B&M trans pan for Ram 1500 ZF 8HP series

[Sloppy_Snood]

Installation: B&M Hi-Tek Deep Heavy Duty Transmission Pan for 2022 RAM 1500 with ZF 8HP70/8HP75

After life events delayed my original installation timeline, I found some time to install my Holley +4 quarts black anodized aluminum transmission pan (Holley part 71395).

Original ZF-filled transmission fluid lived in the transmission for the first 115,550 miles of its service life. Not ideal but it is what it is.

OEM transmission pan dropped and discarded. Nothing much on the magnets to note. Overall fluid quantity of ZF LifeGuard fluid removed was 5 1/2 I.S. quarts of fluid.

The three nuts securing the transmission to the cross support were removed and the transmission was lifted with a transmission jack approximately 1.5 to 2 inches off of its support. This is necessary in order to remove the OEM pan.

With the transmission unbolted from the crossmember support and elevated, the new Holley transmission pan was fitted with the polymer & cork gasket pre-installed on the pan. I “taught” the gasket to stay-in-shape by setting it on the pan the night before with the mounting bolts aligning the gasket over the empty pan.

With a helper navigating the pan into place, I installed the Holley pan screws through the pan and gasket into each mounting hole hand tight. Verified gasket alignment all the way around and followed the instructions tightening sequence a 4-inch 5mm wobble head Allen socket on a 3/8” drive, low range torque wrench. Rear screws near the transmission crossmember support were especially challenging to reach with my tool but doable.

The Holley pan fits onto the ZF transmission just fine but it is pretty tight to the exhaust’s crossover pipe. The crossover exhaust pipe will receive a header wrap treatment in the near future.

Torque ing was stepped up in three separate, incremental screw tightening activities. First tightening round round was 46 in-lbs; second round was 69 in-lbs; and final tightening was 96 in-lbs (8 ft-lbs) wittg a 0-250 in-lbs Carlysle torque wrench.

Replacement transmission fluid is HPL ATF Green for the fluid backfilling. Pumped in 9 U.S. quarts of HPL ATF Green with engine off and transmission still elevated. No leaks and good gasket contact all the way around.

Transmission lowered back onto crossmember support and re-secured and torqued. Transmission (not the truck) was leveled off of the torqued mounting screws of the new pan with a bubble level.

Note: Level transmission on my truck required the rear wheels to be elevated 9 1/2” off the garage floor.

Connected my Innova 5610 OBDII Scan tool so my helper could monitor the actual transmission fluid temperature as it increased with the motor running. 86 degrees F to 122 degrees F is the accepted fluid temperature when checking fill hole fluid level on this ZF transmission.

Started the truck until transmission fluid was 86 degrees F on my 5610 reader tool. Rolled through the ZF reverse, park, neutral, rev sequencing and rechecked fluid level. Pumped in another 1/2 quarts until the fluid began to dribble out the fill hole. Installed the plug and torqued to 35 ft-lbs spec.

Repeated the ZF fluid fill sequence again and checked fluid level. Fluid level verified to be correct so the truck’s rear wheels were lowered and I took the truck for a 2-mile spin on the interstate. Transmission gear shifting was smooth and slightly better than previous shift quality.

I appreciate my increased fluid capacity (13.5 quarts in transmission) and the very easy access magnetic drain plug. Future spill & fills should be MUCH easier on the RAM 1500 truck.

I am pleased.

 

[CleanSump]

Nice pit to work in!

 

[Egg_Head]

Don't wrap the cross over exhaust pipe, it can be a pre-heater to help warm up your ATF during cold starts.

 

[Sloppy_Snood]

Thank you to the moderator who modified this thread title to be shorter. i sincerely appreciate that. -Slopster

 

[QwikKota]

+4, wow. The PPE pan I installed is +2 quarts. I assume that is why you chose the B&M? Or is it also cheaper?

 

[The Critic]

Where are you placing the level to determine whether the transmission is level?

 

[Sloppy_Snood]

To supplement the original post, tools I utilized for the transmission pan swap on my 2022 RAM 1500 are as follows:

- Innova 5610 Car Scan Pro OBD2 tool (for temperature monitoring directly from the transmissionmission sensor while I was physically under the truck).
- 1/4” and 3/8” ratchets, extensions, universals
- 3/8” Carlyle torque wrench 0 to 100 in-lbs
- 15mm standard socket 3/8” drive (transmissionmission mounting hex nuts’ removal).
- T40 torque bit socket (removal of OEM screws from plastic OEM pan)
- 5mm or 3/16” ball hex socket bit with 4” and 7” lengths (for tightening the Holley-supplied hex socket screws with the transmission pan); 7” length works better for the new pan’s screws; especially the rear three screws partially blocked by the transmissionmission crossmember.
- 3/16” Allen wrench or Allen socket (auxiliary temperature sensor port plug in new B&M pan)
- transmissionmission lift or similar means (used to elevate transmissionmission for OEM plastic pan removal)
- Amazon fluid pump and transmissionfer hose for 1-gallon containers (works with HPL ATF Green transmissionmission fluid’s black 1-gallon jugs perfectly).

