4L60E transmission filler tube removal

[thx1138v2]

I have been trying to remove the transmission fluid filler tube on my 2007 GMC 4.3L 4L60E WT but am not having any luck. I can get a socket on the 13mm nut that attaches the tube bracket but I can't get it to loosen at all. Now I'm wondering if it is a left handed thread. I'm not sure what is going on.

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[richard wysong]

It's not left handed just super tight, put a pipe on the end of the ratchet for extra leverage. WARNING if you are using Chinese tools they may break before the bolt loosens so protect your hands from impact if they should break

[thx1138v2]

35 minutes ago, richard wysong said:

It's not left handed just super tight, put a pipe on the end of the ratchet for extra leverage. WARNING if you are using Chinese tools they may break before the bolt loosens so protect your hands from impact if they should break

Thanks for the quick reply. I was thinking a left handed thread would be crazy in that location. I've got a 2 foot long breaker bar so I guess I'll try that.

 

I was also thinking of using my heat gun to warm it up first. Any thoughts on that?

[thx1138v2]

BTW my 2 foot long breaker bar is a Craftsman 1/2" so I don't think I'll have any problems with that one.

[richard wysong]

It can't hurt but probably won't generate enough heat to make a difference. Sometimes the nut won't loosen but the stud will twisting the bracket then you have to get a wrench on the stud to hold it while removing the nut. a mapp gas or acetylene torch would help but be aware of wiring and anything else flammable or meltable in the area. Why are you removing the tube?

Edited March 18, 2025 by richard wysong

[thx1138v2]

10 hours ago, richard wysong said:

It can't hurt but probably won't generate enough heat to make a difference. Sometimes the nut won't loosen but the stud will twisting the bracket then you have to get a wrench on the stud to hold it while removing the nut. a mapp gas or acetylene torch would help but be aware of wiring and anything else flammable or meltable in the area. Why are you removing the tube?

Thanks for the advice.

 

I'm removing the tube because it broke right at the mounting bracket. Since I don't have it out yet I'm not sure what caused that but when I look at it from above I  an see the opening of the lower portion and when I attempted to put transmission fluid in it ran out on the ground.

[thx1138v2]

I finally got it out. After taking the exhaust manifold off it was a piece of cake. So I have replaced it and put everything back together and topped off the transmission fluid. it runs OK.

 

But it's not shifting correctly now. It doesn't want to shift out of low. It will if I release the throttle. It shifts OK after that - shifting up and down. But next time I try to accelerate in first, I have to release the throttle at around 3000 to 3500 RPM to get it to shift.

I guess I damaged it by driving it when it was low on fluid. I wasn't aware of a problem until one day I was going up a fairly steep incline and it wasn't shifting out of first coming down the back side. I was on a huge overpass with no immediate exits available so I kept driving it until I got home - about 3 miles.

 

Any suggestions?

[richard wysong]

Check for codes, You may need more than a basic code reader to access the trans codes

[thx1138v2]

After researching the 4L60E rebuild process I decided to take it to a shop. They looked at it and quoted me $3695 to do a complete rebuild. That sounds about right to me. I had a 4L60E in my '94 Sierra and it was around $3500 to do a complete rebuild back in 2000. Does the price sound OK with you guys?

[richard wysong]

Did you check for codes? It may just be a bad solenoid