I'm getting ready to do a tranny fluid exchange and I was wondering where the best place to do it . Is it easyer to pull the line from radiator or the one at the tranny?

 

There isn't really a need to drai the entire system as long as you havent had something break. Dropping the pan and changing the fluid and filter is fine.

 

^^^^ I'm with Banshe-man on this.

 

I'm gonna do mine because I towed something really heavy and the trans got kind of warm (225 degrees) and doesn't smell fresh anymore. My plan to get some extra fluid out without trying to flush it is to pull the pan and then loosen all the valve body bolts just enough so that it breaks free and hangs down a little. That will probably get an extra 1-2 qts out. I'm installing a drainplug while the pan is off too..

 

Im with Bansh-eman and the Dr. on this one too. :-)

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I am with most everyone else on this one, just drop the pan, if you open it up then go take a break it will drip for a LONG time and will drain about 7 quarts. The manual says a standard oil change is 4 quarts and this is correct if you are fast.

Dodgezilla - 230 is not that hot for the +4 oil how long did you run it at that temp? The old smell test is not as reliable on +4 oil as it once was on the older oils.

 

I will go against the grain on this one. I changed my fluid recently and pulled the return line at the tranny. Like Dodgezilla, my fluid was looking nasty so I wanted more than the 6 qts. I attached a hose to the line, started the truck, put it in N and pumped out about 5 qts then shutdown. Dropped the pan, changed the filter, buttoned back up and added 6 qts. Started the truck again, alternated pumping out and adding fluid until it looked clean and bright red. I know I didn't get all of it, but I felt 14qts was better than 6.

This was the easiest tranny fluid change I have ever done. Temps dropped back where they should be and it is shifting great. I know many think just dropping the pan is fine - and I agree if your fluid is in decent shape. Mine was not, and I feel better knowing I changed more than double the fluid of just a pan drop.

 

Thx for the reply's. I read last until my eye's started to bleed. There is alot of old threads on this subject. Since I'm not the original owner and not sure of it's past I'm going to do a compete exchange. Then probly just drop the pan after that.

 

I'll add my count to the "just drain the pan and change the filter" suggestion. I did it a few weeks and I got about 6.5 qts out.

 

drain pan.... then in a couple weeks, do it again... especially simple if you installed a drain plug

 

Your choice, but your just watering down the good fluid if you do it this way.

I have no idea why everyone seems against pulling the return line. Takes 10 minutes, uses the stock pump to push out the old fluid while it draws new from the pan.

 

I don't think everyone is against it, as much as it isn't really necessary unless you have alot of metal in your fluid. Knowing guys that have ran thier trucks for over 100k and never even changed the fluid much less worry about flushing the whole system made me realize it's just overkill.

 

+1, and to add it's more involved and complicated. Remove the return, get back up start the truck, drain, get back up turn the truck off, then you gotta remove the pan anyway to clean it and replace the filter, then refill, then restart the truck and then keep constantly checking and recheck until you get enough fluid....etc. Dropping the pan, changing the filter, and refilling the fluid with the amount that came out is just a much simpler task.

 

I just drop the pan, and for some reason I always put in just over 7 quarts.

Can I damage the pump or anything by pulling the drain line and running the truck? Do you just shut it down when you see fluid sputtering? Do you drain the pan first?

I have to put a drain valve in too.... I'm tired of the mess when dropping the pan.

 

You could burn it up if you left it running with no fluid for a while, but it shouldnt hurt anything to just pop it off and run it and shut her down because no heat is building. It isn't a good idea to just use the plug and drain the fluid. You need to wipe all the crap out of the pan and clean the magnet off, as well as swap the filter other wise your just going to pckup more junk in your clean fluid.