4L60E Transmission Pan Question

Americais#one · 12-30-2008, 09:53 AM

I have a 1999 1/2 ton 1500 Silverado with the 4L60E Automatic.
How do I tell if my 4L60E has a Shallow oil pan or a Deep oil pan? What are the Height measurements? Going to change the Transmission fluid and filter.
Thanks
Mine

MT-2500 · 12-30-2008, 10:34 AM

Match the old filter with the new one.

Re use the hard rubber backed pan gasket.
And install proper fluid.
Parts place fit all does not work good.

Your Dealer can run your vin no for the correct filter.

j cAT · 12-30-2008, 01:09 PM

[quote=Americais#one]I have a 1999 1/2 ton 1500 Silverado with the 4L60E Automatic.

you have the deep pan like I do....I had to get the correct deep pan filter from NAPA...this filter is the exact same as OEM....to the plastic mold impressions.... cost with rubber gasket was 24.oo ....

dealercost forgetta bout it...

DONT USE THE SHALLOW PAN FILTER....WITH THE EXTENSION PIECE...TO MAKE IT SIT AT THE PAN BOTTOM...

NAPA part # 1-8567

ukrkoz · 12-30-2008, 08:56 PM

ok, brace yourself up.
1. you will have to drain the fluid first. BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE DRAIN PLUG!!. mine stripped right away, and that was it. and i am not the only one, many have same problem. drain plug head is very shallow and them dimwits yet had to put a depression into it, to make it even worse. besides, mine was like welded into the oil pan. my suggestion is - do not take chances on it, spray the hell of it with liquid wrench first, and use Griptite socket on it from the get go. for the cost of the socket, you'll save yourself A LOT of possible headache
2. changing filter , heh? so you'll need to remove the oil pan. well, say, you succeded with the drain plug. now, you have to remove the gear shifter bracket, that, so intelligently designed, will prevent you from dropping pan down, if not removed. so, there are 2 torx screws that hold that bracket in place. both of them are hidden on the top of the bracket, and there's about enough room to stick your little finger there, least to say - a torx wrench. fyi, it's T35 torx wrench. good luck on that. i, personally, after about 2 hrs of cussing and being totally soaked in ATF, gave up and just stuck pan back on. guys on the web say to GENTLY bend the bracket away from the transmission housing, to clear pan. your call.
you'll be better of disconnecting ATF cooling hose and running ATF out through it. screw filter. now, this is coming from a guy that can easily overhaul engine without pulling it out of the engine bay, and in the street corner. i, personally, would rather pay then $400 to do the job, than deal with this hassle again.

Americais#one · 12-30-2008, 08:57 PM

Now if I could find out the height of each pan I would know what I have.

Americais#one · 12-30-2008, 09:13 PM

ukrkoz
Which line goes to the radiator from the 4L60E?

I had a Astro Van years ago and I would find the line that flows out of the transmission and disconnect it at the radiator. Then put a hose on the line and put it in a big bucket. Then I would have my wife start the van and I would pour ATF in the ATF fill tube until I saw clean ATF come out of the hose that was in the bucket. Put the line back on and check the level and you are set to go.
THIS IS WHAT I MIGHT HAVE TO DO HERE ALSO.

wafrederick · 12-30-2008, 10:09 PM

Yours has the deep dish pan starting in 1999.Avoid using the pan gasket in the filter kit,they leak and do not seal worth a crap.The cork gaskets hold up better.I found an easy way instead removing the shift cable bravket is to remove the shift cable and bend the bracket carefully until it clears the pan with a pair of channellocks.You do need a special release tool,3/8 release tool for the transmission line if you decide on the line flush.It is a Jiffy tite connector which a GM made a great idea going to.The advantage with the jiffy tite connector over the flare nut fitting is they do not leak,come out quicker and install quicker than a flare nut fitting.I have never seen one with a hard rubber pan gasket.

Americais#one · 12-31-2008, 07:59 AM

wafrederick
Thanks for the tip on the Jiffy tite connector.I think this is what I will try doing.

