i have three frickin’ lawnmowers! didn’t even think of it but great point. beats turning them over or jacking up the riding mower for sure.
2500HD service intervals
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What did you do that cost $230 for a pan drop?
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2026
The service interval for the 6L90E is 45,000 miles. I have a 2017 3500HD Gasser.
It has no drain plug and you need a fluid exchange as you can't drain the converter unless you disconnect a cooler line and pump it. (don't flush it)
I did put a PML deep pan on mine. It has a drain plug and holds 3 extra quarts. I changed the filter with the new pan. I then drained and filled it a few times. It is just about all new fluid. No need for the exchange now. I will keep it clean.
http://www.american-automobile.com/2016_silverado.pdf
Page 467 speaks directly to the service interval of the 6L80E/6L90E. Do not skip the maintenance on these. It is not listed in Normal service only Severe as that is the requirement for the 80E/90E.
The rear diff has a drain plug, I always pull the cover on the first one to clean it out. The drain plug is on the bottom of the Diff, has a fill plug too.
You can do a drain and fill if that is all you feel like.
The transfer case takes Dex VI, comes right out. Has a drain and fill plug. You will need a pump to get it back in. DEX VI is the reason you get the fluid changes more frequently. I used this pump.
Front and rear diff is 75W-90.
I am at 36,000 miles and have swapped all the fluids out.
I am in western Washington.
PML Deep pain with drain plug. You can use the stock GM filter with it. Drain plug is magnetic.
It has no drain plug and you need a fluid exchange as you can't drain the converter unless you disconnect a cooler line and pump it. (don't flush it)
I did put a PML deep pan on mine. It has a drain plug and holds 3 extra quarts. I changed the filter with the new pan. I then drained and filled it a few times. It is just about all new fluid. No need for the exchange now. I will keep it clean.
http://www.american-automobile.com/2016_silverado.pdf
Page 467 speaks directly to the service interval of the 6L80E/6L90E. Do not skip the maintenance on these. It is not listed in Normal service only Severe as that is the requirement for the 80E/90E.
The rear diff has a drain plug, I always pull the cover on the first one to clean it out. The drain plug is on the bottom of the Diff, has a fill plug too.
You can do a drain and fill if that is all you feel like.
The transfer case takes Dex VI, comes right out. Has a drain and fill plug. You will need a pump to get it back in. DEX VI is the reason you get the fluid changes more frequently. I used this pump.
Front and rear diff is 75W-90.
I am at 36,000 miles and have swapped all the fluids out.
I am in western Washington.
PML Deep pain with drain plug. You can use the stock GM filter with it. Drain plug is magnetic.
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ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2026
Dealer did a complete fluid exchange on the 6L80E in my Caprice for 280. It has no dipstick and I could not get it level enough to check the fluid
properly. It is the only thing I have done by the dealer. It would cost me close to that to do it myself if I disconnected the cooler and used the transmission pump to get the old stuff out, but adding it would be difficult unless I add a dipstick.
properly. It is the only thing I have done by the dealer. It would cost me close to that to do it myself if I disconnected the cooler and used the transmission pump to get the old stuff out, but adding it would be difficult unless I add a dipstick.
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Sounds like the transmission shop wants pan drops and filter changes every 30,000 miles, that’s a bit excessive to say the least. That filter should easily last 100,000 miles if you keep up with fluid changes.
Agreed. That's what the shop told me when I had the pan drop filter change. He advised against a flush.
I bought a case of Havoline synyhetic ATF and will do the fluid exchange myself... someday, when my workload slows down.
I used an independent trans shop, because when I called the dealer and asked for a quote on the filter change, service writer said "there are no filters, it's a screen that never needs changing" I pointed out is in the owners manual. He replied "nope, it's just a flush these days "
So wony be letting the dealer touch my transmission.
To the OP, your truck is a lot newer than mine but with similar equipment, Mine is a 2008 3/4 ton Suburban with 212,000 miles purchased brand new. It has a 6L90 and Magna Powertrain transfer case. I had a pan drop, filter change and magnet cleanup done every 50,000 miles. ( The dealer flushed the transmission each of the three times I had the work done). I have no energy to argue if that’s good or bad. I hope to do a pan drop myself this summer.
I had the rear diff and front diff done at 100,000 miles, and I did them myself at 200,000 miles. I had the transfer case done every 50,000 miles.
