I have always wondered why the manufactors can't make a transmission with a drain plug on the pan like they do on an engine oil pan?? It gets to be a pain and can be really messy if you don't have access to a hoist and have to opt to do it on your back in the driveway. Any ideas? I have changed trans fluids many times, and have always wondered. It would be so much easier just to get the fluid out first, then deal with taking the pan off to gain access to change the filter. Or how about an exterior transmission filter like the engines too?? Then you wouldn't have to take out a million bolts to get the pan off, plus you wouldn't have to change the pan gasket either. Just curious....

 

I know what you mean. But of course they would never do something that would be deemed convinient or handy. But of course you can always buy and aftermarked it where you drill a whole in your pan and add the plug to it. Just a thought.

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Because it would make sense.....

 

Next time you got your pan off have a drain welded in it . Pretty easy job .
Trouble

 

I bought the cheapo drain plug kit and drilled the hole. These come with nylon (plastic) washers and work well. Mine leaked a little, but I tightened it to stop the leak.

 

Little trick I've used for years after seeing how big the screen was in most tranny filters that it was not much use in changing anyyways, I discern which coolant line is the return line from the transmission, disconnect it from the radiator or tranny cooler if so equipped, direct the fluid with a piece of rubber hose into a container, start engine, spit a couple quarts of dirty fluid out, stop engine as they say in the manuals, replace line and refill tranny with clean fluid, very simple, very inexpensive. With this method I have gotten over 300,000 miles out of lightweight trannies such as GM turbo 350"s and the like, without ever taking the pan off even once---true story

 

This kind of a long way around the barn, but I've read that in order to use a external filter effectively you have to change the fluid and filter then put the external in line then put change the filter again. It seems the filter has GOT to be in the trans in order for the tranny to work properly.

Trail Rider

 

The filter on an auto tranny is also the fluid pick up.

Brad Godkin
1986 F350 CC/SRW
6.9liter/C6

 

Thats why they dont put a drain plug on so you change the filter while your under there, I remember when i was about 5 me and my dad where changing the tranny fluid in a huge buick centurion with a 455 and musta been a th 400 and in the bottom of the pan where broken fiber clutchs the tranny still worked and eveything we got done and took it for a test beat and came back to pull it in the garage and suposably his boot was oily (this is what he told my mom) and it "slipped" of the brake and hit the gas pedal and he hit the back wall of tha garage and pushed it out about 2" at the bottom LOL

 

B&M makes a transmission fluid drain kit. You just drill a 1/2" hole in your pan. $7.99 at autozone. Regards, m.a.t.


1999 XLT Supercab, V6 5-speed, Astro Eurolid II, MAAP Stainless Steel Nerf Bars, Mobil1.

 

One thing to be careful about is placing the plug where it chews up the pickup/filter. I've had two tranny pans from TCI and could never quite get the plugs from leaking. One is a straight metal pan with plug and the second is a nice $100 aluminum pan with fins. I have them both available and for sale if you guys want them.

'82 F150 2WD w/351W (orig 300 I6)
Slik