I have a 1990 with 21k on the clock, but my transmission fluid has never been changed.

Before jacking the car up, i've searched through my service manuals for fill/drain plug locations, but i'm having some trouble locating them.

Are they fairly obvious to see once i have the car on jackstands? Will i need a pump to fill, or is it accessible through the engine comparment?

Anything i should look out for?

thanks for the input!

 

The drain is on the bottom and the fill is on pass side they are 17mm allen wrench --you will need a pipe to fit over the wrench for leverage. open the fill first--if you drain the fluid and then cant get the fill to move then your @#$$%. I filled mine with bmw 10-60 oil. You could use that or the GM oil.

 

Great! Thank you...

 

Yes, they are pretty obvious. The drain is pretty much dead center in the bottom, the fill is on the passenger side. Both are 17mm allen, loosen the fill first. Autozone has a 3 piece allen head socket kit with the 17 in it for $7.99.

You will need a pump or syringe to fill the transmission. I bought a big syringe from Autozone when I bought the allen sockets for about $3.

You'll need a tad over 2 quarts of the GM fill, or the BMW fluid. I don't have the part numbers handy right now, but if you do an advanced search in the archives for "ZF6 fluid" you should be able to find the part numbers fairly easily. The original GM fluid is tough to find anymore, and no one can say 100% that the replacement fluid is 100% compatible with the ZF6. The BMW fluid is the only other GM approved fluid fill for the ZF6 that I know of, and it was a ton easier for me to find. It's also the recommended fill by Bill Boudreau, who is probably the most knowledgeable person in the United States when it comes to ZF6 transmissions.

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

Oh, and for what's it's worth the search function would of answered this question in literally less than 10 seconds. There is also another thread about this on the front page. If you take a minute or 2 to look around before cluttering/clogging up the forum with common questions it makes it easier on all of us.

 

I did this with a 17mm allen wrench. I will use the socket next time as the allen wrench leverage moves way to the side and it's hard to get two hands up there to keep the wrench straight.

Also, I bunged up one of the plugs, buy an extra or two before the project.

 

i'm not sure 10 seconds,
as i did search the c4 section for the following:
"manual Transmission Fluid Change"
"Change Transmission Fluid"
"Transmission Fluild Plug"
"Transmission Fluid manual"
"transmission Fluid"

Maybe i'm not searching correctly?

I Always use the search feature.. i've been a member for over a year, visit every day, but only posted a handful of times.
i agree.. the search feature is extremely helpful.

 

Awesome work!

Here's a snippet from the PM I just sent you. Maybe someone else can use this info too:

 

Thanks..

but unless "zf6" was entered even in the advanced search, you get nada.

That's where i went wrong..

Thanks to all who replied to the apparently redundant thread.. this weekend i'm refreshing the fluids.

 

I would put some teflon tape on the plugs making sure none gets inside the tran. I had a small leak without it & I did not feel like making the plug too tight (strip out threads) Yellow tef tape resists gas/oil.

I am happy w/ the bmw stuff.

 

Check the C4 Tech FAQ stickey (scroll down to Fluids) at the top of this section.

 

I assume you're experienced but just to make sure: make sure you've got backups on those jackstands as you'll probably be yanking pretty hard to loosen up the drain/fill plugs. You don't want one of those jacks taking a walk on you.

 

Just did my ZF fliud tonight. You can't miss the fill/drain plugs. Snap-On tools sells a 17mm 3/8 drive allen socket - part # CPT110A - for just under $17 with free delivery from their web site. I used 4 ft of clear plastic 1/2 o.d. hose from the hardware store - 35 cents per foot - ran one end down the rear of the engine and stuck it in the fill hole in the trans. I then stood by the engine and poured the trans oil into a funnel at the other end of the hose but I still had to crawl back under the car to reinstall the fill plug.

 

autozone has a 17mm allen socket for $10 in a set with a 14mm and a 12mm

all three $10 bucks. I bought the allen wrench I needed for the differential from Westlake for alike $1.89.

I'm a bargain shopper.

 

I'd consider the Snap On tool for this application. You can use a 1/2" to 3/8" reducer and use the longer 1/2 inch breaker bars for removing these plugs. After about 15 years of service, the plugs could be rather tight.

Additionally, if you re-torque fill and drain plugs to values recommended in the factory service manual, you can use a torque wrench with the Snap On tool. I am not sure if other listed tools above can be used with a torque wrench. I'm pretty sure I've seen less expensive tools in other stores that could use a torque wrench but can't recall where. Besides, that tool is made in America, a rare find.

Good luck with your task.

By the way, a 90 with such low miles, hard to find.

dlmeyers, 90 coupe zf6 3speed shocks

 

I never knew that, and I never even knew there was such a thing. Anybody know where to find yellow teflon tape? I've only seen the white stuff used for plumbing (I'm always losing my roll so I've probably got four or five somewhere....).

 

Home Depot. NAPA. PEP BOYS