Changing Transmission Fluid Help
Thread Starter
Safety Car
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From: Orange County California
Changing Transmission Fluid Help
I did a search but didnt fid anything helpfull. Anyway, I plan on changing my transmission fluid tomorrow but Im not sure how. Any threads that talk about this? Also, I track my vette and wondered what the best fluid is to use and what kind... Thanks in advance. 
Last edited by McShagger; Mar 19, 2006 at 07:02 AM.
Team Owner
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From: Summerland B.C. Canada
Never messed with an auto trans in a vette, but every one i have has had no drain plug for the pan. You have to drop the pan to remove the fluid. Iv'e seen drain plug kits and if i owned an auto, that would be on my "to do " list. There is a filter, but i can't recommend one since i'm not an auto guy. 
Race Director
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I have a siphon that I got from Harbor Freight for a few bucks. Handy tool. I usually pump out the fluid through the dipstick. Drop the pan, and pull the filter out. The o-ring usually stays in the pump. It is orange and easy to see. Remove it from the pump bore without scratching the bore. New o-ring goes on new filer and it simply plugs in. Install gasket dry. I use vaseline to hold it to the pan on the corners. Before bolting it up, be sure to clean the pan with solvent or laquer thinner. Put the cleaned magnet back in the stamped square. Torque the pan gasket to 100 inch pounds. You will have to go around the pan 3 or 4 times .
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Here's something you may want to consider before dropping the pan, especially if the fluid is in bad shape now. Just dropping the pan to change fluid gets only about half of it, if that.
Click on this
Click on this
Race Director
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From: Slidell Louisiana
Pete gave a pretty good write up 
I do it a little differently. I don't siphon out the fluid I remove most of the bolts leaving the four corners fastened. I position my catch basin under the tranny and hold the pan against the tranny with one hand. I loosen the remaining two front pan bolts and remove the two rear pan bolts and then gently lower the pan. The fluid then pours out the rear of the pan with out making a mess.
The rest of the process is the same as Pete's. I am usually back on the road within 30-45 minutes of pulling the car into the garage.
Mike
I do it a little differently. I don't siphon out the fluid I remove most of the bolts leaving the four corners fastened. I position my catch basin under the tranny and hold the pan against the tranny with one hand. I loosen the remaining two front pan bolts and remove the two rear pan bolts and then gently lower the pan. The fluid then pours out the rear of the pan with out making a mess.
The rest of the process is the same as Pete's. I am usually back on the road within 30-45 minutes of pulling the car into the garage.
Mike
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From: TEMECULA CALIFORNIA
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
Originally Posted by Corvette Kid NC
Here's something you may want to consider before dropping the pan, especially if the fluid is in bad shape now. Just dropping the pan to change fluid gets only about half of it, if that.
Click on this
Click on this
I JUST HAVE THIS QUESTION:
SINCE YOU ARE REPLACING THE OLD FLUID WITH NEW PRIOR TO DROPPING THE PAN TO CHANGE THE FILTER, THEN WHEN YOU DO DROP THE PAN, THE FLUID THAT RUNS OUT IS NEW AND SHOULD BE CAPTURED TO BE RETURNED AFTER THE PAN IS REINSTALLED. AM I CORRECT WITH THIS?
THANKS FOR THE LINK, KID
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Large Impressive Member
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by UWEBABY
I READ THE LINK AND IT SOUNDS INTERESTING.
I JUST HAVE THIS QUESTION:
SINCE YOU ARE REPLACING THE OLD FLUID WITH NEW PRIOR TO DROPPING THE PAN TO CHANGE THE FILTER, THEN WHEN YOU DO DROP THE PAN, THE FLUID THAT RUNS OUT IS NEW AND SHOULD BE CAPTURED TO BE RETURNED AFTER THE PAN IS REINSTALLED. AM I CORRECT WITH THIS?
