Want to change Rodeo trans fluid?

Emboldened by successful fan belt replacement I now want to change my trans fluid. I'd like to do a drain and fill while replacing the trans filter. Is there a step by step with photos somewhere. I'm a little concerned that once I break the seal I might develop a leak but I heard a flush is not a good idea at 120K. Fluid has been changed before maybe three times with the last at 80K. I have a 2001 Rodeo.

you have to drop the trans cross member and then the pan. The cross member is really the only hard part.

Sounds scary droping the trans cross member. I'm guessing a jack stand is needed to support the tranie before doing so?

Sounds scary droping the trans cross member. I'm guessing a jack stand is needed to support the tranie before doing so?
Yes, I supported the tranny in mine with a jack under the transfer case rock guard. I also used a jack to support the cross member as I loosened it. That isn't necessary if you have a friend to help, but I didn't and it is quite heavy. Difficult to handle alone.

Once you get the cross member out of the way, it's a piece of cake. Hardest part is getting the main pan & adapter pan gaskets off. That took me quite a while. Be sure & remove/clean the adapter pan. On mine (2001 Passport) it was more sludgy than the main tranny pan.

I don't have a procedure, but I did make annotated pics of the process as I went along. If you care to take a look at them, go here:

http://www.supermotors.net/registry/19184/70017

Just view the pics in numerical order (1, 2, 3 . . .) to walk through the process as I did it. Since the torque converter was not drained, I ended up draining/refilling the pan three times to try to replace most of the old fluid. Not difficult, just messy.

Kudos to your post and pictures XR!!!! I actually brought mine to an Isuzu mech to view the process so I would know for the next time, but he did just about an identical process!!!

He did mention one extra pointer - to make sure the little gasket that sits between the filter and the valve body came off with the filter (if it stayed on the valve body, could risk double seals and a following problem).

Also, how did you go about refilling (aside from the neat pump)? Did you run it through all the gears after you filled it to overflow and then drained it? Repeating it over and over that way? You must have a 15 gallon drum of tranny fluid! LOL

Thanks again for the pics!

Kudos to your post and pictures XR!!!! I actually brought mine to an Isuzu mech to view the process so I would know for the next time, but he did just about an identical process!!!

He did mention one extra pointer - to make sure the little gasket that sits between the filter and the valve body came off with the filter (if it stayed on the valve body, could risk double seals and a following problem).

Also, how did you go about refilling (aside from the neat pump)? Did you run it through all the gears after you filled it to overflow and then drained it? Repeating it over and over that way? You must have a 15 gallon drum of tranny fluid! LOL

Thanks again for the pics!

OK, thanks, my friend.

Good tip about the filter gasket! Mine came right off with the filter.

I refilled it by screwing a ribbed barb adapter into the fill hole on the pan. Then I just pushed the red pump discharge hose onto the adapter & pumped away. When I figgered I'd pumped enough in, I pulled the hose loose & let the excess dump into my catch pan. If you look closely at my pics, there's a couple of the barb adapter illustrated.

I only initially filled it up once. After filling, I did run it in place & let it warm up good and went through the gears to get the fluid well circulated and I removed the fill plug while it was hot AND RUNNING to let any extra flow out since it should be topped off hot. Then I drove it for a week & drained & filled it again, only this time I didn't remove the pan/filter, of course. Then I drove it for a week again & drained & refilled it again. That to get most (never all) of the old fluid out of the torque converter. The old just mixes with the new so the new is diluted less & less by the old.

Best of luck!

You should see my pics of the timing belt replacement or thermostat replacement! Those are other ugly stories!

Dedicated you are!!

Also have done the timing belt (not water pump and pulleys yet), fuel sender, t-stat (while I had the whole top end apart for coolant o-rings and new hose install).

I've yet to have the EGR issue (knocking on wood), but I have been religiously using 93 Octane (I started using it consistently about a year ago) when I dropped the tank to replace the sending unit and saw how surprisingly clean the tank was - I was sold to continue. Also use Lucas fuel injector cleaner every couple months.

Have had to replace my drivers side O2 sensor (before cat) and both lower ball joints as well. Other-wise, I have been very happy with my "Port".