Changed the Trans fluid yesterday...

dgeist · **Posted:** Mon Oct 06, 2008 3:47 pm

So, changing the trans fluid has to be the messiest work I've ever done on a vehicle. Even after getting the extra-big drain pan, the thing still flopped down the wrong direction and spilled 2-3 qts of ATF on the driveway.... The RTF was a huge pain, too. I had to get out the wire wheel to get all of it off the pan lip and I think the new bead was a little too thick. Things I found:

- The cooler-return filter is WAY too small for even my small filter wrench, but a pipe wrench worked nicely.

- The replacement sump-neck gasket that has to be pressed in mates nicely with the slightly rounded handle of a medium-sized screwdriver, but it made me cry on the inside to hit the blade of the driver with my hammer

- the "drain-back valve" doesn't look to have needed to be changed and would have likely made my re-fill volume significantly less, but now I have more fresh fluid in the system. I was a little scared on that one since the first two threads went in fine, then it got rather hard to turn. I'm hoping I didn't somehow mangle the case, but the aluminum didn't look THAT soft, so I think it's okay.

- It took me almost 4 hours soup-to-nuts to do everything (I'd never opened a t-case before) and apparently I had only 3 hours allocated by my better half (which I had forgotten about during the process).

- engine temps seem to warm up slightly faster, now. Could that be better circulation in the aux cooler doing heat-transfer into the engine coolant?

Dan

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:49 pm

Hmmmm......ATF in a diff?!?! Sounds like you meant to say Trans??? :wink:

But yes, it can be messy changning the trans. I have this big pan/funnel thing that looks like a 35 gallon trash can lid flipped over w/ holes in the middle that I use for trans services. Works Great inside my large drain pan.

chadhargis · **Posted:** Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:52 pm

Well, I KNEW there was a bright side to eating torque converters.

I've had my ATF changed three times in 35,000 miles thanks to three torque converter replacements.

dirtmover · **Posted:** Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:20 pm

JJsKJ wrote:

But yes, it can be messy changning the trans. I have this big pan/funnel thing that looks like a 35 gallon trash can lid flipped over w/ holes in the middle that I use for trans services. Works Great inside my large drain pan.

You need a fluid extractor. I always suck the fluid out of the dipstick tube before dropping the pan. It makes the task much cleaner. You can also use it for the diff but I still tend to open it up for inspection after removing the oil.

tulsa · **Posted:** Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:47 pm

dgeist wrote:

So, changing the diff fluid has to be the messiest work I've ever done on a vehicle. Even after getting the extra-big drain pan, the thing still flopped down the wrong direction and spilled 2-3 qts of ATF on the driveway.... The RTF was a huge pain, too. I had to get out the wire wheel to get all of it off the pan lip and I think the new bead was a little too thick. Things I found:

- The cooler-return filter is WAY too small for even my small filter wrench, but a pipe wrench worked nicely.

- The replacement sump-neck gasket that has to be pressed in mates nicely with the slightly rounded handle of a medium-sized screwdriver, but it made me cry on the inside to hit the blade of the driver with my hammer

- the "drain-back valve" doesn't look to have needed to be changed and would have likely made my re-fill volume significantly less, but now I have more fresh fluid in the system. I was a little scared on that one since the first two threads went in fine, then it got rather hard to turn. I'm hoping I didn't somehow mangle the case, but the aluminum didn't look THAT soft, so I think it's okay.

- It took me almost 4 hours soup-to-nuts to do everything (I'd never opened a t-case before) and apparently I had only 3 hours allocated by my better half (which I had forgotten about during the process).

- engine temps seem to warm up slightly faster, now. Could that be better circulation in the aux cooler doing heat-transfer into the engine coolant?

Dan

Dan,
I assume you put ATF in the transfer case and 75w90 or 75w145 in the diffs.
Lewis

dgeist · **Posted:** Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:05 am

JJsKJ wrote:

Hmmmm......ATF in a diff?!?! Sounds like you meant to say Trans??? :wink:

But yes, it can be messy changning the trans. I have this big pan/funnel thing that looks like a 35 gallon trash can lid flipped over w/ holes in the middle that I use for trans services. Works Great inside my large drain pan.

>edited< Yeah, I meant tranny :wink:

The large drain pan helped, but it's still only as big as the trans sump is, so if you miss... you miss a lot. Must try an oil extractor next time.

Dan

danoid · **Posted:** Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:26 am

My messiest job was repacking the bearings on my camper trailer axles. It's the only time I've washed my hands before I touched the lug nuts...

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Tue Oct 07, 2008 12:48 pm

This is what you need.
http://www.toolfetch.com/Brand/Lisle/Sh ... fficleader

Mine is similar but round, this rectangular one is perfect!

nescosmo · **Joined:** Sat Jul 14, 2007 11:17 pm **Posts:** 202

JJsKJ wrote:

This is what you need.
http://www.toolfetch.com/Brand/Lisle/Sh ... fficleader

Mine is similar but round, this rectangular one is perfect!

went to home depot and bought a mixure cement pan and that what I use to do the job. It work well.......

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:39 pm

nescosmo wrote:

JJsKJ wrote:

This is what you need.
http://www.toolfetch.com/Brand/Lisle/Sh ... fficleader

Mine is similar but round, this rectangular one is perfect!

went to home depot and bought a mixure cement pan and that what I use to do the job. It work well.......

Great idea!

Changed the Trans fluid yesterday...

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