Jiffy tite connector

wafrederick · 12-31-2008, 09:19 AM

Thanks.All you do is slide the dust cap over,putting the tool on making sure it is seated in all the way.Finally give the tool a 60 degree turn and removing the line.When reinstalling the line,make sure is straight and with a light push,it skould go in with a clicking noise.Finally put the dust cap in place.I bought the special release tool from my Cornwell dealer for $28.00.

ukrkoz · 12-31-2008, 10:39 AM

that Jiffy tool looks exactly like my old Ford line disconnect tool. that one looks like scissors, and has 4 different combinations to use. was about 16 bucks back in time in any parts store.
my truck has black rubber gasket on the oil pan. surprisingly, i refuse to use cork gaskets on my cars. my experience with them is simple: they are very easy to overtighten, and virtually always crack on the corner bolts and start leaking. what do i know.
ATF radiator is always at the bottom of coolant radiator. you may have it free standing in front of it, or built into it. ATF hoses are obvious, as they are small diameter. then again, if you want to do radiator flush, it's about $65 in a shop. my opinion - not worth hassle of doing it yourself.

j cAT · 12-31-2008, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukrkoz

my truck has black rubber gasket on the oil pan. surprisingly, i refuse to use cork gaskets on my cars. my experience with them is simple: they are very easy to overtighten, and virtually always crack on the corner bolts and start leaking. what do i know.
.

the rubber transmission pan gasket from NAPA has been used 3x since 2002, and still no leaks....

the 96 impala has same gasket no leaks...holes in gasket hold pan bolts also..

the drain plug....this is lock tighted on...I removed the pan then with pan secured on a work bench heated the drain plug until it glowed red slightly,,then with a 6 point socket 1/2 ratched unscrewed....it was a battle but I won..

ukrkoz · 12-31-2008, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j cAT

I removed the pan then with pan secured on a work bench ..

and what magic did you use to remove the pan? of course, yours might not have had that damn bracket lip preventing pan from removal.
gods, was i pissed, when i got to that point! like as if tilting pan to drain fluid off the edge - and ending up with half of it on me - was not bad enough....

Americais#one · 12-31-2008, 03:07 PM

Shallow pan 2 1/4"
Deep pan 2 7/8"

j cAT · 01-01-2009, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukrkoz

and what magic did you use to remove the pan? of course, yours might not have had that damn bracket lip preventing pan from removal.
gods, was i pissed, when i got to that point! like as if tilting pan to drain fluid off the edge - and ending up with half of it on me - was not bad enough....

the linkage bracket is secured with 3 torx head screws..I used a 1/4 ratchet with torx adaptor and removed ..then on install used anti sieze to make this easier next time ...so far it comes off much easier now after the first time..

with the drain plug working it is easier to handle just 1 quart of fluid in the pan..when removing...or maybe if you put too much in to adjust level..

jdmccright · 01-02-2009, 09:14 AM

Too bad they didn't make the tranny cable bracket like on the Jimmys/Blazers (mine was a '96) where it was attached using the existing pan bolts and holes...mine had the shallow pan. Once I had the pan pretty much drained, I could rotate the bracket down just enough to clear the pan. Sorry to hear of your pain.

I just hate having to replace the tranny filter seal when it's been driven up into the body so far I have to wrestle with it for an hour on my back.

Shadetree Mech tip #1: If you have a 3-point pulley remover, use one of the three "claws" and a good-sized screwdriver through one of the holes to use as a two-handled hook to get good leverage without using a hook that's too long and could score the seal surface. The claw's body is also fat enough to keep the hook end engaged while yanking real hard. Pull until the seal lip is exposed. Then you can buckle the seal in on itself using a flat-blade and hammer.

Shadetree Mech tip #2: When you drive in the new seal, don't press it in all the way. Leave a little bit of the lip (1-2 mm) exposed to save you all the hassle of having to use tip #1 the next time. Just make sure the seal is seated straight.

This is probably being posted too late but hope this helps anyone in the future.

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