- Joined
- Sep 26, 2010
- Messages
- 9,807
I changed the filter and fluid recently and not a bad job aside from having to pull two of the three MC skid plates to get to the transmission and transfer case (I changed its fluid as well). If you loosen the pan bolts all the way around and then loosen the back bolts a little more (towards the rear of the Jeep) this will allow the fluid to drain and it will be less messy. I had to rotate the pan 90° to get it out from under the 3.6L exhaust pipe. A drain plug would have made the fluid dump much easier. I used a Husky flat bin which measured 18W x 36L x 8H and it caught all of the fluid without spilling any.
I used a Mopar filter and ZF Lifeguard 8 fluid and it took about 4 QTs. I bought a pump up sprayer based upon feedback from others to install the new fluid, but I used a Flo Tool nozzle (https://smile.amazon.com/Hopkins-10106B-FloTool-Filler-Refill/dp/B000EH4UXM) with no issues and it fit the ZF8 fluid bottles. The two magnets in the pan had a fair amount of metal "paste" on them, but nothing that I did not expect to see after 50K miles. Note the magnets are simply held in the pan via magnetic force and are not permanently attached which makes cleaning them a simple process. There was no debris in the pan which is a good indication the clutches are not shedding material.
FCA states to snug the filter nuts and then back off 1/2 round which I did (they are locking flange nuts and new ones are included with the filter). This is so the filter can move horizontally slightly to allow for alignment of the filter nozzle into the valve body housing. I lightly lubed the o-ring on the filter with new fluid and then mounted the pan.
ZF states the pan bolts should be 12nm and FCA states 10nm, so I split the difference and went with 11nm and followed the torque sequence in the attached PDF. Although I have a new gasket, I re-used the old one because it was in great shape. I used the process documented here (https://aftermarket.zf.com/remoteme...38411/si-zf-si-oelwechselkit-8hp-50130-en.pdf) to refill and check the fluid. I plan to run it for about 5K miles and dump the fluid again.
With all of that said, the fluid was VERY dirty as compared to the new fluid (see pictures). I would not under any circumstances run the fluid and filter for 100K miles or "lifetime" as FCA states--note that ZF states the transmission should be serviced at 60K miles. I think that FCA is doing a serious disservice to owners when they say "lifetime" fill--which is complete and utter bovine scatology.
Left Pan Magnet:
Right Pan Magnet:
Clean Pan With New Fliter:
Old Fluid In Drain Pan:
Old Fluid On White Paper Towel:
New Fluid Versus Old:
I used a Mopar filter and ZF Lifeguard 8 fluid and it took about 4 QTs. I bought a pump up sprayer based upon feedback from others to install the new fluid, but I used a Flo Tool nozzle (https://smile.amazon.com/Hopkins-10106B-FloTool-Filler-Refill/dp/B000EH4UXM) with no issues and it fit the ZF8 fluid bottles. The two magnets in the pan had a fair amount of metal "paste" on them, but nothing that I did not expect to see after 50K miles. Note the magnets are simply held in the pan via magnetic force and are not permanently attached which makes cleaning them a simple process. There was no debris in the pan which is a good indication the clutches are not shedding material.
FCA states to snug the filter nuts and then back off 1/2 round which I did (they are locking flange nuts and new ones are included with the filter). This is so the filter can move horizontally slightly to allow for alignment of the filter nozzle into the valve body housing. I lightly lubed the o-ring on the filter with new fluid and then mounted the pan.
ZF states the pan bolts should be 12nm and FCA states 10nm, so I split the difference and went with 11nm and followed the torque sequence in the attached PDF. Although I have a new gasket, I re-used the old one because it was in great shape. I used the process documented here (https://aftermarket.zf.com/remoteme...38411/si-zf-si-oelwechselkit-8hp-50130-en.pdf) to refill and check the fluid. I plan to run it for about 5K miles and dump the fluid again.
With all of that said, the fluid was VERY dirty as compared to the new fluid (see pictures). I would not under any circumstances run the fluid and filter for 100K miles or "lifetime" as FCA states--note that ZF states the transmission should be serviced at 60K miles. I think that FCA is doing a serious disservice to owners when they say "lifetime" fill--which is complete and utter bovine scatology.
Left Pan Magnet:
Right Pan Magnet:
Clean Pan With New Fliter:
Old Fluid In Drain Pan:
Old Fluid On White Paper Towel:
New Fluid Versus Old: