Quick ? for you ATX guru's.

[shoteen95]

I'm doing a complete transmission fluid change on the SHO. Have already dropped the pan, cleaned it, put in my new filter, and added some fluid.

Now for the rest. I'm planning on disconnecting the hose on the drivers side of the stock cooler as a good point to drain the fluid. I know this has been done before, i believe i've read about it here.

Anyone know offhand what size and length of tube i need to hook up to cooler to go into my "drain" bucket.

And it looks like i'm going to need another length of hose to connect to the stock hose to go into my "feed" bucket.

How did you guys go about this. Where'd you get the hose, sizes, and what not.

 

[kurtis adum]

off topic a lil but u goin to the thingy sat?
kurt

 

[shoteen95]

yup, i'll be there...if i get this damned tranny flush to work.

 

[SHOtimer]

When I flush my tranny I fill the pan up with 6-7 quarts and sit at the front of the car with an assistant in the car. I have the assistant sit in the car and start it and I sit and watch the fluid pump into the pan (or whatever you are draining the fluid into). I do not hook up a feed tube, because the tranny will pump the excess fluid out of the pan. After I pump out about 5-6 quarts I have the assitant shut off the car and I pour another 5-6 quarts back into the pan and have the assistant start the car again and start the process over again. Once you have pumped about 12-13 quarts through the tranny you have completely flushed it. The feed tube I didn't see necessary and it went fine without hooking one up. As long as the pan has fluid in it then the tranny will be fine. Make sense?

Just leave it in park and it will pump itself clean.

Doug

 

[shoteen95]

thats basically what i ended up doing...glad i bought a lot of fluid. When the line i hooked to the cooler started pumping out really red fluid, i shut it off, and filled it back up.

I'm pleased with the results. Shifts much smoother. No longer jerks when downshifting (like when coming to a stop sign).

Seems i had some torque converter shudder which now..is pleasantly absent

 

[SHOtimer]

What color was the fluid that came out and how many miles were on it?

Doug

 

[shoteen95]

car has 71,000miles, i'm not 100% on it's service record for half of those miles, but this is the first i've changed the fluid. color looked to be kinda orangish-brown. Definately didnt smell too good.

I've read horror stories of trannies failing after have the fluid changed..i figured since mine had relatively low mileage, i might as well go for it. I'm really impressed with the difference.

 

[SHOtimer]

Well, that tranny was way overdue for a service...

Doug

 

[SHOZ123]

Here is how I do it.

1. You may still spill some fluid when dropping the pan. Best just spread out the oil dry before starting.

2. Jack up the car and place on jack stands.

3. Next disconnect the line on the drivers side of the aux ATX cooler. Put the tranny side line in a five gallon bucket. Attach a piece of 3/8" hose to the cooler where you just disconnected the line and place it in the bucket.

4. Start the engine and wait until the fluid almost stops. There will be a definite difference in the amount flowing out.

5. Stop the engine.

6. Start loosening the bolts on the pan. There is still 3-4 quarts in the pan. Position a drain pan under the tranny pan and on the drivers side. Loosen and remove all the bolts but two on the passenger side. This will let the drivers side tip down as you then slowly loosen the remaining two. After the pan is mostly down and the fluid is in the drain pan remove the pan completely and replace the filter. Be sure to remove the rubber ring that will stick up in the tranny filter mount. Just bend it in with a screwdriver and pull it out with a needle nose. Do not scratch the aluminum tranny filter holding housing.

7. Reusing the OEM gasket and in a three pass sequence progressively tighten every other bolt until all are tightened. Do not over tighten as they really just need to be snug. Use a 1/4" ratchet drive socket.

8. Then add 10 quarts. Start the motor and wait until it almost stops pumping fluid out or until you see new fluid coming out. Better to waste a quart or two of new fluid to insure all the old stuff is out.

9. When the flow has almost stopped, shut off the engine and reconnect the hoses.

10. Add 5 quarts, idle motor and check level keeping it on the low side on the dipstick.

11. Then drive the car for a while to heat up the tranny fluid and recheck and top off the fluid.


The pan gasket is reusable if it is the OEM rubber one. Total system capacity is around 14-15 quarts. Buy a couple of extra quarts to get all the old stuff out.

I've since put in a drain plug. They are cheap and all you need is a 1/2" drill bit to install them.

 

[ohfosho]

i put a bottle of lucas tranny fluid into mine. i cant really tell you if it made a difference, since i just bought the car and did a bunch of stuff to it. the last owner said that it was on its way out...starting to slip. i only notice that it kind of shifts hard sometimes. my 93 had a 'quality renewed' tranny put in at the dealer in 1999.

 

[shoteen95]

that's an excellent write up Paul, should be stickied in the "how to" section if it isn't already.

*EDIT* nevermind, see i was about a half day late on that suggestion. Still,

 

[SASHO91]

man.... i want a tranny cooler!! and 5 qts of fluid.....

hahahaha!!! i think my tq. converter is going out too...

oh... man... i need to get to bed....


very good write up too!!

 

[shoteen95]

oh... man... i need to get to bed....

Sleeping's for girls.

 

[SASHO91]

yeah.. im still up....

i guess thats why some guys sleep.....


hmm... i think i just made fun of myself.....