Removing Transmission Pan

Western96 · December 18, 2021

Trying to change the transmission fluid in my 2017 Silverado. Pulled the exhaust up as far as I could using a 2x4 and ratchet strap strapped to the frame, pulling on it as hard as I could to get it as low as possible. I still can't remove the transmission pan because the exhaust isn't low enough.

I don't have a floor jack that I could strap the exhaust around. Any other ways I could lever this thing down a little bit more? I tried using a breaker bar as a lever but it started to bend well before the exhaust did. I've been struggling with it for several hours now and it's driving me insane.

Supreme Pizza · December 19, 2021

This might sound crazy, but if you have the right equipment - you can cut the exhaust pipe and remove a section, and then weld it back in fairly easily. Works well if the exhaust bolts are rusted in place, or things like that.

M1ck3y · December 19, 2021

4 hours ago, Western96 said:

Trying to change the transmission fluid in my 2017 Silverado. Pulled the exhaust up as far as I could using a 2x4 and ratchet strap strapped to the frame, pulling on it as hard as I could to get it as low as possible. I still can't remove the transmission pan because the exhaust isn't low enough.

I don't have a floor jack that I could strap the exhaust around. Any other ways I could lever this thing down a little bit more? I tried using a breaker bar as a lever but it started to bend well before the exhaust did. I've been struggling with it for several hours now and it's driving me insane.

Based on what you've described your stressing the absolute Hell out of the manifold/head's connection by doing that. Your asking for broken bolts and stripped threads...

I have no idea how gm tech's drop the pan, but rather then forcing the y pipe, you should remove it. Disconnect and remove the o2 sensors, use an impact on the y-pipe to manifold connection and disconnect the y-pipe from the cat back.

*edit*

You will need a high flow pneumatic impact + high flow compressor to make that disconnect.

Edited December 19, 2021 by M1ck3y

rav3 · December 19, 2021

Watch this video & note he loosened the rear trans. mount bolts & jacked the trans up about an inch. Good luck.

6L80E Transmission Super Flush and Filter Change Silverado Sierra Tahoe Suburban Yukon Escalade H2

Western96 · December 19, 2021

Thanks guys. Unfortunately I don't have air tools or a welder or a floor jack, I'm in an apartment complex so I'm limited to hand//battery powered tools. Bottle jack might work though for getting the transmission up a little bit. My exhaust bolts are already rusted to hell from being in New Hampshire for several years, so I'm not sure I want to mess with those myself. Sounds like this might be a job for a mechanic, I'm going to put everything back together and refill the quart or two of fluid I was able to drain out without dropping the pan.

Edited December 19, 2021 by Western96

kickass audio · December 19, 2021

You are in the right mentality of using a bottle jack. You can always get a cheap harbor freight floor jack or borrow one from a friend.

How I did mine was to unbolt both of the rear trans mount bolts from the cross frame, jack up the transmission by the rear tail housing as high as I could go (be careful so you don't crush the cooler lines at the top of the trans) and then use a vacuum pump to shove it down the trans dipstick tube all the way to suck out as much trans fluid from the pan. Once you vacuum it out as much as possible unbolt the trans pan. It will get hung up on the cross pipe but a secret to getting it out of there is to use your finger nails to pry the rubber gasket from the pan and once it is totally free from the pan, slide the rubber gasket to the back and turn it out of the way from the pan. Drop the front end of the pan.near the engine down and swing the pan out of the way.

It's a bit of playing around but it's totally possible.

One small idea is if you have some 2x4's, cut one longer than the distance from the tail piece of the trans to the ground and bang the 2x4 in along the ground to use it as a lever to push the trans up.

Supreme Pizza · December 19, 2021

Lets back up a bit. If all your doing is replacing the fluid from the pan, why not just vacuum it out like Audio did. Then refill. Don't even worry about the filter. I have never seen a plugged transmission filter before, unless the trans was already shot and full of metal. Hell, you could get some rubber tubing and siphon it out, so no tools or pumps are required. You put the tube into the trans fill tube, then pour fluid down the tube in order to fill the tube with fluid. Then put your thumb over the hose, lower it to the bucket (below the trans pan level) and let the fluid fly. Once it stops, calculate how much fluid is in the bucket, as a rough estimate as to how much to have to add back to the trans. Or since the pan is already loose, just shake the hell out of it, to get rid of the fluid, and bolt it back up and refill.

Just an idea.

Western96 · December 19, 2021

8 hours ago, kickass audio said:

You are in the right mentality of using a bottle jack. You can always get a cheap harbor freight floor jack or borrow one from a friend.

