One of the great annoyances (to me) of GM cars is the lack of a drain plug on the transmission. I drain and fill the tranny pan when I change oil, and use of a hand pump, while much better than leaving old fluid in the trans pan, is a messy undertaking.
GM knows how to put a drain plug on transmissions, because the 4L80E in one of my Jaguars has a drain.
While the pan was off of my 96 S10 AWD Blazer, I purchased a Motormite transmission drain plug kit. A suitable place was located at the rear of the pan where it would clear all of the electrical bits, and the pan was drilled and the plug installled.
Unfortunately, it projected to high to clear the bits on the bottom of the tranny.
The plug kit was removed, the securing nut that went inside the pan was wire welded to the outside of the pan instead, and everything was reinstalled without further problem. An extra advantage to this arrangement is that the drain opening is now flush with the pan, facilitating a better drain. The disadvantage is that the drain hangs lower, however, I would have to tear a considerable portion of the vehicle away before the drain plug is in danger ....
Tranny pan drains are much easier with a plug. Shame on GM for not spending a few extra dollars to make service of their vehicles more straightforward.
GM knows how to put a drain plug on transmissions, because the 4L80E in one of my Jaguars has a drain.
While the pan was off of my 96 S10 AWD Blazer, I purchased a Motormite transmission drain plug kit. A suitable place was located at the rear of the pan where it would clear all of the electrical bits, and the pan was drilled and the plug installled.
Unfortunately, it projected to high to clear the bits on the bottom of the tranny.
The plug kit was removed, the securing nut that went inside the pan was wire welded to the outside of the pan instead, and everything was reinstalled without further problem. An extra advantage to this arrangement is that the drain opening is now flush with the pan, facilitating a better drain. The disadvantage is that the drain hangs lower, however, I would have to tear a considerable portion of the vehicle away before the drain plug is in danger ....
Tranny pan drains are much easier with a plug. Shame on GM for not spending a few extra dollars to make service of their vehicles more straightforward.