Trans Filter Seal on GM Trucks

[Rhymingmechanic]

There have been some posts about dropping the pan on 4L60E automatics recently, but nobody mentions changing the filter seal in the trans body. How do you remove that seal?

I'm ready to change my filter again, at about 70,000 miles. (2001 Silverado 2WD). I left the original seal in last time because I didn't have the tools to change it. The replacement in the filter kit is a metal umbrella-shaped piece that needs to be pressed in--not the O-ring of old or even the hard orange seal I've seen in more recent transmissions.

Any tricks or suggestions for getting the seal out without tearing up the case?

 

[rriddle3]

IIRC, the Haynes manual says to carefully pry it out with a screwdriver, being careful not to mess up the metal around it. I had my trans drained and filter changed by the dealer, but the work order didn't address whether or not they changed that seal out. I wonder if the dealer did it, or if they don't consider the change to be necessary?

 

[JTK]

If the filter you installed last time still looks good, I'd leave it & just do a pan drop, cleaning and refill the ATF. When it comes down to it, I've never really seen a dirty OEM style ATF filter. In regards to releasing a stuck filter neck seal, if you cant pull it with a seal puller, pick or screwdriver, you can carefully get a screwdriver behind it, crush it slightly, then pull it out. The key is to not gouge the aluminum sealing surface.

Joel

 

[BGK]

Is this the same basic plastic piece (where the trans filter mounts) that was difficult to pry out of my V6 Saturn? I used a screwdriver and carefully chiseled it out. JTK is right about not gouging the aluminum sealing surface; it's a dumb design imo.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

JTK,

Based on your comment, I might leave the filter alone for awhile and spend the time on something else. The pan has a drain plug, so I could just do a partial change and keep going. The trans got Mobil 1 at the first change and has been refreshed often:
37k, two pan drains with Mobil 1, then pan drop/filter change
49k, added a Magnefine filter and drained/pumped out six quarts
58k, drained the pan
66k, changed the Magnefine

The newer seal designs do seem difficult to change considering that they're in aluminum bores. The new ones probably seal better, but the o-rings on my first Turbo 400 were sure a lot easier to work with.

 

[JTK]

Wow RM! That's one happy 4L60E with the maintenance regimen you've done to it. You are way ahead of the game IMO. You might find a small amount of debris on the pan magnet at this point if you dropped the pan. The magnefine would grab anything that got past the pump.

Joel

 

[mstrjon32]

A standard seal puller will have that out in 5 seconds. I struggled with this same seal on my old 4T60-E, and eventually threw in the towel and just picked up a seal puller at Sears.

The tool you are looking for is basically this:

http://www.timgilles.com/photogallery/11.35bbearingsealpullerfinished.jpg

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

I've seen something like that puller at parts stores, but wasn't sure it would work on such a small diameter seal. I'll definitely pick one up before changing the filter next time.

This truck is my first new vehicle, and I want to see what happens (or doesn't) by doing better than average maintenance. Or maybe I've just picked up a sickness from this website.

 

[onion]

I've changed the fluid on many a GM transmission. I feel the rubber lip of the seal- if it's still springy, I leave it in place. If it isn't springy, or the lip is mashed flat, I pop it out with a screwdriver and tap the new one in with a small bushing driver. An appropriately sized socket turned backwards on an extension would work fine, too. I'm not sure how you'd use that seal puller on this style of seal.

 

[mstrjon32]

My first time doing this, I spent about 30 minutes trying to remove the seal with a screwdriver, during which time all I accomplished was to tear up the aluminum directly above the seal. The seal puller is a snap to use, you just angle it inside the opening, place the longer hooked end against the top of the seal, and pull down, leveraging against the other side of the seal. It comes out in about 1 second.

 

[onion]

Sounds like a good idea- I'll give it a try next time.

 

[Merkava_4]

Quote:

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The seal puller is a snap to use, you just angle it inside the opening, place the longer hooked end against the top of the seal, and pull down, leveraging against the other side of the seal. It comes out in about 1 second.

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I just want to say thanks for the excellent description!

I've seen the seal puller at Sears, but I never could figure out how it was used.