 

[Sloppy_Snood]

+4, wow. The PPE pan I installed is +2 quarts. I assume that is why you chose the B&M? Or is it also cheaper?

Hi QwikKota.

Three main reasons for my selection of this pan (over PPE and others):

1. Yes, the 4-quart sump capacity was my initial draw to this product.
2. The location and size of the drain plug. It is large, contains a neodymium magnet, and is centrally located at the end of the pan near the crossover exhaust pipe.
3. The many thermal heat sink fins inside and outside the pan body itself. More surface area for heat transfer out of the fluid, into the pan body’s aluminum, and heat transfer out to the air moving by. This just seems to be a better design than the PPE pan, in my opinion (but the PPE pan is a good $100 less expensive option than this $409 option).

An unforeseen advantage of this deeper pan is the aluminum extension tube that connects the filtering element to the transmission body.

Why is this an advantage?

Unlike the stock plastic pan, the depth of the pan and the pickup tube extension Allows the filter element to sit immersed in transmission fluid at any reasonable truck angle (like 3 to 4 inches immersed!).

While I do fill to the fill hole using the “ZF Procedure” with a level transmission, the process is far less sensitive to fill volume because it will always be under 3-4” of fluid. I hope that makes sense.

The extension down into the bottom of the pan:

 

[slo town]

Where are you placing the level to determine whether the transmission is level?

I've always been curious about this.

Is it actual practice at most facilities to adjust the vehicle's rake to get the transmission level? And by level I am assuming the bottom of the pan. When you consider most cars have a natural rake, I have my doubts that most repair facilities level the pan, regardless of whether it's on a 2 or 4 post lift.

What say you @The Critic?

Thanks,

Scott

 

[Sloppy_Snood]

Where are you placing the level to determine whether the transmissionmission is level?

@The Critic The level was placed along the the longest section of the socket head screws (after each torqued to 96 in-lbs / 8 ft-lbs) along the front-to-back side of the pan (passenger’s side if sitting in the driver’s seat facing forward).

This is the best method I could come up with considering the ZF 8HP75 is canted on the RAM truck frame itself by build design.

@slo town - Heck no most repair shops do not actually level the transmissionmission’s machined pan face before they replace pans, fluid, etc.

They simply leave it to whatever position it is on the lift and fill it to the fill hole at whatever temperature the transmissionmission metal is in and whatever ambient temperature the fluid is in the container.

I have watched two RAM dealerships perform the procedure incorrectly here in Indiana. They do not care whether they are to check temperature and level for proper fill volume (nor did either of the shop managers when I mentioned it to them personally).

Mind you, I see the temperature and leveling “important instructions” as far more critical with the shallow OEM pan. I can easily be incorrect here and ymmv.

So it is understandable that many prefer a dipstick to check transmission fluid level at full operating temperature. When comparing this stupid “fill hole fluid level check at temperature with the azz end of the truck almost a foot in the air” process to a simple dipstick method, I understand and support the transmissionmission fluid dipstick crowd’s point of view here.

 

[Sloppy_Snood]

Don't wrap the cross over exhaust pipe, it can be a pre-heater to help warm up your ATF during cold starts.

I will not be wrapping the exhaust pipe at all because I just finished installing the Caulk Thermal Bypass on my transmission’s stupid transmission heater assembly!

My HPL ATF Green fluid now runs 100% to the transmission cooler year round and is never heated by coolant from the cooling system (the stock arrangement is heated in such a manner).

8HP70/8HP75 Thermal Bypass Valve

 

[slo town]

@The Critic The level was placed along the the longest section of the socket head screws (after each torqued to 96 in-lbs / 8 ft-lbs) along the front-to-back side of the pan (passenger’s side if sitting in the driver’s seat facing forward).

This is the best method I could come up with considering the ZF 8HP75 is canted on the RAM truck frame itself by build design.

View attachment 337369

Is leveling via the bolts on the same plane/angle as leveling from the bottom of the pan? If different, I would think leveling based on the bottom of the pan would be the proper way to do it.

Scott

 

[Sloppy_Snood]

Is leveling via the bolts on the same plane/angle as leveling from the bottom of the pan? If different, I would think leveling based on the bottom of the pan would be the proper way to do it.

Scott

Looking at it under the truck, I cannot be certain that the bottom of the pan is in the same plane/angle as the flange. What you ask makes complete sense but I will pull the RAM over the pit this coming weekend and check and report back.

I like your idea better than mine actually. I just need to verify that the level reading is the same when then the truck is sitting normally over the service pit.

My thought process during the initial install was to utilize the socket head screw heads at final torque specifically because the flange thickness is the same all the way around the pan’s flange perimeter. The socket head screws’ were verified to be the same height at the shoulder to top of screw.

 

[QwikKota]

Hi QwikKota.

Three main reasons for my selection of this pan (over PPE and others):

1. Yes, the 4-quart sump capacity was my initial draw to this product.
2. The location and size of the drain plug. It is large, contains a neodymium magnet, and is centrally located at the end of the pan near the crossover exhaust pipe.
3. The many thermal heat sink fins inside and outside the pan body itself. More surface area for heat transfer out of the fluid, into the pan body’s aluminum, and heat transfer out to the air moving by. This just seems to be a better design than the PPE pan, in my opinion (but the PPE pan is a good $100 less expensive option than this $409 option).

