Drain and fill? Haven’t you been performing transmission services yourself? You know it is not very difficult.
Don’t be intimidated by the grease monkey in your video. The fill level check procedure is foolproof so he will no longer over/under fill transmissions.
I have replaced hundreds of transmission filters, an outdated ritual. If the filter is clogged with clutch material, a new filter is not the solution to the problem.
Your connected services have expired, if you don’t want to pay for cloud navigation, use the display to view the navigation service from your phone. Most owners use their phone service for navigation, that is the reason vehicles are not loaded with navigation units.
Adequately sealed with metal plugs to prevent fluid oxidation. That is one reason for metal fill plugs. Transmissions are not tamper-proof or welded shut but they don’t have access points for gas station driveway inspections.
I have had many vehicles with no transmission dipstick; 1962 Chevrolet, 1973 Ford, 1970 Jeep, 2000 Dodge. All sealed with big metal plugs except the 2000 Dodge; it has a rubber fill plug.
The fill procedure requires the vehicle to be level and the transmission at a specific temperature (cold).
And then you have the Chrysler ZF 8 speed that are “lifetime” and the dealer won’t even touch them . it is a shame too because they are the nicest shifting autos I have ever driven in my 50 years of driving , smooth , always in the right gear . The change routine is quite expensive with having to replace the whole pan because the filter is integrated into the pan and you have to really have it up on a level lift to check the fluid and get it at the right level . Most people do not have the tools to do this .. The pan is like $200 and the fluid is $15-20 a quart , so not a cheap job even for a DYI .
I’ve seen aftermarket kits, which allow you to install a pan with a replaceable filter . . . no money saved initially, but the NEXT service should theoretically be cheaper, as you just replace the filter and fluid
I’d seriously consider going that route, were I planning on keeping a car long enough for multiple fluid and filter services
Partly due to the fact that in general, modern ATFs are better formulated, friction materials have improved, shifting is much better controlled (less slippage), and transmission temperature management is far more controlled than the older 2-3-4 speed autos… Debris generation is minimized, keeping the transmission fluid cleaner for much longer…
Today’s transmissions warm up faster and maintain operating temperature more effectively than older designs…
There is nothing wrong with performing a pan drop and filter replacement, if it has one… However, on modern day 6+ speed auto transmissions, regular drain-and-fill services around every 50-60K are generally sufficient and are recommended for a reason… If the transmission has a serviceable filter and removable pan, then perhaps every 100,000 to 120,000 or even 150,000ish miles a pan drop and filter service makes sense, or anytime the pan gasket needs replacement because of a leak… After all, disturbing a transmission pan is simply another potential leak point…
I prefer to order stuff online, even if it’s just a new car dealer who has an online parts warehouse
As opposed to walking into a dealership or what have you and run into the counter guy who says “Nobody EVER asks for that part and I’ve been here forever”
But I don’t yell at the guy and lay down rubber in the parking lot
I would do that job once and add one of these so I could just drain and fill. Used to do that on the vehicles I had with a pan and no drain. On a regularly maintained trans, I have yet to see a filter (or screen) that needed attention as often as the fluid…
How does this install? Drill a round hole with a Unibit, clean up the edges and bolt the two parts together? Is this a reliable solution? The O-ring doesn’t leak?
Find the lowest point in the pan that has clearance for the plug
Drill/punch clearance hole in pan. A step drill will work fine.
Optional- grind down threaded portion even with nut to maximize drain amount- taking into account the thickness of the pan.
Install it and reinstall the pan.
I have never had the o-ring leak. Resist the temptation to over-torque and crush the o-ring. There are other designs out there some that have twist to drain valves and so on. This is the most economical and simple one I found fit my needs.
First time I used this was when I had to do numerous drain and refills on a used truck with trashed fluid. The prospect of dropping the pan 5 times was not appealing…
