Why not put a drain plug on an auto trans?

[FL_Rob]

Once you start to see bubbles... kill the engine at once. At that point there's still oil in the pump ,you're not running it completely out,just some aerated fluid.

Mark the catch container at that level so the next time you'll stop pumping just BEFORE that mark,this gives you time to run around to the ignition switch or shout to a helper.

This will let you pump Some bubbly fluid only once.

 

[Hokiefyd]

A co-worker changed the ATF by accident in his new Honda CR-V that way. Thought he was draining the engine oil. Called me: "is the oil supposed to be RED?" I sent him to the Honda dealer for 3 quarts of DW-1. He won't make that mistake again.

 

[wtd]

Both of my 98 chevy trucks have drain plugs in the tranny pan. The 4L80E in the 1 ton had one from the factory. The 4L60E in my 1/2 ton did not come with one but I ordered a factory tranny pan from the 99+ chevy trucks that did have a factory plug and just swapped pans the next time I did a change. The first pan that I ordered, you could not remove the drain plug and I had to send it back. The second time around I told them to make sure the plug would come out before they sent it to me and they did.

I just received a Dorman replacement pan for my 2004 Monte Carlo SS that has a drain plug in it that I will install when it gets warmer.

Everything else I own does not have drain plugs and you have to do it the harder and messier way.

Wayne

 

[Sunnyinhollister]

I put a pan on my F150 that has a drain plug in it. Also did the same thing to my 2005 GMC Sierra 1500 with the 4L60E. On the Jeep I put on differential covers with drain plugs. I'm a big believer in ease of service.

 

[bilibako2]

Our 2013 RX 350 have allen size drain plug on transmission pan
but no dipstick? According to manual it's a sealed unit.
Did search Lexus forum-found out that there is a filler hole/plug
on side of the transmission,hope someday somebody will have
proper procedure to drain and fill or could be a dealer job?

 

[rich mds]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
A co-worker changed the ATF by accident in his new Honda CR-V that way. Thought he was draining the engine oil. Called me: "is the oil supposed to be RED?" I sent him to the Honda dealer for 3 quarts of DW-1. He won't make that mistake again.


Thats someone that should not be changing their oil because the drain plug on the ATF is near the radiator and front bumper whereas the drain for the oil in the middle of the front axle right next to the oil filter.

 

[rich mds]

I have had a couple cars that have "sealed units" no tranny dipstick for fill and no drain plug. Or a possible drain plug is also the fill hole facing down. I guess they really dont want you getting in there.

 

[Warstud]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Dumb people mistake the transmission drain plug when changing the oil and end up with a transmission with no oil and an engine with twice as much oil.


I've heard of Jiffy Lube doing that.

 

[fisher83]

My Elantra has a drain plug from the factory and I installed an aftermarket Dorman pan on the Caravan that had a plug in it. It really isn't that bad to do a traditional pan drop and filter change if you remove all but the four corner pan bolts first and then just make sure the drain pan is placed correctly and slowly loosen the bolts on whichever end of the pan is lowest to the ground until fluid starts to drip out. The worst thing you can do is loosen all the bolts at once and try to lower the pan when it's full of fluid. Been there, done that.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: rich mds
Thats someone that should not be changing their oil because the drain plug on the ATF is near the radiator and front bumper whereas the drain for the oil in the middle of the front axle right next to the oil filter.


He also owns a '68 Chevy C10 on which he's rebuilt the entire front suspension. Sometimes people just make mistakes, especially if it's an unfamiliar product.

 

[Zako2]

Indeed..

Imagine what if to change your motor oil and replace the oil filter, you had to take the oil pan off..

 

[ChuckBerry]

The difference may be filter vs. no filter...my CR-V has no filter, ergo drain bolt. The Caravan has a filter, ergo no drain bolt, full pan drop required.

Anyone that can't recognize the difference between the transmission and the engine under a car probably should not be doing any maintenance on that vehicle.

 

[rslifkin]

My Jeep has no drain plug, although I've got a B&M pan waiting to go on that adds one (and a port for a temp sensor). Even if I'm dropping the pan anyway to change the filter, it would still be nice not to have to drop it full.