Trans fluid change- capacity??

[Dekeman]

UPDATE:

Okay, I've added another 12 oz. and am waiting for it to run down the tube so I can get a good reading.

I have another problem now. The stinking oil pan plug that was rounding off will NOT come off. No matter what I use, vice grips, open end or closed end wrench, it's rounding off more and more. I added the trans pan plug, and it ended up a little too close to my oil plug (pardon the cell phone pic):


There's just not enough room to get a 'bolt-off' on there:


You can see how close the two plugs are. I'm not sure if I should drop the pan again, get a new pan and plug and reinstall in another place, or what. I'm not sure how to proceed from here. Any ideas?

[Andrew1941]

I rounded my off one time and the mechanic laughed and pulled out a pipe wrench and twisted it off. Dough! Try a pipe wrench!

[Dekeman]

Originally Posted by Andrew1941

I rounded my off one time and the mechanic laughed and pulled out a pipe wrench and twisted it off. Dough! Try a pipe wrench!

Huh! You'd think that being the son of a plumber, I'd have thought of that. Excellent idea!

[serge_saati]

I hate when it happens.

Try a socket smaller that the original size. And force to grip it. Try both metric and imperial size. It worked for me with my wheel hex bolt.

[Dekeman]

Originally Posted by serge_saati

I hate when it happens.

Try a socket smaller that the original size. And force to grip it. Try both metric and imperial size. It worked for me with my wheel hex bolt.

I've never heard of this. When using the smaller socket, do you angle it so it grips?

[Erik2002Winnie]

Originally Posted by Dekeman

I've never heard of this. When using the smaller socket, do you angle it so it grips?

'

you want one barely too sdmall, and you may have tro hammer it on.

[serge_saati]

Originally Posted by Erik2002Winnie

'

you want one barely too sdmall, and you may have tro hammer it on.

Exact. You hit the tool w/ a hummer, so it grip.

No angle.

[serge_saati]

I mean a hammer.

[Dekeman]

Going in today to put the thing on a lift and get this fixed and finished. I have a fluid pump from Harbor Freight to remove and recover the fluid I just recently added (no use spending another 75 bucks on fluid since it was changed 2k miles ago), drop the pan, hammer on a 'bolt-off' socket to remove the rounded-off plug, then install a new OEM plug and replace the pan (the B&M universal plug kit didn't work out so well- it's leaking like crazy), then replace the trans pan, and fill the trans and oil sump. At least that's the plan. Will post an update later.

[Dekeman]

The job is done and all went well. That little fluid pump rocks!!! I got most of the trans fluid out, but had to use the B&M plug to get the rest recovered from the pan. The pump won't get all of the fluid out. I suppose it would make a pan drop/filter change less messy, but it left so much fluid that I had to open the plug to get more, which left about 3/4 of a quart in the pan. I had some trouble getting the hose to the bottom of the trans; it wouldn't go down anymore. Otherwise it went well.

[Dekeman]

Another thing I wanted to mention is that I pulled out about 9 quarts of fluid when I siphoned out the pan and poured the remaining fluid from the dropped pan. That's how much fluid one should buy when doing a pan drop/filter change. I even lost some when I pulled the filter!

Wiswind's pointer earlier in this thread is true even for my '03- you have to get the fluid level all the way to the top of the dipstick fill area (the crosshatched area) so you don't get slipping on turns when it sucks in air. Don't forget- check the trans fluid level when the engine is to it's operating temp (about halfway on the gauge), on level ground, after going through each gear, and keep it running for the check. Totally opposite of checking your oil.