The transfer case sheds metal fillings and completely covers the drain plug magnet at 50,000 miles. I now do the transfer case every 20,000 miles. At 10,000 miles per year, that’s every two years. Doing it every 10,000 miles is too soon, as the fluid is not discoloured and the magnet does not have much on it. I use 4WD for 5 miles at 40 mph almost every day in the winter. I never use 4WD at highway speeds. Changing oil in the transfer case is almost as easy as an oil change. Same with the front diff; there is both a fill and drain plug, so I do that myself.
I now use a shop vac powered vacuum jug to pull out 4 quarts of transmission fluid one per year and replace it with fresh Dex VI. The fluid looks great, always red but at a darker hue than the fresh Dex VI. The plastic hose needs to be 3/8 OD to fit in the tube. Hope that helps.
I had the rear diff and front diff done at 100,000 miles, and I did them myself at 200,000 miles. I had the transfer case done every 50,000 miles.
The transfer case sheds metal fillings and completely covers the drain plug magnet at 50,000 miles. I now do the transfer case every 20,000 miles. At 10,000 miles per year, that’s every two years. Doing it every 10,000 miles is too soon, as the fluid is not discoloured and the magnet does not have much on it. I use 4WD for 5 miles at 40 mph almost every day in the winter. I never use 4WD at highway speeds. Changing oil in the transfer case is almost as easy as an oil change. Same with the front diff; there is both a fill and drain plug, so I do that myself.
I now use a shop vac powered vacuum jug to pull out 4 quarts of transmission fluid one per year and replace it with fresh Dex VI. The fluid looks great, always red but at a darker hue than the fresh Dex VI. The plastic hose needs to be 3/8 OD to fit in the tube. Hope that helps.
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The transfer case and front diff have drain and fill plugs and are easy to do.
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The pan drop is a bear on the 3/4 ton 4WD. The exhaust crossover goes underneath the transmission pan. You have two choices. You can loosen the bolts where the exhaust bolts to the exhaust manifold ( both sides) and drop it an inch ( preferred depending on rust), or you can force it down with a 2 x 4 ( hillbilly method).
In addition there is a magnet in the pan that requires cleaning to maintain its effectiveness. There is also a magnet in the rear diff that needs to be cleaned.
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ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2026
Nope plenty of room on the 3/4 ton and up trucks, I can't speak to your Suburban. I did the pan on mine as I sad above. The 6L80E in the 1/2 ton has the crossover in the way. Even the deep oil pan fits easily on mine. The 3/4 ton and up gasser are easy.
Here is the 6L80E. I have done two of these. It sucks.
It's similar on the 1500 4x4.
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2026
The pan comes right out on the 3/4 ton and up gasser. It took me 30 minutes to swap mine, the 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton and up are not the same.
The crossover on the 3/4 ton and up does not have to be moved to get the pan out. It is an easy pan drop.
The crossover on the 3/4 ton and up does not have to be moved to get the pan out. It is an easy pan drop.
I believe there was a change done, probably in 2014. Here is the oil pan drop procedure for a pre-2014 1/2 ton. The 3/4 ton is also tight. In this video he loosens the exhaust system at the manifold and drops it down a bit. Enjoy.
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Change the filter.
If I had time, I would DIY my filter. 2013 1/2 ton suburban is kind of a PITA. Youtube shows people using ratchet straps to pull down the exhaust to get the pan out while filter is attached, others reach in and pull the filter, then the pan comes off relatively easy. Not sure when the change was that the exhaust is a hindrance, but my old 03 suburban was much easier.
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2026
Your old Suburban if it was a 1/2 ton had a 4L60E(or some variant of that) which is a different setup from a 6L80E.
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ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2026
This guy has a 2016 3/4 ton. This thread frustrates me. Which is rare for me. I have the EXACT truck minus 1 rear leaf spring sitting outside which I have swapped the pan out on. It requires nothing special, undo the bolts, drop the pan. The biggest problem is it is messy, part of the reason I purchased the PML deep pan was the drain plug, plus for towing it did make a difference in overall temp, heat up time and cool down time.
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No worries. I'm the guy who mentioned the exhaust pipe issue, and got corrected. They might have changed the exhaust layout for the 2014 model year so you could now drop the pan without dropping the exhaust. Not very common that they improve something.
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