How I did mine was to unbolt both of the rear trans mount bolts from the cross frame, jack up the transmission by the rear tail housing as high as I could go (be careful so you don't crush the cooler lines at the top of the trans) and then use a vacuum pump to shove it down the trans dipstick tube all the way to suck out as much trans fluid from the pan. Once you vacuum it out as much as possible unbolt the trans pan. It will get hung up on the cross pipe but a secret to getting it out of there is to use your finger nails to pry the rubber gasket from the pan and once it is totally free from the pan, slide the rubber gasket to the back and turn it out of the way from the pan. Drop the front end of the pan.near the engine down and swing the pan out of the way.

It's a bit of playing around but it's totally possible.

One small idea is if you have some 2x4's, cut one longer than the distance from the tail piece of the trans to the ground and bang the 2x4 in along the ground to use it as a lever to push the trans up.

I tried taking the gasket off already actually - I was able to get the gasket off, but still didn't have quite enough room to take out the pan. I tried levering the exhaust down more with a pry bar between it and the transmission cross member but didn't have any luck, I could move it a little bit but still not enough. At this point I was also worried about breaking some bolts on the exhaust because they are all pretty rusty and I was already putting a ton of force on the exhaust.

8 hours ago, Supreme Pizza said:

Lets back up a bit. If all your doing is replacing the fluid from the pan, why not just vacuum it out like Audio did. Then refill. Don't even worry about the filter. I have never seen a plugged transmission filter before, unless the trans was already shot and full of metal. Hell, you could get some rubber tubing and siphon it out, so no tools or pumps are required. You put the tube into the trans fill tube, then pour fluid down the tube in order to fill the tube with fluid. Then put your thumb over the hose, lower it to the bucket (below the trans pan level) and let the fluid fly. Once it stops, calculate how much fluid is in the bucket, as a rough estimate as to how much to have to add back to the trans. Or since the pan is already loose, just shake the hell out of it, to get rid of the fluid, and bolt it back up and refill.

Just an idea.

I think I might just get a cheap vacuum pump like you suggest and do it that way, and forget doing the filter until I have 90k miles or so. By that point I might have an actual garage and be better equipped to do this job. I did the shake-the-hell out of it method already, got about 2 qts of fluid out that way. The fluid I removed looked to still be in decent shape, it was a dark brown color and not completely black like I've seen in some people's trucks with higher mileage, which makes me think just changing the fluid might work. I'm kind of surprised since I have towed a lot with this truck the first year or two I owned it.

Yotaman · December 19, 2021

Watch this guy I did mine like this twice I wish it had a drain plug but with a clear plastic bin to avoid mess not bad.

Yotaman

Supreme Pizza · December 19, 2021

If the pan is not bolted up yet, you might be able to slip a drain plug in there, if you can get your hand inside the pan.

M1ck3y · December 20, 2021

11 hours ago, Yotaman said:

Watch this guy I did mine like this twice I wish it had a drain plug but with a clear plastic bin to avoid mess not bad.

Yotaman

What if you don't have a dipstick?

How is the op even adding fluid.. Don't these trans require the use of a fluid flush/exchange machine?

JimCost2014 · December 20, 2021

2 hours ago, M1ck3y said:

What if you don't have a dipstick?

How is the op even adding fluid.. Don't these trans require the use of a fluid flush/exchange machine?

There is a "plug" buried on top of the transmission behind a heat shield. It is a 2-part rubber unit, that just fits in a hole.

Nothing really easy, but doable. 8 minutes in shows the plug. Maybe this will help the OP.

Supreme Pizza · December 20, 2021

Ya, removing the dipstick is the latest and greatest way that the manufacturer has figured out to lower production cost, and increase transmission sales, and ultimately increase vehicle sales. They make more money on both ends. Good job guys. Ford, GM, VW, they are all going it now. If you cant check the transmission fluid level, yours will fail at the very first fluid leak. How about the VW's and Toyotas that require the fluid level to be checked using a scanner, special fluid pump, car lift, and the correct temperature reading on the transmission fluid during the fluid level check. Soon they will do that with the dipstick on our car engines. No, you don't check the oil. We check the fluid level for $380 each time. They are already doing this on small engines. They call it lifetime oil. No dipstick, no fill plug, no drain plug. You buy it and run it till it does. That's the new plan. Non-serviceable, disposable engines.

https://imgur.com/fKqykYN

Yotaman · December 20, 2021

Mine has a dipstick but I would think there must be a fill plug somewhere ??

I just measured how much I drained out and refillled the same amount then verified with the....dipstick.

Yotaman

steelerdude15 · December 20, 2021

When I changed my fluid, I wasn't able to remove the pan either. What I did was suck up as much fluid as I could through the dipstick tube and unbolted the pan from the transmission. After that, I sucked out the remaining fluid out of the pan, removed the old filter, gasket, and magnet. I cleaned the pan, the bottom of the transmission where it bolts to the pan, magnet, and gasket with brake cleaner and paper towels. I installed a new filter, reinstalled the gasket and magnet, bolted it up in the correct pattern and torque and was done. I wouldn't even worry about trying to remove the pan. Its a poor design and too much of a hassle.