I will take photo's next time I'm under there to change the ATF and I rip off my clip.
2008 Santa Fe transmission drain bolt..
- Thread starter JTK
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Originally Posted By: StevieC
I will take photo's next time I'm under there to change the ATF and I rip off my clip.
StevieC,
Instead of taking a chance of cracking the housing by breaking that piece, try buying a cheap socket and grinding it down until it fits on the drain plug. I have several sockets I have modified over the years to fit hard to get spots. Just a thought.
I will take photo's next time I'm under there to change the ATF and I rip off my clip.
StevieC,
Instead of taking a chance of cracking the housing by breaking that piece, try buying a cheap socket and grinding it down until it fits on the drain plug. I have several sockets I have modified over the years to fit hard to get spots. Just a thought.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Originally Posted By: crinkles
Originally Posted By: StevieC
I will have to see if my "tab" is removable... Thanks for the tip.
please take some photo's i couldn't identify it in the photos above. interesting concept. are you sure you didn't break something?
Apologies. My photo taking and editing skills aren't great. Try this:
Joel
Originally Posted By: StevieC
I will have to see if my "tab" is removable... Thanks for the tip.
please take some photo's i couldn't identify it in the photos above. interesting concept. are you sure you didn't break something?
Apologies. My photo taking and editing skills aren't great. Try this:
Joel
JTK
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Originally Posted By: tig1
...Instead of taking a chance of cracking the housing by breaking that piece, try buying a cheap socket and grinding it down until it fits on the drain plug. I have several sockets I have modified over the years to fit hard to get spots. Just a thought.
Yes, considered that route as well. The (2) 22mm sockets I had couldn't be ground down short enough, then you'd still have the ratchet handle to contend with. Cracking or inducing a leak in the trans case was a concern as well, but would be near impossible to cause the way this little 'skin tag' is designed. It's not substantial like a cooling fin or cast in boss/gusset.
Joel
...Instead of taking a chance of cracking the housing by breaking that piece, try buying a cheap socket and grinding it down until it fits on the drain plug. I have several sockets I have modified over the years to fit hard to get spots. Just a thought.
Yes, considered that route as well. The (2) 22mm sockets I had couldn't be ground down short enough, then you'd still have the ratchet handle to contend with. Cracking or inducing a leak in the trans case was a concern as well, but would be near impossible to cause the way this little 'skin tag' is designed. It's not substantial like a cooling fin or cast in boss/gusset.
Joel
what about a grinder with a cutting wheel? would that work better? and then their would be no chance of cracking the case! mike
UOA the fluid. I'd wager that it was NOT fine.
Quoting useless MFG'ers TSB is foolish. Anything to save a quart of fluid to make an environmentalist happy without regard to the cost of the transmission or the vehicle is pathetic.
I'd wager that 90+% of the population fits into severe service and don't even know it.
There are short sockets and extended side wrenches that can that that plug off easily without snapping the tab.
Quoting useless MFG'ers TSB is foolish. Anything to save a quart of fluid to make an environmentalist happy without regard to the cost of the transmission or the vehicle is pathetic.
I'd wager that 90+% of the population fits into severe service and don't even know it.
There are short sockets and extended side wrenches that can that that plug off easily without snapping the tab.
Thats a great idea if you have the money Joel you should UOA the fluid! If not then dont.
JTK
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Originally Posted By: unDummy
There are short sockets and extended side wrenches that can that that plug off easily without snapping the tab.
There very likely is some obscure, expensive, specialty Kent-Moore (or the likes) tool available for this specific job. Having been down similar roads before, I'm fairly good at getting to and removing 'impossible' fittings. With an inch from bolt head face to frame and no way to grasp and rotate that hex head as is, this one was a challenge. The pics make it look like you can drive a bus in there. It's far from it. It ain't a problem now! UOA? I'd rather go grab another 5qts of "suitable" ATF.
Joel
There are short sockets and extended side wrenches that can that that plug off easily without snapping the tab.
There very likely is some obscure, expensive, specialty Kent-Moore (or the likes) tool available for this specific job. Having been down similar roads before, I'm fairly good at getting to and removing 'impossible' fittings. With an inch from bolt head face to frame and no way to grasp and rotate that hex head as is, this one was a challenge. The pics make it look like you can drive a bus in there. It's far from it. It ain't a problem now! UOA? I'd rather go grab another 5qts of "suitable" ATF.
Joel
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Hows the shifting?
JTK
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Nice as it was the day I got it two weeks ago!
Joel
Joel
JTK
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I did the second 5qt drain & fill today. It looks to have cleaned up nicely, although I know looks don't mean much. ~$50 worth of Maxlife is enough for me for awhile. I also don't care to get it on me and smell it again for quite some time.
