I bought 4 quarts of Penzoil ATF+4 tranny fluid, and a nifty container to catch it in so I could be responsible and recycle it. Now, all I have to work on my car is the original car jack it came with, and your basic supply of assorted sockets, wrenches, and other tools. So I jack up the car and slither underneath to locate the transmission pan. The location of the pan was obvious, but what I soon realized was that I could NOT locate a drain plug! Is it true that to change the tranny fluid on the 2.5l V6 I have to drop the pan? DAMMIT!!!
[align=center] [/align]

 

Ok, after resigning myself to the fact that I cannot change the tranny fluid myself (due to lack of funds, proper tools and equipment and knowhow), I figured the least I could accomplish today was to finally replace the driver-side door handle which was broken when I purchased the car in early October. I bought the handle last week, but due to snowstorms and below zero temps, I had not bothered trying it beforehand. I thought I would be smart and print the instructions for the removal supplied by Redefined Rides. Following their instructions, I got the inner door panel removed, and after about twenty minutes of rotating the panel and trying different tools, I was able to get the wiring harness to come free of the panel. I peeled the plastic away from the black tar-like substance that holds it in place, and took a look at what I was in for. The first bolt to remove is a 10mm one just above the locking mechanism. Tough to reach, but didn't look impossible. Turns out, it was damn near impossible. My hands were numb with cold by the time I gave up and put the door back together. The glass for the window is right behind the bolt, making it impossible to get either of my ratchets in there, not to mention having no room for the ratchet to back out as the bolt is turned. Also the lock assembly is so close to the bolt, that the walls of my sockets were too thick to slip over the thing! I couldn't even get a 10mm wrench over it! I tell you, I have the absolute worst luck when it comes to trying to do ANYTHING myself concerning autos. If it can go wrong, it will!
[align=center] [/align]

 

You can change the pan yourself I would get more than 4quarts of trans fluid tho to make sure. I would recommend change the filter as well. I don't have and auto so I just have to drain and fill.

 

Thanks Pappi. The only problem I have about dropping the pan myself is that I don't have a level garage to lift the car in. Just the snow-covered driveway and the jack the car came with. I'd be afraid of the car dropping off while I'm under it and trying to loosen the bolts on the pan. I also didn't have the money to do the filter and pan gasket, so I was hoping to do the fluid myself for now and have a shop do the rest when I have more dough. I saw the threads here about putting a drain plug on the pan, and I think I may do that, or find an aftermarket pan cover with one on it. That would make life soooo much easier. Oh, and the owner's manual on the car says it's capacity for transmission fluid is 9.2 quarts, yet the book at VIP says the car holds 4.1 or something. Strange and large discrepancy!
[align=center] [/align]