changing fluids DUMB Questions

'99 rodeo auto 3.2l 4wd

Hi Guys

Managed to change the rear diff fluid today and that has gone ok

However I want to change the other fluids such as Auto tranmission,
Front diff and the Transfer case.

Now the transfer case looks a synch with the drain plug in the small bash plate and the fill plug marked fill with engine oil half way up the side. Question what is the capacity or what is the fill level? :confused:

Secondly, Auto transmission, It appears that the drain plug is in the centre of the large pan approx 1ft square but how do I refill? :confused:

Thirdly the front diff, The fill plug appears to be half way up the side.
question how do i drain it and what is the capacity or fill level? :confused:


I know these are real basic questions but if you get them wrong your stuffed and I have never owned a 4wd before and havenot worked on a real car for about 20 yrs.

Thanks in advance

T-case capacity is 1.5 Qts.
Front Diff capacity 1.48 qts. or 1.4 liters Actuator housing (shift on the fly) 0.12 liters or 0.13 qts.

If crawl underneath (your head towards the front of the truck) you will see the drain plug which is the obvious one. Almost directly to the left of that plug you will an identical plug, but its place is a little higher. When filling it back up you will for sure need some sort of fluid pump. I bought a suction pump for about $11. Worked ok. Have someone start the vehicle up and place in "N" neutral until the fluid warms up. Keep pumping until it begins to pour back out onto you. Just hope your "helper" doesn't put the trans in "P" and turns the engine off thus soaking you from head to shoulders. The wifey did this to me, but I can't complain since it was cheap labor. LOL.

HTH and good luck

If you change the transmission Fluid yourself, keep in mind you will only get about 3.5 qts out of about 9 out of it. It is well worth the 100 bucks to have it flushed at a shop (they will run a total of 18 qts into it; 9 qts to flush it out).

The transmission is the weakest link on the +98 truck (replacement cost is about 3k; so 100 bucks every couple of years is a better investment in the health of the transmission).

-Ryan

Thanks mando for capacities.

I thought that would be the way to go with the transfer case.

I also thought that the front diff would be easiest to empty with a large syringe type instrument and some smallish flexible hose to suck out the oil in there and then reverse the process to fill.

Thanks Ryan for the info but I'm still stumped as to where to fill it up from?

If you look at the bottom of the tranny pan, there is the larger , lower portion, with the drain plug, then, toward the back of the vehicle, is a higher portion with a plug. This is the fill plug.