How to Change Your Transmission Fluid

Tell me you're just rattling my cage, lol.

 

I had to chime in that at my last ATF change, I rounded out the hex drain plug. Maybe I over-torqued it last time, but the plug was also quite corroded. With cold weather coming, I didn't have time to order a new plug and drill out the old one.

Fortunately, I have an oil extractor, which is a tool that I've used many times around the garage. I simply sucked as much ATF out through the fill hole as possible, close to 3.5 quarts. Then, I refilled to overflowing.

Here's an extractor similar to mine, if anyone is interested (LiquiVac Oil Extractor):

LiquiVac Oil Extractor — 2 Gallon, Model# 2000 | Northern Tool + Equipment

 

Drain plugs only need to be snug.
The only way you'll get ALL the oil out is to dismantle it. 3.5 quarts is good.
Just put 3.5 back in. How you get it out, doesn't matter, really.
And you don't have to climb under the car. Can you reach the filler plug from the top????

 

You can run a hose down to it, but you really need to access from below.

29 ft/lb is the torque spec, a little more than snug.

 

I almost said that a minute ago, but was just going from memory when I changed it in my PiP. Technically, I think there is an open channel big enough, but you would need an inhuman number of elbows to reach it from above.

 

When I drop the hose down, even with a pit lamp shining up from below, it can take multiple tries to get the hose through and in the vicinity, lol.

 

First time I did it? Bulls eye!! From then on, at least two tries. LOL!!