Drilling hole in tranny pan BEFORE dropping
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There is no G. There is no G. Repeat after me, THERE IS NO G!
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From: Texas
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Joined: May 2005
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From: SLC, UT
This is not a good spot to put a drain plug. The inside nut interferes with the solenoid or something in there.
I want someone to just post a pic of the best spot to drill a hole in the pan while it's still on......is that too much to ask?
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From: Washington state
Just weld a nut on the outside of the pan,,drains entirely and no hitting issues.
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Joined: May 2005
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From: SLC, UT
Do you mean on the side of the pan? I've got a B&M drain plug kit so I'm not going to be welding anything. I just need to know that best spot to drill the hole. The B&M would only poke up through the pan about 1/2" so it seems like it would fit about anywhere, but I don't want to learn the hard way that I'm in the wrong spot.
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From: Kokomo, Indiana
MacGyverism 101! Take a small plastic cap (like one from a can of brake clean) drill a hole thru the center of the cap. Leave the cap on the drill bit, position the drill in the chuck so it will just barely go thru the pan. You now have a way to minimize the oil bath, and have a built in drill stop.
FYI, I put my trans temp sending unit on the pass rear corner of the pan, in the area of the rear band servo.
FYI, I put my trans temp sending unit on the pass rear corner of the pan, in the area of the rear band servo.
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Joined: May 2005
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From: SLC, UT
I guess I'm not very good at making myself clear
I'm not worried about drilling too far and hitting something, I'm worried about the drain plug (when's it's installed) poking up through the tranny pan a 1/2" and hitting the filter, (or something else) and not allowing me to put the pan back on (because the plug is interfering). I just need a spot with 3/4"? clearance for the drain plug to fit.
I'm not worried about drilling too far and hitting something, I'm worried about the drain plug (when's it's installed) poking up through the tranny pan a 1/2" and hitting the filter, (or something else) and not allowing me to put the pan back on (because the plug is interfering). I just need a spot with 3/4"? clearance for the drain plug to fit.
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Live Oak Texas
I guess I'm not very good at making myself clear
I'm not worried about drilling too far and hitting something, I'm worried about the drain plug (when's it's installed) poking up through the tranny pan a 1/2" and hitting the filter, (or something else) and not allowing me to put the pan back on (because the plug is interfering). I just need a spot with 3/4"? clearance for the drain plug to fit.
I'm not worried about drilling too far and hitting something, I'm worried about the drain plug (when's it's installed) poking up through the tranny pan a 1/2" and hitting the filter, (or something else) and not allowing me to put the pan back on (because the plug is interfering). I just need a spot with 3/4"? clearance for the drain plug to fit.
Hope this helps!
http://www.dieselpowermag.com/tech/d.../photo_15.html
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Joined: May 2005
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From: SLC, UT
I don't have an auto but a quick search brings up this picture. Now it does have the spacer for the deep pan be the passenger side looks like there will be plenty of room on either front or rear corner.
Hope this helps!
http://www.dieselpowermag.com/tech/d.../photo_15.html
Hope this helps!
http://www.dieselpowermag.com/tech/d.../photo_15.html
Thread Starter
There is no G. There is no G. Repeat after me, THERE IS NO G!
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,688
Likes: 4
From: Texas
I guess I'm not very good at making myself clear
I'm not worried about drilling too far and hitting something, I'm worried about the drain plug (when's it's installed) poking up through the tranny pan a 1/2" and hitting the filter, (or something else) and not allowing me to put the pan back on (because the plug is interfering). I just need a spot with 3/4"? clearance for the drain plug to fit.
I'm not worried about drilling too far and hitting something, I'm worried about the drain plug (when's it's installed) poking up through the tranny pan a 1/2" and hitting the filter, (or something else) and not allowing me to put the pan back on (because the plug is interfering). I just need a spot with 3/4"? clearance for the drain plug to fit.
...snip...
This is not a good spot to put a drain plug. The inside nut interferes with the solenoid or something in there. It was surreal as I was realizing this..."the bolt holes won't line up". Now I have a tranny pan with a hole in it. Oh, and it is 530pm and DH is loading his luggage and leaving for a work trip as I discover my problem. Excellent timing lady.
