I drained and filled tranny fluid in my tranny this weekend. I notice that only a about 3 quarts (maybe less) came out. How I knew this is because I only can put in about 3 quarts in the fill hole before it started to leak out. I'm sure I filled it correctly; on leveled ground, pump fluid in w/engine off. Turn on the engine, in neutral, pump more fluid.

Is there anything else I need to know? I know I can't remove the entire fluid (a little over 9 qts) in there, unless I do a complete flush. Do you guy have any tips on getting out as much fluid as you can? What's the most you guys have gotten out from just a drain and fill job?

Thanks in advance.

Around 3qts is about right out of the main pan. You have to remove one of the rubber lines to or from the (radiator) ATF cooler & idle the truck to get more out.
G/luck
Joel

Around 3qts is about right out of the main pan. You have to remove one of the rubber lines to or from the (radiator) ATF cooler & idle the truck to get more out.
G/luck
Joel

Thanks Joel.

Can you tell me where I can find the rubber line that goes to the ATF coolers? If you have a picture of it, it would be great.

Thanks.

Look for two metal lines on the side of the transmission. One is the cooler outlet and the other is the cooler return. The return line should be the one in the rear since trannies dump outbound cooler flow as soon as it leaves the torque converter - so that line would be near the front of the tranny. Take the return line off and have it dump into a bucket while you have the engine running dump in more fluid into the pan. It will pump rather fast so make sure you have the means to put in as much as it pumps out by no more than a two quart delay or you will drain the pan and run the pump in the tranny dry and foam the fluid. Helps to have two people for this task. If you get behind shut the engine off to catch up.

suvguy

Look for two metal lines on the side of the transmission. One is the cooler outlet and the other is the cooler return. The return line should be the one in the rear since trannies dump outbound cooler flow as soon as it leaves the torque converter - so that line would be near the front of the tranny. Take the return line off and have it dump into a bucket while you have the engine running dump in more fluid into the pan. It will pump rather fast so make sure you have the means to put in as much as it pumps out by no more than a two quart delay or you will drain the pan and run the pump in the tranny dry and foam the fluid. Helps to have two people for this task. If you get behind shut the engine off to catch up.

suvguy

Thanks for the response.

Wow, seems quite risky. What happens it if the fluid foams up? Will foam die out and turn into fluid again?

Look for two metal lines on the side of the transmission. One is the cooler outlet and the other is the cooler return. The return line should be the one in the rear since trannies dump outbound cooler flow as soon as it leaves the torque converter - so that line would be near the front of the tranny. Take the return line off and have it dump into a bucket while you have the engine running dump in more fluid into the pan. It will pump rather fast so make sure you have the means to put in as much as it pumps out by no more than a two quart delay or you will drain the pan and run the pump in the tranny dry and foam the fluid. Helps to have two people for this task. If you get behind shut the engine off to catch up.

suvguy

That's all good when you have a tranny dipstick tube to fill through. The 1996-2004 4L30E does not :banghead:. Pumping ATF up through the pan fill port while you are pumping out thru the cooler is do-able, but not an easy task.
G/luck
Joel

Thanks Joel.

Can you tell me where I can find the rubber line that goes to the ATF coolers? If you have a picture of it, it would be great.

Thanks.

Mich- I dont have a pic handy, but the cooler lines are real easy to spot. You can see'em from underneath the truck when you pull the engine oil filter. They connect to copper lines on the bottom tank of the radiator. The ATF cooler is in the bottom tank of the radiator.
G/luck
Joel

Yeah the foam will turn back into fluid again, just takes time. ATF is belended with anti-foaming agents to help prevent foaming so it should settle back to liquid in somewhat short order. It sounds complicated, but it's not. It does make it more diffucult to do this through a plug hole instead of a dipstick, but it can be done. Just have someone in the cockpit to turn the engine off if you get behind. A $100 fluid pump from Grainger comes in handy - though expensive for one vehicle use. I bought mine a few years ago and use it in all my vehicles like this. Any flexible impeller pump will work for oils. Grainger sells a shurflo model that is 12VDC powered and regular 110V mains powered. Go to Grainger.com and search for flexible impeller. It'll pump up to 3.8GPM IIRC with a short suction, and drop to 1-2 GPM with a 12-24" suction line. I buy my ATF by the 2-1/2 gal jugs so it works out great.

Filling by hand through a plug hole is difficult as others have pointed out, so you may want to figure something out to speed things up - either a motor powered or hand operated pump to get the fluid in there at a reasonable rate. Hands down a full fluid flush every 60K miles is a lot better than a 3qt partial every 30K - which I have read quite a few stories of those doing that. Don't forget to change your filter and clean the magnet. Use a good quality fluid and 60K between full flushes will not hurt one bit. YMMV, IMHO, for educational purposes only, etc. etc.

suvguy

So technically, you can....somewhat....do kind of a flush. Basically, open up the ATF cooler line, let it drain through the line, at the same time, pump fluid in the fill plug. So as we pump, the system will continue to drain. The more we pump, the more it will drain. Eventually, 90% of the old fluid will be gone. Then just close up everything, and start filling the tranny. Am I correct?

By the way, do they sell paper gasket or any other type of gasket for the tranny pan. I don't like using the silicone gasket maker kind. Gets kind of messy.

So technically, you can....somewhat....do kind of a flush. Basically, open up the ATF cooler line, let it drain through the line, at the same time, pump fluid in the fill plug. So as we pump, the system will continue to drain. The more we pump, the more it will drain. Eventually, 90% of the old fluid will be gone. Then just close up everything, and start filling the tranny. Am I correct?


Yep, you got it. The pump in the tranny sucks the fluid from the pan, and sends a good portion of it to the torque converter to pressurize it. At the fluid output of the converter a portion of the fluid is sent off to the cooler. The converter is where the majority of the heating is done to the ATF fluid so a portion of the output is sent directly to the cooler. By taking off the cooler return at the tranny you are discharging the fluid which drains the pan. The bulk of the fluid in any tranny is in the torque converter. So flushing it this way runs new ATF through the converter and dilutes the old. One thing to understand is it's not an exact old for new fluid change. By adding new this way your diluting the old. Capacity is 9 qts. Running 10-11 qts through gives that warm fuzzy that you have diluted the old fluid enough to make it for the most part non-existant, unlike removing 3 qts and adding 3qts new to a 9qt system.

suvguy

SNIP...By the way, do they sell paper gasket or any other type of gasket for the tranny pan. I don't like using the silicone gasket maker kind. Gets kind of messy.

Ideally, you should change the filter any time you change the fluid. Gaskets should come with the new filter. I do not know if you can buy a gasket seperately without the filter. I have noticed the filter for this tranny is quite expensive and can understand why most don't change it every 30K, rather every 60K. I use Hastings filters for every tranny I work on. They are excellent quality and are more expensive than the Purolator and the Fram and such - both of which barely qualify as filters, IMO. I get them for $60 each for the 4L30E - which is why I will only do fluid changes at 60K for my '00 Rodeo. I also run Amsoil ATF so it will easily last the 60K. A fluid analysis at 30K and at 60K during the first cycle will confirm that belief, just my personal preference. btw, Amsoil is just my personal preference as well.

suvguy