Grr...tranny Pan Wont Clear Exhaust On 6l80 On My 07 Escalade.

ihop · May 17, 2010

So I am a new member here, first post. I have an 07 Escalade with a 6l80 and 6.2L. Beautiful truck but its got the common rattles other escalades have. The stock exhaust is music. I plan to do some towing this summer so I need my tranny to be in tip top shape. Its got 75k miles on it. 25k of it was spent as a rental in florida...eeeek. The shifts have somewhat rough lately so I thought it would be a good idea to change the filter + 6 quarts of fresh fluid.

I bought a 6l80 filter made by promatic or something like that. It indicates the gasket is reuseable. It guaranteed that it met or exceed OEM quality. So I started to unbolt and drained about 2.5 quarts of fluid. I get the pan bolts all off but it wont slide out. Because of the design of the tranny and exhaust, it just wont come out! Is this because some jack*** who previously rented my baby high centered it and bent the exhaust or an engineers fault? Do I have to drop the exhaust to get at the filter? Dropping an exhaust is out of my league/skill.

Recommendations?

MS3DALE · May 17, 2010

Dropping the Y-pipe/catalytic converter is the recommended procedure.

250motorsportz · May 17, 2010

I dont know much about transmissions but on my dad's GMT-800 Escalade, the tranny was running perfect up until the day we got a flush. Don't know why? Maybe the thinner and cleaner oil was too much for the tranny and it liked the old dirty gunky stuff that kept everything together? Now its slipping like crazy!

ihop · May 17, 2010

flushes = bad. Theres a difference between dropping the pan and flushing. Flushing dislodges dirt and that dirt either clogs the filter or clogs passages. Thats when trans start to act wierd. I will never do a flush ever, i've read too many horror stories.

jblakeney · May 17, 2010

So I am a new member here, first post. I have an 07 Escalade with a 6l80 and 6.2L. Beautiful truck but its got the common rattles other escalades have. The stock exhaust is music. I plan to do some towing this summer so I need my tranny to be in tip top shape. Its got 75k miles on it. 25k of it was spent as a rental in florida...eeeek. The shifts have somewhat rough lately so I thought it would be a good idea to change the filter + 6 quarts of fresh fluid.

I bought a 6l80 filter made by promatic or something like that. It indicates the gasket is reuseable. It guaranteed that it met or exceed OEM quality. So I started to unbolt and drained about 2.5 quarts of fluid. I get the pan bolts all off but it wont slide out. Because of the design of the tranny and exhaust, it just wont come out! Is this because some jack*** who previously rented my baby high centered it and bent the exhaust or an engineers fault? Do I have to drop the exhaust to get at the filter? Dropping an exhaust is out of my league/skill.

Recommendations?

Normal drop Y-pipe like MS3Dale said is recommended. Dunnno why GM insist on putting the pipe in the way of transmission pans.... but they usually get it toooo close...

I dont know much about transmissions but on my dad's GMT-800 Escalade, the tranny was running perfect up until the day we got a flush. Don't know why? Maybe the thinner and cleaner oil was too much for the tranny and it liked the old dirty gunky stuff that kept everything together? Now its slipping like crazy!

Yes, I have seen this problem numerous times. I like it when I hear about the quick lube's around my area flush one and it does not pull out of the parking lot....

flushes = bad. Theres a difference between dropping the pan and flushing. Flushing dislodges dirt and that dirt either clogs the filter or clogs passages. Thats when trans start to act wierd. I will never do a flush ever, i've read too many horror stories.

Basically you, dislodge everything that should be caught in the filter to start with. It usually finds a nice valve to hang up...... When your flushing a transmission with correct flow or back-flushing using a chemical causes this problem.

Flushing without the chemical using the transmission pump does not cause this issue.

Just my opinion if the filter is in the pan. Change the filter! You will be money ahead...

Jbo

nickvrebel · May 17, 2010

try this:

remove the bolts on the transmission mount (on the cross member), jack up the rear of the transmission, this MAY give you enough clearance to get the pan out. Watch your driveshafts and any wiring.

ihop · May 17, 2010

difficulty level 1-to 10? and what should the mount bolt torque be when i jack it back up?

nickvrebel · May 17, 2010

difficulty level 1-to 10? and what should the mount bolt torque be when i jack it back up?

I haven't done one on the 6L80e, my idea is based on the GMT800 4L60e.... but:

according to the specs in the sticky thread:

Transmission Mount to Support Bolts

40 N·m

30 lb ft

difficulty level? 3-4. If you are changing your transmission filter you should easily be comfortable doing this. The rear of the transmission sits on the mount that sits on the cross member. You can't mess up and drop the transmission, the worse thing you can do is pin the transmission up against the body, which isn't a big deal

kdixer · May 17, 2010

difficulty level 1-to 10? and what should the mount bolt torque be when i jack it back up?

I haven't done one on the 6L80e, my idea is based on the GMT800 4L60e.... but:

according to the specs in the sticky thread:

Transmission Mount to Support Bolts

40 N·m

30 lb ft

difficulty level? 3-4. If you are changing your transmission filter you should easily be comfortable doing this. The rear of the transmission sits on the mount that sits on the cross member. You can't mess up and drop the transmission, the worse thing you can do is pin the transmission up against the body, which isn't a big deal

Be carefull doing this as it will take the engine and transfer case with it. You run the risk of putting something in a major bind. It would be much easier and safer taking the exhaust loose.

ihop · May 17, 2010

I've got 4 options right now to changing the filter:

1.) Jack the transmission up by unbolting the mount. Do I need to buy a transmission jack or will just a regular car jack be fine?

2.) Dropping the exhaust (Do i need to actually cut the exhaust with a saw?)

3.) Bring it into a garage recommended by a friend who did some training there about 2 years ago?

4.) Bring it into the local dealership that quoted me $100 for labor only. I have some skepticism about this one because it is a dealership and what if they find out they remove the pan, they'll probably won't go any further and claim it was done.

Service Design flaw IMO by the engineers.

tanked_darren · May 17, 2010

try this:

remove the bolts on the transmission mount (on the cross member), jack up the rear of the transmission, this MAY give you enough clearance to get the pan out. Watch your driveshafts and any wiring.

I've got 4 options right now to changing the filter:

1.) Jack the transmission up by unbolting the mount. Do I need to buy a transmission jack or will just a regular car jack be fine?

2.) Dropping the exhaust (Do i need to actually cut the exhaust with a saw?)

3.) Bring it into a garage recommended by a friend who did some training there about 2 years ago?

4.) Bring it into the local dealership that quoted me $100 for labor only. I have some skepticism about this one because it is a dealership and what if they find out they remove the pan, they'll probably won't go any further and claim it was done.

Service Design flaw IMO by the engineers.

Now I own a 2007 sierra but....

I did this for my 4L60E it works, there was only on tranny mount bolt near the rear of tranny, you don't need very much don't jack it too high, way easier than removing the exhaust, I used a normal floor jack small motomaster 2 tonner, with a piece of wood as a spacer, jack it on the tail housing.

If you are unsure its best you take it to a professional, the last thing you want to do is damage something in the transmission.

Mossyoakglock · May 17, 2010

Flushing without the chemical using the transmission pump does not cause this issue.

I have heard this as well. If you let transmission pump push out the fluid under it's own power, you should be good and not dislodge anything. There is a good write-up on this over to GMFS.

jblakeney · May 18, 2010

I put 3 flat spots on the cross over on my 3/4 ton....... Yes I modded the pipe a bit.... But I don't have to loosen the cross over pipe any more...... The pan will fall right off...... But my 1/2 ton requires just the right twist of the pan and of course keep an extra shift solenoid on the shelf in-case you bump one..... hahaha, lesson learned (and I still have the T-shirt)...

Jbo