4T65E pan drop tips/tricks

[Trav]

This may help for future work. They fit great on large coolant type drain pans.

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-17892-Transmission-Drain-Pan/dp/B0002SR6WA

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-17902-Super-Transmission-Funnel/dp/B000P0XMBO/ref=pd_sim_auto_1

http://www.sears.com/atd-large-transmiss...mp;blockType=G1

Edit: As SteveSRT8 said i used the LG red and saw proven lower temps on the scan tool.
It contains esters so it also cleans and maintains the seals. IMHO its a great product even in Dex VI.

 

[NMBurb02]

Originally Posted By: Trav
This may help for future work. They fit great on large coolant type drain pans.

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-17892-Transmission-Drain-Pan/dp/B0002SR6WA

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-17902-Super-Transmission-Funnel/dp/B000P0XMBO/ref=pd_sim_auto_1

http://www.sears.com/atd-large-transmiss...mp;blockType=G1

Edit: As SteveSRT8 said i used the LG red and saw proven lower temps on the scan tool.
It contains esters so it also cleans and maintains the seals. IMHO its a great product even in Dex VI.

Thanks. I will probably skip the transmission drain pan this time around as I will be doing this work early tomorrow morning so I won't have time to order online and haven't seen such in any of the local stores, and I am already over budget with having purchased additional Dex-VI to do a second line off exchange cycle.

The last part of your post regarding esters in the LG Red has opened a whole new can of worms. One of the transmission cooler lines was leaking when I bought the car in January. I had my mechanic replace it and was going to have him do a flush/fluid exchange at the same time but then saw that the transmission fluid was bright red and found on the Carfax report that the PO had the transmission flushed at a quick lube place about 2 years and 15,000 miles before, so we decided on no flush, but I had them add a bottle of LG Red. Now 6 months and 8,000 miles later the fluid has become somewhat tan and fluid temps are a bit higher than previously. Could it be that the esters in the LG Red have cleaned stuff up that much, resulting in some of the cleaned up gunk restricting fluid flow and thereby causing elevated temps (206F cruising at 65 mph on freeway, up to 221F on streets afterwards), and darkened the fluid in such short of a time? If that is the case, should I use the Lubegard cooler/cooler line flush during the line off exchange process and add LG Red at the end? I already have the flush but not the LG Red, so I figure I will be making a trip back to O'Reillys whether or not I end up using the flush.

 

[Trav]

Quick lube places often don't change the filter. Any idea when or if this was done?
This unit has a real filter not just a rock catcher so yes you may have a restricted filter but to what degree is anyones guess.

LG has some cleaning abilities but i wouldn't call it a cleaner per se.
Make sure there are no kinks in the lines.

 

[NMBurb02]

Don't know about filter change at quick lube.

The OEM lines are rigid, no?

And is it 3/8" OD or ID for the tubing used during the exchange? I'm assuming ID.

 

[Trav]

Yes rigid lines and 3/8 id for the tubing.

 

[JethroBodine]

You can get 5-6 quarts of ATF out of this trans through the dipstick tube with any fluid extractor. Then drop the pan and change the filter. Then re-fill. That will give you 50% new fluid. Then in 10k change out another 5-6 quarts with the fluid extractor.

 

[NMBurb02]

Mission accomplished!

I used Trav's line off exchange process. Removed the transmission cooler return line and affixed 3/8" clear hose; started the car, let the transmission pump out fluid until there were a bunch of bubbles in the hose, and then shut off the car; dropped the pan; used the Lubegard transmission cooler line and cooler flush (Dr. Transmission Kooler Kleen); cleaned the pan, magnet, and gasket; installed the new filter; installed the pan (final torque about 150 in/lbs); added 6 quarts fluid; started car and allowed to pump again until a bunch of bubbles; and finally added a bottle of Lubegard Red and about 6 quarts fluid.

It was all relatively easy. The hardest parts were removing the old filter seal and installing the new one. Only after I struggled for a good time removing the old one and finally got it out did my friend look online and find out the seal does not need to be replaced if there is nothing wrong with it. However, the Purolator filter came with a new seal, the old one was probably the original with now 139k+ miles on it, and the new filter slid too easily into the old seal (no mallet tapping as Trav warned me may be needed), all of which added up to me deciding to replace it.

One complication with the cooler flush is that the directions say to remove the cooler feed line connector and attach the connector on the flush can's hose. However, the hose's connector is too small for the cooler line connector! I was able to make it work by cutting off the connector on the flush's hose, popping the transmission cooler line out of its connector, and connecting the can at the nozzle with the cooler line using more of the 3/8" tubing.

I am about to take it out for a drive to check the hot coolant level and will then have to put it back up on jack stands to address the slight leak introduced at the coolant line connector I removed in order to use the flush.

 

[Trav]

Sound like everything went well. Good move replacing the seal they do age and get hard.
Its rare but disturbing an old seal can cause cracks in it which could be catastrophic.

 

[NMBurb02]

Someone mentioned laying an old inflatable pool under the car to catch spills. I didn't have a pool I could use for that but had an old plastic shower curtain and laid that down, which saved my bacon. I will definitely pick up one of the large transmission drain pans next time.

 

[Merkava_4]

I'm a little bit late to the party, but here's the torque sequence I used.

I made four passes: 60-80-100-120 inch pounds.