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How to: Changing your AT fluid

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I attempted this by myself about 2 weeks ago with minor tools and a Hayne's manual. Since then she's been running fine except for a pan leak due to damaged on the pan.

Things you'll need: socket wrench with socket sizes ranging from 8mm to 14mm, and one 17mm socket for the drain plug. The second drain plug is fairly huge. It's like a 15/16 or something of that matter. I can't remember. You'll also need a torque wrench that will fit all the sizes above, as well as an extension bar for those hard to reach pan bolts. A screwdriver will help in pulling the pan off. Pliers will help in removal of the squeeze clamps. Brakeleen or some other cleaner to clean the pan. 8 Quarts of ATF. I used MOPAR ATF since that was the recommendation by Hayne's but if you can get Amsoil, spend the extra buck for it. If you have none of these, just go with whatever Walmart stocks but preferably get synthetic. Usually it's Pennzoil which is fine. I'm running a mix of Pennzoil, MOPAR, and a local BP gas station ATF and she shifts perfectly fine. Our AT's are not picky. You'll need a drain pan for the old fluid and black RTV for sealant between the gasket and pan. Last but not least, you'll need a new gasket and filter. Any auto store will stock them for our cars.
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Ok first, jack up the front end with jackstands. Do the usual (ie. e-brake up, blocks behind the rear wheels, ignition off). Locate your ATF dipstick. Trace it all the way down to the tranny and find two lines running out of it. These are the lines that run the fluid to the cooler. We're going to drain these first.
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Take some pliers, grab the clamp of the line that's farther from you, the rear one, not the front. Loosen it from the line, then pull it off. Careful, some fluid might spill out so be wary. Pull the line till you have enough slack to put it in the drain pan. Take your keys and start the car. Put the tranny into neutral. At this point, a lot of dirty fluid will start pouring out. Let it run for 1 minute or until barely or no fluid comes out. Turn off the engine.

Now we shall relocate to the underneath of the car. Take the 17mm socket and wrench, and loosen the first drain plug. I doubt I have to state the obvious but watch out for the fluid that will pour out. Let it drain completely till it's just a drip. Put a cup under the drip and move onto the next drain plug. This thing is big. Use the socket wrench again with the 15/16. Watch out for fluid again. Let it drain completely.
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Once it's drained, it's time to unbolt the pan. Get that handy socket wrench and extension bar. Use the 8mm and go to town with it. You might have to remove the stock LICP to get to some of the bolts.
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You'll feel it start to loosen up if the gasket is failing so hold onto it while you loosen the rest of the bolts. Carefully lower the pan and drain anything into the drain pan. Put it to the side for now. If it doesn't drop even with the bolts off, take the screwdriver and GENTLY pry between while holding onto it.

Locate the filter. It should look something like this.
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There are 4 bolts holding it to the valve body. Use the appropriate tools and loosen them. Take note of the force needed to loosen. Throw it away. Now this is just for me. I personally like to do it so maybe you'll want to. I use some of the brand spanking new ATF and run it through the filter first into the drain pan. Not too much but just enough to soak the filter. It gives a peace of mind that any dirt on the exterior of the filter pad is disposed of. Bolt it onto the valve body taking special note to tighten it with the same amount of force used to loosen it. If you forgot already, well then just finger tighten it first, then use the wrench and do one complete turn. You'll feel it seat onto the body.

With that said, it's time for the drain pan. Take some Brakeleen and start spraying it. Don't lose the magnets but do clean them as well. Wipe it down with a clean cloth. Take the screwdriver and get any of the old gasket and sealant off. Once it's clean, put the magnets back in, take it inside your house and find a flat surface. Put it down with the flange facing the surface. Check for any signs of warpage. If there is warpage, gently hammer is down flat. Take the new gasket and RTV and seal it away. Put sealant on both sides of the gasket.

Carefully position the pan back onto the tranny. I took two of the bolt and put them on the extreme corners of the pan to hold the gasket in place. Finger tighten the first two bolts till the pan can stay in place on it's own. Proceed to bolt the rest in while carefully keeping the gasket in place. I had trouble with it slipping into the pan and me having to dig it out. When all the bolt are in place and the gasket is aligned in between, torque them down to 96 INCH-LBS, which equates to 8 FT-LBS. Go around the pan once, then double check them by going around a second time. Take the pan bolts and put them back in. I put a crush washer on the smaller bolt. Torque that one down to 29 ft-lbs. The bigger one is torqued down to 23-25 ft-lbs.

The torque converter houses a lot of fluid left in the system. You won't be able to completely flush it without using a lot of tranny fluid. What I did is a partial flush. I used 3 quarts of the 8 to flush it out. Dump it in through the dipstick. Run the engine again with it in neutral while that line is in the drain pan again. Wait till the fluid barely pour out anymore, then turn the engine off. Put the line back to the tranny and secure the clamp back in. Take the rest of the 5 quarts and dump them in through the dipstick while taking special note of the fluid level. I would dump 3 quarts in, then run the engine and go through each drive starting from park. P-R-N-D-2-L-2-D-N. Check the fluid level. If it's not at hot yet, dump another quart in and run through the drives again. Repeat till fluid level reaches Hot. After that, lower her, and go for a spin. Feel for any abnormalities, such as grinding, slipping, really hard downshifts, etc etc. If all works well, give yourself a pat on the back and grab a cold one.
 
