6Spd Trans Fluid Change: Interval and fluid

[sdeeter19555]

Ok I think I'm going to just vacuum and replace every 30k. Should keep it nice and fresh.

 

Any recommendations on the pump?

The Mityvac 7202 will be my next purchase at $100.

 

I'm using a really small one meant to drain oil from small outdoor power equipment (OPE) (holds less than two quarts) that cost me $10 from Amazon, it was proof of concept to me proving it works. I use it for the transmission and power steering in the truck, engine and transmission oils in OPE, reservoir in my log splitter, etc...pretty handy deal to have around especially for things that aren't easy to drain.

 

I would still drop the pan and change the filter at the recommended intervals...the vac outs in between just keeps the fluid from getting skunky. Vacuuming out the pan makes dropping the pan a cleaner endeavor.

 

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[Eddie 70]

I have two of the vacuum pumps mentioned earlier in the thread. I think I will try to pull as much as I can out the dipstick tube tomorrow. I have 6 quarts of fluid in the garage and a filter. This was on my list of things to do while I was on vacation the last two weeks. Other things have taken priority. I have seen videos of where a guy loosened the pan and pulled the remainder of the fluid out of the pan with a vacuum pump. He pulled the bolts out of the rear trans mount and jacked it up as much as he could, about 3/4". He then knocked the filter loose and was able to work it out of the pan by wiggling the filter and the pan. I'll give it a shot and see what I can do.

[FL335i]

^ Just unbolt the y-pipe... Soak the bolts with PBlaster before hand for a week or so (hit the bolts 1x day). Now that I have anti-seize on them, I'm not worried, it's that intial unbolting... EEEEK.

 

 

I do agree the extraction pump is a good idea for interim fluid exchanges and would making dropping the pan 'cleaner'. I was pretty much covered in ATF yesterday. Was not expecting to drop the y-pipe. I'm going to buy some kind of pump myself so I can do the 30k (half way of a pan drop and filter interval) fluid exchange and at the next pan change not take an ATF bath.

[Rawyzf]

^ Just unbolt the y-pipe... Soak the bolts with PBlaster before hand for a week or so. Now that I have anti-seize on them, i'm not worried, it's that intial unbolting... EEEEK.

I have Texas Speed headers and catless Y that were not super easy to line up, so I really don't want to take it out if not needed.

 

So, that was why I asked what the dealer procedure was.

 

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[FL335i]

Good reason why.

[Eddie 70]

^ Just unbolt the y-pipe... Soak the bolts with PBlaster before hand for a week or so (hit the bolts 1x day). Now that I have anti-seize on them, I'm not worried, it's that intial unbolting... EEEEK.

 

 

I do agree the extraction pump is a good idea for interim fluid exchanges and would making dropping the pan 'cleaner'. I was pretty much covered in ATF yesterday. Was not expecting to drop the y-pipe. I'm going to buy some kind of pump myself so I can do the 30k (half way of a pan drop and filter interval) fluid exchange and at the next pan change not take an ATF bath.

 

What did wind up torturing the transfer pan to when you finished up? I hope to do this into the morning on my truck.

[sdeeter19555]

Small bolts in aluminum, not much. My guess is you're looking at inch-pounds, not foot-pounds, for these.

 

If the pan gasket is like the one in my 2012, there are steel spacers inbedded in it to prevent over torquing the pan/gasket.

 

If you don't get a numeric answer here, might try googling it, pan bolt torque would not have changed much through the years.

 

I didn't have the torque specs this time or last time, so I can't help with an actual number. I will tell you I used a short-handled 1/4" ratchet to snug mine up, it doesn't take a lot to make them tight enough not to leak.

 

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[FL335i]

the 10mm pan bolts are spec'd at 80 inch pounds which equates to about 6-7 Lb/Ft. I used a 1/4" drive torque wrench to get a few and then used my 1/4" drive ratchet to get the feel of what that was and did the rest by hand with the 1/4" drive ratchet. Use an alternating pattern around the pan to bring it up level and even. The three nuts on the y-pipe to manifold went on "German tight".

