98 corolla, doing fluid flush, do i need locktite?

[ziggy]

Hi all! 98 toyota corolla. Transmission fluid is well over 30,000 miles overdue. dipstick shows its grey colored, but still shifts smooth. so bought 6 quarts of valvoline dex/merc approved, ( book says to use dexron III). 3 speed, capacity is 2.7 quarts. watching a youtube vid, a shop mechanic did this on a 2002 model same trasnmission. go undr car, remove return line, let a quart or 2 out, turn off, fill with fresh fluid, turn on and runtill fluid is red. Looks easy enough...
I bought form advance auto a new driveworks trans filter. its a screen with metal over it. Came with a rubber gasket. they asked if it was a 18 or 15 bolt pan..i guess his computer showed a 15 so thats what i got. Do i need to use red or blue locktite on new gasket? And how and where too put it..does it go on the threads? the entire pan or gasket? Wanna remove the pan first, change filter, then do the flush. so dont want the new fluid to wash away locktite if required..or do i need gasket sealer?
thanks all!

 

[The Critic]

I've never used loctite on tranny pan gaskets or bolts.

Just line up the gasket to the holes and make sure the mating surfaces are clean. Use a 1/4" ratchet and tighten in a criss-cross pattern.

 

[KB2008X]

If it was me and the pan has a drain plug, and I'm sure it does, I'd change it 2 quarts at a time, not all at once. That's asking for trouble.

Remove drain plug, drain ATF. Refill. Drive for 15 minutes, a day, a week, whatever. Repeat if all is well, and then one more time. 2 quarts per drain, 6 quarts total. No need to pull the transmission lines or the pan. Just pull the drain plug.

The new fluid will clean out the filter/screen. If you insist on changing out the filter, the gasket doesn't require any sealer. Just scrape away the old gasket from the pan and transmission with a razor blade.

And never use Locktite as a gasket sealer.

 

[eljefino]

You don't want Loctite, RTV, or anything else on the pan gasket. Even a little falling off into your tranny fluid can be major trouble.

I agree with the above, just drop/drain the pan-- don't monkey with cooler lines.

The bolts that come out of your pan-- get them on newspaper or something so they don't get grit on the threads.

 

[LazyPrizm]

No loctite on the bolts, but a torque wrench might be handy, 43 in-lbs (NOT ft-lbs!). Harbor freight sells cheap ones, or borrow one from a friend

Are you going to drain the differential fluid as well? On the 3sp 9th gen ATs, it's a separate resevoir, filled through a hole in the side of the differential (the hole also acts as the "full" level).

 

[901Memphis]

Nothing wrong with using the cooler lines if you know which is which, but the best part about the cooler lines is your don't have to drop the pan. If your going to drop the pan anyway just skip the lines.

Nothing wrong with replacing all the fluid if you do it gently such as with cooler line exchange.

 

[ziggy]

Thanks! I appologize, i disnt mean locktite* i mean thread sealer...thiers red n blue ones. Seems in online researchings, people mostly seem too use the red stuff, appears it goes where the bolts are betweeen the pan and gasket..
Yeah i read about emtpy via the bolt, put back, drive, come back, empty again, ect ect. seems like too much bouncing back n forth. plus it looks fun the fluid on the vid came out fast/slow enough so i can easily go back too car door and turn key off immedialty after 1-2 quarts. then fill with 1-2 quarts, rpeat till red. thats my plan..

 

[ziggy]

anyone? Do i need too use red or blue thread sealer???

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: ziggy
anyone? Do i need too use red or blue thread sealer???


No you don't need thread sealer in this application. You can make this job easier if you use a small cordless impact or drill to remove the bolts.
You can also use it to run them back up but not tighten, do that by hand. Its a real time saver.
Don't bother with a torque wrench when using the aftermarket rubber gasket, you can bulge the gasket.
I use a 1/4 ratchet and use it in the palm of the hand to tighten, go around it a couple of times to take up gasket compression. Torque specs are based on the OEM gasket or RTV with dry bolts and threads.

By all means do a line off fluid exchange, its very easy on this car as there are 2 rubber hoses right in front of radiator on the engine.
Swapping a few quarts at a time is a total waste of time and money, there is nothing safer about it either.
I have been doing this on hundreds (literately) of units since 1972 and have not lost a tranny yet.

Edit: Red thread locker should be considered almost permanent, its the last thing you want on aluminum castings. You must heat it to remove it or it can pull the aluminum threads.
Always go with blue unless red is specified and use any color locker only if a thread locker is specified in the service manual.

 

[ziggy]

thanks! so i dont need thread locker, thread seal, gasket sealer of any kind?

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: ziggy
thanks! so i dont need thread locker, thread seal, gasket sealer of any kind?


No, nothing needed.

 

[Subdued]

Originally Posted By: ziggy
anyone? Do i need too use red or blue thread sealer???

There have been like 8 posts telling you not to use a thread lock. We all knew what you meant.

Do not use it. Don't. Don't use it! Asking a diferent way won't change the answer - don't use it!!