4L60E pan drop and filter change pics and filter o ring carnage

[paulo57509]

I'm a little late, but I've done it this way a couple of times on the Safari.

Catch the lip of the seal and bend the OD of the seal way inward. Farther down the better. The seal not having complete contact around the bore in the case makes it much easier to remove. Put a pry tool in between the bent in seal and the case and it should come out easily.

 

[350Rocket]

Update:we got a new filter kit with the new seal and my mechanic friend was able to get it up in there after a slight cleaning up of the burs I left on the edge from damaging the aluminum. The bore itself was fine. New seal, filter and Mobil dexron 6 in it....drove 100 miles or so today pulling a small trailer and a small amount of scrap but most of my usual work stuff so still about 7000+ pounds I think. Transmission worked great (for stock) as usual. Same amount of TCC slip for whatever PWM it's commanded so it doesn't seem like pressure changed at all. Shifts very crisp in tow haul mode.
Also the 200k mile 02 sierra I just bought has a good working 4L60E. The frame and body are completely rotted out and front end and tires were bad but it ran like a million bucks and actually had some balls with the 5.3 and 3.73. I'm used to a 4.8 with 3.42s carrying a bunch of weight.
Drove the parts truck from it's previous home at my wife's uncle's to my friends house about 50-60 miles away. It also showed over 45 psi oil pressure at idle hot. My higher mileage 4.8 is down to 30.

 

[CapitalTruck]

I dont think youll have an issue with that “gouging.” I always changed my seal on my 4L60E. Smear ATF fluid on the outside of the new one before putting it in to help it go in. Tap the new one in really slowly. I cant remember which size socket I used. I feel like it was a size which fit the seal nicely when I held it to the seal by hand, meaning I fit the socket to seal, not to the hole in the transmission. This next attempt will work for you.

 

[CapitalTruck]

I'm a little late, but I've done it this way a couple of times on the Safari.

Catch the lip of the seal and bend the OD of the seal way inward. Farther down the better. The seal not having complete contact around the bore in the case makes it much easier to remove. Put a pry tool in between the bent in seal and the case and it should come out easily.

View attachment 247335

After I do exactly what you do I take pliers and pull it out. I use the exact same method.

 

[350Rocket]

I dont think youll have an issue with that “gouging.” I always changed my seal on my 4L60E. Smear ATF fluid on the outside of the new one before putting it in to help it go in. Tap the new one in really slowly. I cant remember which size socket I used. I feel like it was a size which fit the seal nicely when I held it to the seal by hand, meaning I fit the socket to seal, not to the hole in the transmission. This next attempt will work for you.

It was a 19mm socket which we used. I did coat the seal in transmission fluid but it was very slippery and precarious to get it in place and keep it there before getting the socket up against it then grab the hammer and tap, all by flashlight. My mechanic friend was able to get the new seal in the next morning and I have already put several hundred miles on it and still no issues.
Thanks for the input and glad we were able to get it back together still working.

 

[JHZR2]

I remember that seal being tough to remove. Then I think I installed another one not deep enough (which worked), and then re-did it again.

What a pain. No idea why they would make a design like this which is so user-unfriendly. Why couldn’t the filter just be screw on or even spin-on?

 

[billt460]

I remember that seal being tough to remove. Then I think I installed another one not deep enough (which worked), and then re-did it again.

What a pain. No idea why they would make a design like this which is so user-unfriendly. Why couldn’t the filter just be screw on or even spin-on?

I believe it is intentionally designed to resist DIY fluid changes. And force most people to take it to the dealer. My Jeep has the ZF 8-Speed, that requires a "kit" that includes a new pan, filter, and then it requires something in the neighborhood of 8 quarts of special fluid that is anything but cheap.

A couple of years back I contacted my local Jeep dealer here in town, and he ballparked a trans fluid change at around $1K. Ridiculous.

 

[billt460]

And another concern with many of these things, is with no dipstick to check, how does the customer know they put in the proper amount of fluid? Or for that matter, even changed it or the filter?

I caught "Just Brakes" once for charging me for a brake fluid change / flush that they never did. I paid the guy, and backed my truck out of the bay. I then parked it and opened the hood, and the brake fluid was as dark as printers ink.

I went back in, called the guy out and showed him. He apologized saying, "They must have, "forgot". They then pulled it in and did it. You can't trust anyone. And these type of sealed transmissions make it all the more easy to get shafted.

 

[350Rocket]

I believe it is intentionally designed to resist DIY fluid changes. And force most people to take it to the dealer. My Jeep has the ZF 8-Speed, that requires a "kit" that includes a new pan, filter, and then it requires something in the neighborhood of 8 quarts of special fluid that is anything but cheap.

A couple of years back I contacted my local Jeep dealer here in town, and he ballparked a trans fluid change at around $1K. Ridiculous.

Well at least now I know not to remove the o ring again. Just swap the filter and leave o ring in place. I thought $54 a gallon for dexron 6 was too much. Lol.