THANKS FOR THE LINK, KID
I JUST HAVE THIS QUESTION:
SINCE YOU ARE REPLACING THE OLD FLUID WITH NEW PRIOR TO DROPPING THE PAN TO CHANGE THE FILTER, THEN WHEN YOU DO DROP THE PAN, THE FLUID THAT RUNS OUT IS NEW AND SHOULD BE CAPTURED TO BE RETURNED AFTER THE PAN IS REINSTALLED. AM I CORRECT WITH THIS?
THANKS FOR THE LINK, KID
Thread Starter
Safety Car
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From: Orange County California
hmmm.... Starting sound like a mess I dont want do deal with. I havent driven the vette in 4-5 months as I ran into a lot of problems: PS blew on me at streets in june, then the rack n pinion went bad in august, now I need to chage all fluids and needs an alignment (result of replacing rack). Man, Im tired of working on this car. I wish I was rich an could send it in for everything.
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It is not that bad of a job. The key is to have a large enough pan to hold the 5 or so qts, and it must be big enough to catch all of the drips from the pan as you lower it. The siphon trick I mentioned is not the way most do it, but it sure minimizes the mess.
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by Pete K
It is not that bad of a job. The key is to have a large enough pan to hold the 5 or so qts, and it must be big enough to catch all of the drips from the pan as you lower it. The siphon trick I mentioned is not the way most do it, but it sure minimizes the mess.
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From: levittown pa. usa Even a bad day with my `Vette, is better than a good day at work
St. Jude Donor '10
Originally Posted by UWEBABY
I READ THE LINK AND IT SOUNDS INTERESTING.
I JUST HAVE THIS QUESTION:
SINCE YOU ARE REPLACING THE OLD FLUID WITH NEW PRIOR TO DROPPING THE PAN TO CHANGE THE FILTER, THEN WHEN YOU DO DROP THE PAN, THE FLUID THAT RUNS OUT IS NEW AND SHOULD BE CAPTURED TO BE RETURNED AFTER THE PAN IS REINSTALLED. AM I CORRECT WITH THIS?
THANKS FOR THE LINK, KID
I JUST HAVE THIS QUESTION:
SINCE YOU ARE REPLACING THE OLD FLUID WITH NEW PRIOR TO DROPPING THE PAN TO CHANGE THE FILTER, THEN WHEN YOU DO DROP THE PAN, THE FLUID THAT RUNS OUT IS NEW AND SHOULD BE CAPTURED TO BE RETURNED AFTER THE PAN IS REINSTALLED. AM I CORRECT WITH THIS?
THANKS FOR THE LINK, KID
. Oh Yeah! as far as the hose in the jug. Try to have someone hold it in place when you start the car. The first time I started mine, that sucker came straight out of the jug like a charmed snake, throwing trans fluid all over the entire engine :o
Pro
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From: TEMECULA CALIFORNIA
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
Originally Posted by kenv
I have done this. After dropping the pan, cleaning it, putting in the new filter, & bolting it back up. You pour one gallon of new ATF into the trans. Start the car & let it idle. You have your rubber hose from the trans cooling line at the radiator going into a gallon jug. The fluid that fills the jug is coming from the convertor, & is very dirty. The dirty fluid cannot go back into the trans pan because you have the line disconnected. Just stop the engine when the jug is almost filled, & empty it. Fill the trans with another gallon of fresh ATF, put the hose back into the jug, start the car & let it idle. Keep repeating this until the ATF that goes into the jug from the hose is bright red. Then re-connect the cooling line at the radiator, top off the trans fluid, & you are done . Oh Yeah! as far as the hose in the jug. Try to have someone hold it in place when you start the car. The first time I started mine, that sucker came straight out of the jug like a charmed snake, throwing trans fluid all over the entire engine :o
. Oh Yeah! as far as the hose in the jug. Try to have someone hold it in place when you start the car. The first time I started mine, that sucker came straight out of the jug like a charmed snake, throwing trans fluid all over the entire engine :o