Well, the pan is destroyed, why don't I try to weld the drain nut on the outside and cut it flush on the inside of the pan? Oh, and no more pics from here. I was hustling to get the job done. I washed the pan very thoroughly with hot water and soap since I had used brakekleen on it (welding fumes are very bad) and set it aside. Put the pass through bolt in a vice and sawed off all but two threads. Then installed it on the pan and snugged it down. I welded the bolt head on the outside of the pan, cleaned up the welds to look for pin holes, removed the nut from the inside and ground down the remaining threads so it was flush. I filled the pan with water and let it sit a while to see if it would leak. It was dry so I cleaned it again, and got it installed on the truck. Filled her up and went for a spin.
As of tonight when I closed it down there were no leaks and the truck drives like I hadn't worked on it (that's good, it ran good). I hope my fix holds!
This is not a good spot to put a drain plug. The inside nut interferes with the solenoid or something in there. It was surreal as I was realizing this..."the bolt holes won't line up". Now I have a tranny pan with a hole in it. Oh, and it is 530pm and DH is loading his luggage and leaving for a work trip as I discover my problem. Excellent timing lady.
Well, the pan is destroyed, why don't I try to weld the drain nut on the outside and cut it flush on the inside of the pan? Oh, and no more pics from here. I was hustling to get the job done. I washed the pan very thoroughly with hot water and soap since I had used brakekleen on it (welding fumes are very bad) and set it aside. Put the pass through bolt in a vice and sawed off all but two threads. Then installed it on the pan and snugged it down. I welded the bolt head on the outside of the pan, cleaned up the welds to look for pin holes, removed the nut from the inside and ground down the remaining threads so it was flush. I filled the pan with water and let it sit a while to see if it would leak. It was dry so I cleaned it again, and got it installed on the truck. Filled her up and went for a spin.
As of tonight when I closed it down there were no leaks and the truck drives like I hadn't worked on it (that's good, it ran good). I hope my fix holds!
The first two photos with the bolt in - no go. See the nut on the inside? It hits.
The welded nut on the outside was the fix. I had a hole in the pan so that's where it had to go.
Thread Starter
There is no G. There is no G. Repeat after me, THERE IS NO G!
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,688
Likes: 4
From: Texas
I did the tcase and tranny fluid today. I should have had a camera crew.
The tcase fluid swap was uneventful. The shining glory was me figuring out that the pour spigot from the gear oil bottle fit the quart bottle of ATF+4 so it made refilling the tcase easy.
I figured it went so well the tranny would be a piece of cake. Silly girl. Got the pan bolts loosened and the initial tilt-drain worked great. I moved the jack stands into place and used a piece of plywood to support the pan wile I undid all the bolts. Worked great. Except now I can't get the pan down. So I manage to walk the jack stands down to the lowest setting taking turns on each side. Great, now I can tilt the pan and finish pouring the fluid into the drain pan. Worked great, until it tilted too far and fell off. SPLASH! Then there was a flood. Looked like someone got murdered under there. OJ, that you?
Rockcrawler, I wished I had the cam rolling. You would have loved it
Fluid didn't look bad. But there was a lot of metal dust collected on the magnet. I dipped my finger in it, it was thick. I was impressed by the magnet
Cleaned up the pan, let it dry while I change out the filter. Went back to the pan and installed the drain plug.
This is not a good spot to put a drain plug. The inside nut interferes with the solenoid or something in there. It was surreal as I was realizing this..."the bolt holes won't line up". Now I have a tranny pan with a hole in it. Oh, and it is 530pm and DH is loading his luggage and leaving for a work trip as I discover my problem. Excellent timing lady.