It seems to get EVERYWHERE. I'll probably do a 5qt drain/fill once a year w/ my 12-15Kmi per year regimen. Now I need to work up the enthusiasm to drain/fill the gear oil from the transfer case, rear diff, and do the power steering and coolant.
Joel
Joel
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see I dont mind doing any of that exept for the coolant. I hate the smell of coolant and the vopors make me dizzy. When I do my honda and take the cap off and let it run waiting for the fan to kick on and get the air bubbles out, the vapors that come out just about put me on my butt. New gear oil and atf isent bad but old dino gear oil is bad. The old syn gear oil dosent smell near as bad.
See coolant and other fluids don't bother me but the ATF makes me sick to my stomach. I wear a mask when changing my ATF so I don't puke.
I use sockets and ratchet all the time. I have a huge selection of tools though. Those ear's are not to prevent you getting a wrench on it. Those ears where their to protect the head of the drain plug from damage if you actually went 4 wheeling into to some nasty stuff.That is alway why they tucked it up slightly higher then the frame it is supposed to be a competent off road vechile. Not in the sense that you are going to take it up a dry water fall but for average off roading. THin wall sockets and just as commonly needed as deep well sockets.. Might pay to invest in some. I wouldnot waste my time with SAE just get metric set.
Just for common knoldge 10K is the best time to do the initial change as any break in of gears is going to have finished by then. Then something like Maxlife should be changed about every 30K miles max for long life.
Just for common knoldge 10K is the best time to do the initial change as any break in of gears is going to have finished by then. Then something like Maxlife should be changed about every 30K miles max for long life.
JTK
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Originally Posted By: JohnBrowning
..Those ears where their to protect the head of the drain plug from damage if you actually went 4 wheeling into to some nasty stuff.
John, that sure is possible, but the little 'teet' I knocked off towards the front is super thin and literally took nothing to remove. Strangly enough, the tab towards the rear is much more substantial and kind off gusetted in to the casting more. I couldn't even get a thin wall, shorty, offset O2 sensor socket in there. Nor could I grind a 22mm socket short enough (to still have hex left) and still fit a U-joint, extension and ratchet handle on it.
Joel
..Those ears where their to protect the head of the drain plug from damage if you actually went 4 wheeling into to some nasty stuff.
John, that sure is possible, but the little 'teet' I knocked off towards the front is super thin and literally took nothing to remove. Strangly enough, the tab towards the rear is much more substantial and kind off gusetted in to the casting more. I couldn't even get a thin wall, shorty, offset O2 sensor socket in there. Nor could I grind a 22mm socket short enough (to still have hex left) and still fit a U-joint, extension and ratchet handle on it.
Joel
Here is what i did on my brothers 2004 santa fe today!
the tab was easily removed as you can see!
and this is what i used to cut the ear off! went through it like butter! and it is alot easier than grinding a socket and you don't have to worry about cracking the case!
the tab was easily removed as you can see!
and this is what i used to cut the ear off! went through it like butter! and it is alot easier than grinding a socket and you don't have to worry about cracking the case!
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
The 2007+ frame is different from the 2001-2006 Santa Fe. Mine drains right onto the frame on my 2008. Gives that ATF a nice splatter/scatter effect.
Joel
Joel
JTK,
Maybe next time you can fab some sort of drain guide/splash shield to direct the flow of ATF away from that cross member.
Maybe a piece of cardboard or an old plastic milk jug cut into the right shape?
Maybe next time you can fab some sort of drain guide/splash shield to direct the flow of ATF away from that cross member.
Maybe a piece of cardboard or an old plastic milk jug cut into the right shape?
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Originally Posted By: BBuzecky
JTK, what size socket did you end up using for the drain plug?
I used a crescent wrench (at an angle). I couldn't get even a stubby, offset O2 sensor socket in the space allowed between plug and subframe rail. It's a big hex head; 7/8" or closest metric at a quess. Again, mine is a 2008 F4A51 4spd auto. If yours is the 2007+ 5spd auto, you might have more room in there because the plug will have a slightly different placement with the 5spd.
cos. Yes, a splash catcher might be good. It comes out fast and furious, but does clean up easily.
Joel
Joel
JTK, what size socket did you end up using for the drain plug?
I used a crescent wrench (at an angle). I couldn't get even a stubby, offset O2 sensor socket in the space allowed between plug and subframe rail. It's a big hex head; 7/8" or closest metric at a quess. Again, mine is a 2008 F4A51 4spd auto. If yours is the 2007+ 5spd auto, you might have more room in there because the plug will have a slightly different placement with the 5spd.
cos. Yes, a splash catcher might be good. It comes out fast and furious, but does clean up easily.
Joel
Joel
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