can someone est the time it would take someone to do this... i have never done it before and would like to. i pretty engine savy but i have never messed with trans or other componets of that nature. whats the time and cost to do this yourself? i know cost will depend on type of fluid but just give me a ball park please

 

IDK, maybe an hour if you rush. On average I would say 2-3 hours. I dropped my pan (had a sheet pf painters plastic under the truck) and let it drip drain off the valve body and such for some time while I cleaned the pan. I found that getting a can of gasket removal compound helped speed up getting the old permatex off the pan. If you can, I would replace those bolts with new ones from Lowes or a hardware store. Just take on in with you and match it up. Changing the filters themselves of 10 mins tops. Lay or bead of permatex and mount the pan, let it set for a while and cure and then fill the pan. Disconnect the trans line up front and put a 3/8 hose on it and in a bucket and crank the truck and let it pump most of the fluid out. Stop the truck and add more fluid and repeat until it changes to a lighter pink color. Overall, maybe 2-3 hours I guess.

 

Forget the Haynes manual unless you have a bird cage to line.

 

Why don't you like the Haynes manuals? I know they aren't quite as in depth as Chiltons but they are nice to have for reference from time to time.

 

Before you start go to NAPA they have a catch pan that is probably 2ft by 2ft at least and makes life so much easier and cleaner when dropping the pan, just set it in your normal oil catch pan and center it under the trans and go for it.

 

When I removed my trans pan at 30000 miles I added a drain plug. I welded a 1/2 fine thread nut on the inside of the pan and used a 1/2 in. Oil pan plug. This remedies the mess when dropping the pan.

 

After all these years you would think the manufacturer would have figured that out by now.

 

The Haynes manuals I've bought weren't even accurate. Forget depth and detail. Chilton's are no better.

 

Excellent point. I wonder if they're hoping enough people will generate service traffic for the dealer. I've heard that some pans have drain plugs, but I've never had a vehicle that had one.

 

Me neither, but I've made a few.