGivered, but didn't know and figured someone else would. Guess you could find some square stock and bend an "L". Or just grab it like you did. Or take a file or grinder to an old 3/8 extension.

tiny tim

Yeah,I was actually thinking about grinding down an ext,but now I'm glad I didn't.

I got it done tonight,there was barely over a quart in it,and it took almost 2 1/2 qts to refill.The magnetic drain plug was packed full of shavings too I could tell by the smell that it had gear lube in it,but it was thin as water,and of course black as coal.

I put 10-40 motor oil in,as per the factories updated recommendation according to my research here.I used Mobil 1 Synthetic High Mileage,as that was all the stores had in stock that was close to Royal Purple Syn,which was my first choice

5-90

That would be the plugs on the BA-10/5 transmission. Start looking for an AX-15 or NV3550 to replace it now...

I made a tool in about five minutes - it's 5/16" (or 8m/m) square drive. I just took a cheapie 5/16" hex key, ground down two opposite corners until it fit in the recess, used it, then threw it in the toolbox for later. Easy!