transmission??

[ablythe]

What in the heck are you jokers talking about?? You can spend $2,000 on a stereo system but you don't know how to check your friggin transmission fluid or change your own oil? That is totally pathetic.

To check transmission fluid, make sure the enging is running and the car has been driven for awhile. With the car at operating temp and running in park with the parking brake engaged, pop the hood. The Tranny dipstick handle should be painted white and its located in the area of the airbox and battery. Stand in front of your car with the hood up and look down. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it. The car must be running and warmed up to check auto tranny fluid in any car. Put the dipstick in again and read it. Its very simple.

To service your tranny you will need:
Transmission Filter,
Transmission Fluid (5 Quarts),
Pan Gasket (it could be any one of three designs),
and a good Auto Trans additive like Lubrigard or Lucas.
17MM and 10MM socket with ratchet
Drain Pan
Paper towels
Parts cleaner
Transmission Fluid Funnel (long skinny funnel)

Now, drive your car up on ramps. The transmission oil pan has a drain plug in it for ease of maintenance. Put a catch pan under the tranny and remove the big 17MM drain plug. This should be red fluid. If its black, you've just drained the engine oil pan. Once it stops draining, start removing tranny pan bolts. The tranny pan bolts are 10MM. Remove the transmission filter with 4 10MM bolts. Make a note of where the longer and shorter ones come out of. Take a photo if you can.

Once you have the pan down, inpect the magnets that are stuck to the pan. Now, look at the pan. If you have metal pieces and shavings stuck to magnets, thats not a good sign. You should see some grey goop stuck to your pan. Thats clutch material from the tranny and the torque converter. Clean that pan like you're gonna eat tommorrows wheaties out of it.

Now, install the new filter and 4 bolts. The filter should have its own gasket on the side that attaches the to valve body of the transmission. Reinstall the pan with the correct gasket. NEVER use silicone sealant on your tranny pan gasket. The cork or rubber gasket will be sufficient if its tightened down properly.

DON'T start the car yet. You still haven't put transmission fluid in it. To fill the tranny, put the tranny funnel into the opening on the dipstick. Slowly (I mean very slowly) start pouring in your ATF. If you do it too fast, it will spill on your tranny and on the garage floor and your mommy might give you a spanking. Fill it with 3 quarts. Start the car and make sure that your pan gasket isn't leaking. Then, drive it off the ramps. Let the car run for several minutes to warm up. Start checking the fluid periodically. Add it in slowly and continually check it till the fluid reaches the full line on the dipstick. This should not cost $90 at Jiffy Lube or $300 at the dealership. You can do it yourself and learn alot about the condition of your transmission in the process. Get someone who has done this before to make sure that you don't screw anything up really bad. You shouldn't have any problems but I've met some pretty stupid people in my life so I'm not taking any chances.

By using the information I have posted, you are performing this service at your own risk and I assume no liability for any damage done to your vehicle. Consult your owners manual and or Chilton's or Haynes manual for specifics concerning torque specs on the pan bolts and filter bolts. Good luck.

AB
Dallas, TX
96 Galant S
170K miles and still smilin' 8)

[Faction]

i dont know the answer, but why do people have mechanics for such simple things they can do themselves? :!:

[ablythe]

PunkLant,

People hire mechanics because they are too scared. They have been lulled into a belief system that tells 1 or both of the following two things.

1. It takes superhuman intelligence to work on a car that was built by a series of union assembly line workers who have never seen the inside of a college classroom. :idea:

or

2. The Boogy Man lives under the car and if they get under there, he'll get 'em!! :shock: