6 quarts for just the tranny another 8 if you plan on draining the convertor (which you should)...

For the transmission pan, the back four bolts are kinda blocked by the crossbrace. Could you remove them without removing the crossbrace? Possibly, but I went ahead and removed it anyways. The transfer case sagged somewhat, but nothing critical. 4 bolts and some presuasion and it comes out, I had to use the jack to wedge it back up. While you have it off, you may as well replace the filters, there are two, the flat one and a spin on. The kit I got came with a gasket.

For the Torque Convertor hose you need to get a 'quick disconnect tool'. I went to autozone and got the 9.99 quick disconnect set, just a bunch of plastic pieces. If you go http://www.diesel-central.com/News/ford-ac3.htmthat is what they kinda look like, and I needed to use a very small blue one to get it to disconnect. IMO this is not really the 'proper' tool as I had to play with it to get the wire to pop up, but it will work. A metal one would have been much easier, but there were none that were small enough.

The output line from the torque converter is on the bottom of the radiator/passenger side (don't be directly under it when you pull it loose, you get fluid leaking almost immediately). I had 6 empty amsoil quart bottles from the pan, and 8 for the torque converter, had the wife turn the truck on and off, as I filled one quart, I had my son add another quart until I went through all eight bottles.

It took a bit longer, but I know it was done properly...

 

If you are a preferred customer you have a sponsor that deals with your orders. They might be the reason for the delay.

 

ok, another change of plans. I was talking with the napa people who work at the dealership i'm at, and they had access to amsoil. i probably should have asked earlier.... so im running 5w30 now with a napa gold filter, and figure ill try and get the ams filter next time. i think ill change it at 10,000 just to be safe this first time.

as for the tranny fluid, would you be able to swap it in using a tranny flush machine? i know most people probably dont have access to it, buti think it would work, right?

 

Sorry if this is a stupid question but can our dakotas use synthetic or conventional motor oils, or just one or the other? I haven't changed the oil on mine personally as I generally don't have the time to do itbecause I sleep all day and work all nighthowever, I'm pretty sure my truck uses conventional motor oil and I know that I went about 8000 miles between my last oil change and the oil still looked fine and none needed added. I drive about 80 miles a day all interstate driving.

 

Would it work? I guess... Would I trust some moron to do it? No...

One place royally screwed up the tranny on my old Caravan...took it to a tranny shop and they had to replace most of the seals because the flush is done under pressure...this is what caused the seals to blow...

Changing it yourself is not that hard nor does it take that long...having two extra people is what really helps...one to turn on the truck and get the convertor going, one to catch the fluid as it is pumped out, and third to pour new fluid...

 

You can run either and it won't make a difference...well it will run better on the synthetic...

There is now way to tell if oil is good or bad based on looks or smell...you have send it off you an lab to have it analyzed and if you are running dino oil, it probabaly isn't worth the cost...

 

Which oil are you going with? the XL, ASL, Or SSO?


Shibby927- 8000 on conventional oil? thats a lot. I dont know if I would be doing that without testing it to make sure everything is ok. any motor weather it is a car or lawn mower can benefit from synthetic oil.

 

So I can run synthetic I will probably switch oils then. What do I need to do to do that?

 

turbo-I'm not sure actually. I think I still have one of the bottles left at work, ill let you know when i go back on monday.
Dak-I probably wouldnt trust any moron to do it either, but i have access to a flush machine. I think when i can ill do it that way

 

with running conventional oil that long of change interval I would do an engine flush first to get sludge out. then just change oil and filter with synthetic.