Well, the pan is destroyed, why don't I try to weld the drain nut on the outside and cut it flush on the inside of the pan? Oh, and no more pics from here. I was hustling to get the job done. I washed the pan very thoroughly with hot water and soap since I had used brakekleen on it (welding fumes are very bad) and set it aside. Put the pass through bolt in a vice and sawed off all but two threads. Then installed it on the pan and snugged it down. I welded the bolt head on the outside of the pan, cleaned up the welds to look for pin holes, removed the nut from the inside and ground down the remaining threads so it was flush. I filled the pan with water and let it sit a while to see if it would leak. It was dry so I cleaned it again, and got it installed on the truck. Filled her up and went for a spin.
As of tonight when I closed it down there were no leaks and the truck drives like I hadn't worked on it (that's good, it ran good). I hope my fix holds!
The tcase fluid swap was uneventful. The shining glory was me figuring out that the pour spigot from the gear oil bottle fit the quart bottle of ATF+4 so it made refilling the tcase easy.
I figured it went so well the tranny would be a piece of cake. Silly girl. Got the pan bolts loosened and the initial tilt-drain worked great. I moved the jack stands into place and used a piece of plywood to support the pan wile I undid all the bolts. Worked great. Except now I can't get the pan down. So I manage to walk the jack stands down to the lowest setting taking turns on each side. Great, now I can tilt the pan and finish pouring the fluid into the drain pan. Worked great, until it tilted too far and fell off. SPLASH! Then there was a flood. Looked like someone got murdered under there. OJ, that you?
Rockcrawler, I wished I had the cam rolling. You would have loved it
Fluid didn't look bad. But there was a lot of metal dust collected on the magnet. I dipped my finger in it, it was thick. I was impressed by the magnet
Cleaned up the pan, let it dry while I change out the filter. Went back to the pan and installed the drain plug.
This is not a good spot to put a drain plug. The inside nut interferes with the solenoid or something in there. It was surreal as I was realizing this..."the bolt holes won't line up". Now I have a tranny pan with a hole in it. Oh, and it is 530pm and DH is loading his luggage and leaving for a work trip as I discover my problem. Excellent timing lady.
Well, the pan is destroyed, why don't I try to weld the drain nut on the outside and cut it flush on the inside of the pan? Oh, and no more pics from here. I was hustling to get the job done. I washed the pan very thoroughly with hot water and soap since I had used brakekleen on it (welding fumes are very bad) and set it aside. Put the pass through bolt in a vice and sawed off all but two threads. Then installed it on the pan and snugged it down. I welded the bolt head on the outside of the pan, cleaned up the welds to look for pin holes, removed the nut from the inside and ground down the remaining threads so it was flush. I filled the pan with water and let it sit a while to see if it would leak. It was dry so I cleaned it again, and got it installed on the truck. Filled her up and went for a spin.
As of tonight when I closed it down there were no leaks and the truck drives like I hadn't worked on it (that's good, it ran good). I hope my fix holds!
Wanted to revisit this to review the mod above. Nice to have posts go full circle, no? I just did the 90k...well 95k fluid and filter change (I procrastinated).
#1. Location of the drain plug = worked great! I was able to drain the majority of the fluid through it before dropping the much lighter and way less full pan (~1/4 left) and easily dump into the catch pan. Ie...no fluid bath, very clean job considering.
#2. 30-35k is a good interval. I can't see going longer on this. The fluid wasn't burnt, still red but there was build up of shavings on the magnet. Enough so I felt 30-35k is not too short. In fact, pretty comfortable and glad about it.
#3. I went with a filter from Oreillys and dug out the oem gasket from my parts boxes that I originally pulled off. I'm hoping it'll seal the pan. The Genos gasket I put on there constantly seeped over the last 35k. No idea why but hoping the stock gasket will seal once and for all.
Conclusion = good tranny fluid and filter change. Truck seems to like it. I was noticing some light gear hunting before the change. Feels solid now. I didn't bother to adjust the bands.
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From: Gilbert Arizona
Transmission flush complete! I wrapped the drill bit in electrical tape and was too much of a wimp to let it punch entirely through the pan (hence the small hole). The B&M drain plug is kind of hokey, but doesn't appear to be leaking yet...
Last edited by gsmopar; Jun 25, 2017 at 12:05 PM. Reason: Can't get the video to post...