2009 G5 (Cobalt) pan drop questions

[Towncivilian]

My girlfriend has an '09 G5 (Chevy Cobalt equivalent) with the 4T45-E transmission. There are just over 39,000 miles on the vehicle. There is no drain plug and no ATF dipstick, but there is a fill plug in the engine bay and a check plug for the ATF level.

I plan on buying a replacement Dorman 265-809 transmission pan which has a drain plug. I read the OEM gasket is reusable if undamaged, is this correct? I would assume so, since the ACDelco replacement filter does not come with a gasket.

I know I could just do a cooler line fluid exchange, but installing a replacement drain pan with a drain plug would make future service easier. I will install a Magnefine as well. Does anybody know what the cooler line size is, and which cooler line is which? Is the ACDelco filter worth the $30 Amazon and RockAuto charge, or will a cheaper Wix / ATP suffice (I would not use the likely inferior gasket included, if the OEM is reusable)? Does anybody happen to know the manufacturer of the original filter (i.e. Filtran)? Should I just go with the ACDelco filter since future pan drops would be unnecessary if using a Magnefine?

The Chilton online site says that a pan drop will take exactly 7 quarts of fluid. It says a dry fill is 12.9 quarts. I plan to use SuperTech Dexron VI since it is a licensed fluid and should perform adequately.

Which Magnefine item on Amazon is a genuine one? Raybestos? Or does Amazon not sell genuine Magnefines? Or will this Wix/Filtran in-line filter be just as good? I don't know the micron rating of this filter's media.

Amazon has the cheapest price including free Prime shipping ($80.05) vs RockAuto after 5% discount code and shipping ($86.81) for the same parts: Dorman pan, ACDelco filter, and Wix in-line filter. 7 quarts of SuperTech DexVI is about $30 before tax.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[artificialist]

OEM pan gaskets are reusable, so long as they aren't leaking before you remove them.

As for the filter, I don't see a problem using Wix.

On cars like this, I prefer to put the old fluid in a graduated cylinder, and then fill the transmission with exactly the same volume.

 

[vssjim]

The fill hole is a 11mm hex headed pipe plug on the right side of transaxle in front of and about center line of axle. You fill trans with fluid run it trough gears and remove plug , car level in park and not too hot and fluid should dribble out. If it does run out let it flow until it dribbles, if it doesn't add fluid. It is a fairly easy system and the wix filter and reuseable gasket are standard items that work well. If you do a regular fluid change you don't need another filter inline as there is a magnet stuck to the inside bottom of the pan.

 

[Barkleymut]

I would be surprised if you got 7 quarts out of a pan drop.

 

[Towncivilian]

Originally Posted By: Barkleymut
I would be surprised if you got 7 quarts out of a pan drop.

This is the stated pan drop capacity as per the Chilton Online site as well as a DIY how-to guide I found. Of course, I had planned to measure the amount drained in a graduated container, not just blindly dump 7 quarts in.

Originally Posted By: artificialist
OEM pan gaskets are reusable, so long as they aren't leaking before you remove them.

As for the filter, I don't see a problem using Wix.

Thanks for the confirmation. I will get the less expensive Wix filter and gasket kit and discard the included gasket and will reuse the OEM instead.

Originally Posted By: vssjim
The fill hole is a 11mm hex headed pipe plug on the right side of transaxle in front of and about center line of axle. You fill trans with fluid run it trough gears and remove plug , car level in park and not too hot and fluid should dribble out. If it does run out let it flow until it dribbles, if it doesn't add fluid. It is a fairly easy system and the wix filter and reuseable gasket are standard items that work well. If you do a regular fluid change you don't need another filter inline as there is a magnet stuck to the inside bottom of the pan.

Thanks for the info regarding the check plug. An in-line filter is inexpensive and would be easily examined for leaks/seepage from where the cooler lines are on this vehicle, plus it guarantees that all of the fluid will pass over the filter's magnet, something which cannot be guaranteed for the magnet in the transmission pan.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

On Rockauto, ATP part #JX-160 is a 3/8" Magnefine filter. At least, it was a couple years ago. I'm looking at one right now--it's in an ATP box; the filter label says both Magnefine and Raybestos. The Magnefine logo is embossed in the cap, under the label.

If your lines are 5/16", the ATP/Magnefine inline is #JX-150.

I have had good luck with the black fiber gasket that comes with ATP filters. Last time I shopped for a trans filter, the Wix for my application seemed to have a cork-rubber blend.