I was just thinking how everyonetalks about makinga huge mess changing the tranny fluid/filter until they install a drain plug and I thought: Couldn't you just take a floor jack and crank it until it has a bit of pressure against the bottom of the tranny pan, take out all of the bolts, and then just lower the pan to the ground and pour out the fuild? Seems like it would work... I'm just bored and thinking too much.[8D]

 

you are mostly correct, with one modification...
the normal fill level is a little above the top of the pan. so as you loosen the pan bolts, it will leak out on all sides of the pan, so have a BIG drain pan under it. just let it run out, until the level gets down to the top of the pan, which will be about 2 qts. once the dripping slows down, move the drain pan, slide the jack under the tranny pan, jack it up sort of snug, remove all bolts. lower pan gently while balancing pan (don't let it fall off), then dump it over in the drain pan.

 

Nope, becasue the level of fluid is actually above the top of the pan if that makes since...

This tranny esspecially is bad for making messes, ive done probably 15 trannys pans before on different cars and never made this kind of mess... not entirely sure why, but for one I think its becasue the pan is level and insted of pouring out one side evenly it just comes and slops...

I thought of useing a jack just today, but once you drain out the pourtion that is above the pan itself, its just as easy to lower it by hand... by the time you are at that point you have allready made the mess.

Ill tell you, I sure made a mess too... First time the pan has eveer been droped, so it was STUCK up on there, I took a few screws out, to drain from one side right, that side wouldent come down, so I took a few more screws out, had to start prying on the tabs... that bitch was stuck up there... finaly when it went... IT WENT... all over my face, in my eyes, in my hair, ect... it sucked. Usually just before they start to go they weep, but this one just went sploosh!

I considered putting a drain plug in this, but I just wanted it back together and I dident feel like messing with it, then having the posiblilty of the plug leaking.

 

Makes sense... I also noticed that everyone usually suggests about 6 or so qts of fluid for a service. I looked at the field manual and it says 4 qts required for a normal tranny service (not flush). Just seems a bit off from what everyone usually recommends...

 

I believe my truck took about 6 quarts when all said and done after the filter change

 

mine took 4 1/2 qts . the trick is to losen one side of the pan and very careful start to losen the other side so the pan tilts so have a control drain...

 

Every time I service my tranny the parts store is out of those drain plug kits. My book says 4-5 quarts as well, but it took like seven. I think it may depend on how quick of a job you do. Mine was still dribbling fluid after 30 minutes as I cussed the DC engineers for putting a square bolt head on that rear band adjustment and then telling me to torque it to 72 in/lb's. I suppose if you dropped the pan changed the filter and slapped the pan back up.....

 

Yeah, I didn't see the plug kit at Autozone today. I may call around to some shops and see how much they would charge me to weld a nut on the inside of the pan while I have it off. If I had a welder I'd do it...

 

i gotta agree, I just dropped my pan the other day to change the fluid and filter and i added a temp gauge and aux cooler, MAN what a mess! why the hell the OEs felt it necessary to NOT put a drain plug on the tranny is beyond me. I really don't understand the logic there. yeah i know they want to make sure you drop the pan and change the filter, but honestly who wants to do that if they KNOW they are gonna get ATF EVERYWHERE!!!

 

Yeah, it don't make sense, but apparently it's not just the Rams. I was watching Extreme 4x4 on Saturday, and they did a segment about tranny servicing being messy and how to install a drain plug. I guess a lot of OEM pans don't have them...