I attempted this by myself about 2 weeks ago with minor tools and a Hayne's manual. Since then she's been running fine except for a pan leak due to damaged on the pan.

Things you'll need: socket wrench with socket sizes ranging from 8mm to 14mm, and one 17mm socket for the drain plug. The second drain plug is fairly huge. It's like a 15/16 or something of that matter. I can't remember. You'll also need a torque wrench that will fit all the sizes above, as well as an extension bar for those hard to reach pan bolts. A screwdriver will help in pulling the pan off. Pliers will help in removal of the squeeze clamps. Brakeleen or some other cleaner to clean the pan. 8 Quarts of ATF. I used MOPAR ATF since that was the recommendation by Hayne's but if you can get Amsoil, spend the extra buck for it. If you have none of these, just go with whatever Walmart stocks but preferably get synthetic. Usually it's Pennzoil which is fine. I'm running a mix of Pennzoil, MOPAR, and a local BP gas station ATF and she shifts perfectly fine. Our AT's are not picky. You'll need a drain pan for the old fluid and black RTV for sealant between the gasket and pan. Last but not least, you'll need a new gasket and filter. Any auto store will stock them for our cars.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


Ok first, jack up the front end with jackstands. Do the usual (ie. e-brake up, blocks behind the rear wheels, ignition off). Locate your ATF dipstick. Trace it all the way down to the tranny and find two lines running out of it. These are the lines that run the fluid to the cooler. We're going to drain these first.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.

Take some pliers, grab the clamp of the line that's farther from you, the rear one, not the front. Loosen it from the line, then pull it off. Careful, some fluid might spill out so be wary. Pull the line till you have enough slack to put it in the drain pan. Take your keys and start the car. Put the tranny into neutral. At this point, a lot of dirty fluid will start pouring out. Let it run for 1 minute or until barely or no fluid comes out. Turn off the engine.

Now we shall relocate to the underneath of the car. Take the 17mm socket and wrench, and loosen the first drain plug. I doubt I have to state the obvious but watch out for the fluid that will pour out. Let it drain completely till it's just a drip. Put a cup under the drip and move onto the next drain plug. This thing is big. Use the socket wrench again with the 15/16. Watch out for fluid again. Let it drain completely.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


Once it's drained, it's time to unbolt the pan. Get that handy socket wrench and extension bar. Use the 8mm and go to town with it. You might have to remove the stock LICP to get to some of the bolts.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You'll feel it start to loosen up if the gasket is failing so hold onto it while you loosen the rest of the bolts. Carefully lower the pan and drain anything into the drain pan. Put it to the side for now. If it doesn't drop even with the bolts off, take the screwdriver and GENTLY pry between while holding onto it.

Locate the filter. It should look something like this.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.

There are 4 bolts holding it to the valve body. Use the appropriate tools and loosen them. Take note of the force needed to loosen. Throw it away. Now this is just for me. I personally like to do it so maybe you'll want to. I use some of the brand spanking new ATF and run it through the filter first into the drain pan. Not too much but just enough to soak the filter. It gives a peace of mind that any dirt on the exterior of the filter pad is disposed of. Bolt it onto the valve body taking special note to tighten it with the same amount of force used to loosen it. If you forgot already, well then just finger tighten it first, then use the wrench and do one complete turn. You'll feel it seat onto the body.

With that said, it's time for the drain pan. Take some Brakeleen and start spraying it. Don't lose the magnets but do clean them as well. Wipe it down with a clean cloth. Take the screwdriver and get any of the old gasket and sealant off. Once it's clean, put the magnets back in, take it inside your house and find a flat surface. Put it down with the flange facing the surface. Check for any signs of warpage. If there is warpage, gently hammer is down flat. Take the new gasket and RTV and seal it away. Put sealant on both sides of the gasket.

Carefully position the pan back onto the tranny. I took two of the bolt and put them on the extreme corners of the pan to hold the gasket in place. Finger tighten the first two bolts till the pan can stay in place on it's own. Proceed to bolt the rest in while carefully keeping the gasket in place. I had trouble with it slipping into the pan and me having to dig it out. When all the bolt are in place and the gasket is aligned in between, torque them down to 96 INCH-LBS, which equates to 8 FT-LBS. Go around the pan once, then double check them by going around a second time. Take the pan bolts and put them back in. I put a crush washer on the smaller bolt. Torque that one down to 29 ft-lbs. The bigger one is torqued down to 23-25 ft-lbs.

The torque converter houses a lot of fluid left in the system. You won't be able to completely flush it without using a lot of tranny fluid. What I did is a partial flush. I used 3 quarts of the 8 to flush it out. Dump it in through the dipstick. Run the engine again with it in neutral while that line is in the drain pan again. Wait till the fluid barely pour out anymore, then turn the engine off. Put the line back to the tranny and secure the clamp back in. Take the rest of the 5 quarts and dump them in through the dipstick while taking special note of the fluid level. I would dump 3 quarts in, then run the engine and go through each drive starting from park. P-R-N-D-2-L-2-D-N. Check the fluid level. If it's not at hot yet, dump another quart in and run through the drives again. Repeat till fluid level reaches Hot. After that, lower her, and go for a spin. Feel for any abnormalities, such as grinding, slipping, really hard downshifts, etc etc. If all works well, give yourself a pat on the back and grab a cold one.

Excellent! Exactly the info I needed,and so we'll presented. Thank you
 
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