[Eddie 70]

The torque specs for the transmission pan bolts are actually 9 nm or 80 inch pounds. I called a dealership and also a friend of mine that own a shop when I realized that 18 ft lbs seemed like too much. They both gave me the answer of 80 inch pounds. I just want to make sure no one else reading this over tightens or breaks their bolts. --- I appreciate the info on the PML deep pan. I think I will be buying one of those soon and installing it.

 

 

I just reread my post. My phone must have corrected my misspelling or torquing. Lol!

 

I wound up using a 1/4" drive ratchet and tightening them by hand. I drove the truck down the road for about 3 miles and back home. I need to get it out and drive down the interstate to get the temp up to something near normal to set the level correctly. I wound up getting a Mobil 1, 5 quart jug filled to the top out of the trans on my drain and fill. I used my hand pump and got a little over 4 quarts out of the fill tube. Then I pulled the remaining out of the pan once I had all the bolts out of it. This completely filled the Mobil jug. I was unable to get the pan out today. I did however get the old filter and magnet out and clean them up good. A new Wix filter installed and 5.5 quarts of Valvoline Dexron VI. I saved the .5 quarts until I can get the trans temp up near normal.

 

A couple of pics of my fluid at 72,500 miles.

 

This is the amount I was able to pull out of the trans fill tube.

 

This is the total amount I was able to get out of the trans after the pan was dropped. Great color!

[joshc64311]

My truck is in for a leaking radiator so while under the knife I ask about the service for the transmission. The guy said it can not be flushed and he doesn't think it is capable of being serviced. Anyone else run into this?

[sdeeter19555]

Wow, I've drained mine twice and the fluid coming out looks like what I pour out of the new bottle!

 

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[joshc64311]

Wow, I've drained mine twice and the fluid coming out looks like what I pour out of the new bottle!

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Yeah lol, looks like used oil!

[Black02Silverado]

I change out all the factory fluids early. I did my 02 Silverado at 10k miles with a fresh change out of the factory fluid to AMSOIL's ATF back in 02. Here is a write-up I did on changing the fluid and filter out when the truck hit 89k with 79k on the fluid.

 

At 149k, I did it again and this time I change out to the ATL fluid (aka dexron VI). I try to keep it around 60k on the fluid and filter changes. For me that is every couple years since I don't put the miles on the truck like I used to.

 

AMSOIL also had fluid now that meets/exceeds the new GM DEXRON* HP spec.

[FL335i]

My truck is in for a leaking radiator so while under the knife I ask about the service for the transmission. The guy said it can not be flushed and he doesn't think it is capable of being serviced. Anyone else run into this?

 

Really? Not serviceable? The owner's manual states it's to be serviced at 45k for severe service and 90k IIRC for normal service. As usual, your service writer was a driveway salesman and knows nothing about vehicle maintenance or hands on work. 99% of those people are useless.

 

 

Eddie70- 60k for me was the perfect interval IMO. Fluid was just right.... Yours at 72.5k looks outright bad. My lord. You might want to drive it for about 2-3 tanks of gas and then suck out what you can from the filler tube for another 4-5qt fluid exchange.

[Eddie 70]

Wow, I've drained mine twice and the fluid coming out looks like what I pour out of the new bottle!

 

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Not what I was expecting either.

 

Yeah lol, looks like used oil!

My thoughts also. The reason I posted the pic.

 

 

Eddie70- 60k for me was the perfect interval IMO. Fluid was just right.... Yours at 72.5k looks outright bad. My lord. You might want to drive it for about 2-3 tanks of gas and then suck out what you can from the filler tube for another 4-5qt fluid exchange.

 

 

I don't know what I did to screw up your quote FL355i. I will definitely be doing exactly that in a few weeks. I was very surprised about the color of the fluid. The truck drove and shifted fine.

 

What brand fluid is everyone using for their trucks? I used Valvoline Dexton VI fully synthetic.