View attachment 337361

View attachment 337362

An unforeseen advantage of this deeper pan is the aluminum extension tube that connects the filtering element to the transmission body.

Why is this an advantage?

Unlike the stock plastic pan, the depth of the pan and the pickup tube extension Allows the filter element to sit immersed in transmission fluid at any reasonable truck angle (like 3 to 4 inches immersed!).

While I do fill to the fill hole using the “ZF Procedure” with a level transmission, the process is far less sensitive to fill volume because it will always be under 3-4” of fluid. I hope that makes sense.

The extension down into the bottom of the pan:

View attachment 337365

Very cool. I like the separate filter for attaching to the transmission before the pan goes on to actually be able to verify it is attached prior to installing the pan. With the PPE pan you have to blindly trust the filter outlet is inserted properly and the o-ring stays in place. Those internal fins are nice but these transmissions run so hot it probably doesn't account for much thermal transfer. I see you did the Caulk bypass though. I would but I am still under warranty.

I am sure the leveling via the flange bolts is sufficient. There should not be much difference with that method and using the flange itself. Assuming the bottom of the pan sump is parallel to the flange is not the best method as mentioned in other posts.

What is odd is the internal diameter of the drain port. That looks very tiny and would most likely take a long time to drain. Also, what is that round disc at approx. 1 o'clock looking inside the pan?

 

[Hohn]

Looks like a quality piece, well engineered.

 

[D60]

Very cool. I like the separate filter for attaching to the transmission before the pan goes on to actually be able to verify it is attached prior to installing the pan. With the PPE pan you have to blindly trust the filter outlet is inserted properly and the o-ring stays in place. Those internal fins are nice but these transmissions run so hot it probably doesn't account for much thermal transfer. I see you did the Caulk bypass though. I would but I am still under warranty.

I am sure the leveling via the flange bolts is sufficient. There should not be much difference with that method and using the flange itself. Assuming the bottom of the pan sump is parallel to the flange is not the best method as mentioned in other posts.

What is odd is the internal diameter of the drain port. That looks very tiny and would most likely take a long time to drain. Also, what is that round disc at approx. 1 o'clock looking inside the pan?

I like the filter drop. One thing that worries me about PPE et al is that even though the top of the fluid may stay the same, the shape and volume of the container below affects level at angles

I think the internal fins also support the filter from underneath while allowing free flow of fluid. That's the claim to fame on Allys that like to just drop their filters into the pan (BTDT)

 

[UGASpike]

While I do fill to the fill hole using the “ZF Procedure” with a level transmission, the process is far less sensitive to fill volume because it will always be under 3-4” of fluid. I hope that makes sense.

This is a fantastic point - I was not looking at aftermarket pans with the added capacity, but this may have changed my mind. The fill procedure is keeping me from doing this on my truck at the moment.

How is the truck liking the new pan/fluids?

 

[QwikKota]

I like the filter drop. One thing that worries me about PPE et al is that even though the top of the fluid may stay the same, the shape and volume of the container below affects level at angles

I think the internal fins also support the filter from underneath while allowing free flow of fluid. That's the claim to fame on Allys that like to just drop their filters into the pan (BTDT)

It should not be an issue with as deep as these pans are and the filter (presumably) being fully immersed in fluid. I think the incline would have to be incredibly steep to starve the filter. The filter on the PPE pan is screwed to the bottom. Looking at it now the PPE also has some internal fins but they are probably for fluid flow rather than thermal as you mentioned.

The fluid exchange is not awful but having an electric pump makes a huge difference.

 

[Sloppy_Snood]

What is odd is the internal diameter of the drain port. That looks very tiny and would most likely take a long time to drain. Also, what is that round disc at approx. 1 o'clock looking inside the pan?

The drain port is indeed smaller on the inside of the pan. I did not design it but it looks like it might be to either assist the drain plug’s magnet to attract metal fines near it OR possibly, to intentionally slow down the fluid stream of a fluid drain. The ATF for these transmissions is very thin and watery to me. Drains are 5-10 minutes. Not a factor for me.

The round disc you see in the pan bottom is a large neodymium magnet that is secured to the bottom of the pan with a small screw, lock washer, all screwed into a blind hole.

 

[Sloppy_Snood]

I think the internal fins also support the filter from underneath while allowing free flow of fluid. That's the claim to fame on Allys that like to just drop their filters into the pan (BTDT)

Exactly. This pan also has the filter element sit on shorter, pan internal fins allowing for full fluid flow under the filter element.

I did notice that majority of the actual filter element is encased in plastic (top) and metal (bottom).

On the bottom, metal face of the filter (facing down in the pan), a small opening exists that allows visibility of the filter element’s filtering media. Based on the filter appearance, I assume suction only occurs on the bottom of the filter element (the area between the element and the bottom of the supporting fins and pan flat metal bottom surface.