Important Tips...Changing tranny filter (2002 Silverado)

[Eagle70ss]

Hey guys,
I just thought I would try to write a detailed description of how to change the tranny filter and gasket for those trying to do this. I know I had a heck of a time my first time doing it.....I will try to add some photos at a future date. If anyone knows any tips that could be added feel free to express those....


Truck = 2002 Silverado w/ 4.8L and 4L60E tranny(I think) with deep pan

Procedures:

1. Pull trans plug and drain Fliud while warm,but watch exhaust, Size = 15mm
Tip: Try to use a container for which you know the volume off(approx.), so you can replace exactly that amount of fluid.

2. Remove shift cable from the selector arm...(just pops off).I just used a flat head driver the pry it off the retaining knob on the selector.

3. Remove Shift cable support from it's bracket...(a two pronged staple(to hold cable from slipping through the bracket) must be removed and then use some pliers to squeeze the fastening tabs together and pull the entire cable through the bracket toward the rear of the truck.. Remove the cable from the general area and stow it back behind you somewhere to get it out of the way.(All on drivers side)

4. Then the support bracket itself should be removed because it will hinder you greatly in trying to drop the pan all the way down. You can flex it enough to get the pan past, but trust me this isn't the way to go...There are two bolts holding the bracket on and they are difficult to see so reach up and you will feel them. They are smooth headed bolts with a Torx(star) pattern in the center. I think it's about t-25 or T-30, but I'm not sure...I thought they were Hex head before I was able to remove them. This will take a little time, but it's worth it when trying to put the pan back up and keeping the gasket aligned.

5. Loosen the two bolts holding a shield of some sort on the passenger side. You'll need to do this so you can get access to the pan bolts being blocked by the shield.
Mine were 10mm bolts.

6. Remove all pan bolts and drop the pan...I took the bolts out of one corner and put the drain pan underneath that corner...I then loosened all the other bolts evenly(without removing them) to let the pan lean toward that corner so the remaining fluid will spill out that corner and into the drain pan. I think there was at least a quart left in mine.

7. Clean gasket surface on pan and clean the bottom of the pan out. If there's large bits in there, you most likely have a larger problem. Let air dry...

8. Remove the old filter just by pulling down and it should just come right out.

9. Remove the old seal up in the cavity where the tranny filter stem was. You'll need some sort of pick of something to deform the metal seal sleave so that you can remove it...The actual seal look like a metal ring about 1/2" tall with a rubber ring around the top...Be sure you remove the whole seal...(the metal sleeve and the rubber). What comes out should look close to the new seal you get with the kit, just a little more dinged up.

10. Install the new seal that you get with your tranny filter kit. The cavity is very small and it's sunk down in the valve body housing. I used the bushing driver set from Autozone..it comes with multiple round bushing drivers...see which one fits the best around the ring of the seal and drive the new seal up into the tranny filter port. Be sure the seal lip is flush with the housing...If not you will have an air seep there and bubbly transmission fliud on the dipstick. Take some time on this step and do it right..I've fixed many peoples work where the seal wasn't installed correctly.

11. Intall the new filter in the same position as the old one.

12. Place the new gasket on the pan. It's better to get one that will stay flat on the pan than one of the cork one's that will slide all over the place will trying to guide the pan up to it's correct position. If you must use a cork one, put a layer of bearing grease between the gasket and the pan and it will help the gasket to stay put better.

13. Just reassemble everything like it previously was... and refill the tranny with new fluid...You must be careful here...Try to replace the same amount of fluid taken out if possible...Because some of the Silverado's have a deep pan and some have a shallow pan...Mine has the deep pan with the stair-step shape on the bottom and holds about 7.5 quarts...Some the shallower ones hold only five....so be careful here. If you check the tranny fluid latter on and the fluild looks bubbly...This is either Tranny fluid is too low (it's sucking off the top and wafting and infusing air) or the new seal was not all the way in..(it's sucking air through the seal and causing air bubbles).


Bolt Size List:
Tranny drain plug = 15mm (this was absurdly tight)
Tranny pan bolts = 14mm
Heat shield on passenger side = 10mm
Cable support bracket bolts = Torx(T-25 or T-30)

[MT-2500]

I would like to add a little on it.
Always use the fluid type the manf calls for with no additives.
When removing and installing the pan watch the solenoid wiring.
It is easy to knock off a solenoid plug in if you do not drop the pan straight down and install straight up. I found out the hard way.
Also on pan gasket most newer transmissions use a hard backed molded thick rubber type pan gasket that should be reused and can be reused 4-5 times.
It is a 20 dollar gasket so do not pitch it use it again and again.
Cork is the next best over the cheap fiber or thin rubber gasket with some filter kits.
Cork or rubber always put the gasket on dry with no grease or sealer.
And always get a good type/brand of filter
On fluid fill up always get the transmission hot and recheck fluid level at idle in park.
MT

[Eagle70ss]

Thanks for the extra tips MT...The more tips we can stuff in the better...

However,
I can verify that my Silverado didn't have any kind of high quality gasket...It was a paper-type gasket..I've owned it since it rolled off the lot so I know it's the original...The one I removed was in no way reusable...It already had breaks in it, but it wasn't leaking from what I could see...But it lasted 90K, so I can't really complain about it....


Happy Auto fixing everyone...

[masapell]

I thought about doing this myself a couple of months ago. I decided to take it to my friend at the dealership. They flushed the whole tranny, cleaned it, changed the filter and topped it off. But, the fun (or lack of) that I was spared with that was transferred to my wife's Jeep Cherokee. I had to replace the water pump on Monday. That was NOT fun!!

[Davestone]

I want to thank you for this post.I just spent yesterday evening attemting to do this,and bygolly that pain drain nut was the tightest thing i ever saw!And i couldn't get begin to figure out how to get everything apart.Now i'm no novice, i alway do my own work, and was a mechanic in the Army,and do marine work, but i was struggling with this.On top of it all i couldn't(and still can't ) find my manual!Thanx again for saving my weekend,i have the 5.3, and it's exactly as you described yours.

[BlenderWizard]

Thanks for that. My tranny pan bolt was also absurdly tight, and evrything I used would eventually spin on it.

I gave up and took it to the dealer for a full flush.

[MT-2500]

Well you have to give GM engineers credit for putting a drain plug on it.
But I do not know why they made one that is as useless as the tits on a boar hog.
I have yet to find one that would come lose to drain the pan and it is not even on the bottom of the pan for a good pan drain.
Best to just pretend the drain plug is not there and pull the pan and change the filter as usual.
MT

[rjeffery]

Yeah, I stripped the head off the drain plug the first time I changed my tranny fluid, now I just change it by dropping the pan.

[Eagle70ss]

Well about the tranny drain plug....What I did was not even to mess with the regular socket and go right to the "rounded off bolt sockets"...They had a small 5 piece set at Autozone





These are the Craftsman ones...but the ones I bought look identical...I can't think of the Brand name, but it's a well known brand(yellow and blue packaging)...These won't slip at all...My plug was tight as hell too, but these guys did the trick..Just find the longest handle rachet you can find to get more leverage and go at it...( I don't own an impact )