DIY for tranny fluid and filter?
Hall Of Fame
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 19,168
Likes: 23
From: South GA
Chiltons is better than Haynes and AllData is better than Chiltons........LOL
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 413
Likes: 1
From: Oklahoma City, OK
Transgo install and ATF flush
Okay, I finally got to it this week! AMSOIL in the tranny, new filters x2, and the Transgo shift kit installed. NAPA provided me both filters, but to find the spin-on filter required some detailed searching.
Here are the NAPA part numbers: 1-8595 is a filter and rubber pan gasket, 1-8593 is the spin-on filter ($15).
The rubber gasket proved super useful because I had to do a repeat performance of the valve body removal (I hate re-work). Why? I did not realize each part in the kit is a one-for-one swap. I screwed up with the little aluminum plug and valve. I never did get my factory valve out, but initially stuffed the kit included one in the hole, and then the aluminum end cap. Don't do that--then you have no reverse. So, when I called and asked Transgo they confirmed my suspicions, and so I did it all again. I even tried shaking the valve body to drop the little valve out, tried using a nose-picker (scribe), tried using a hand pump to suck the little thing out, all to no avail. I bought the hand-pump ($12) to pump the fluid out of the trans pan, and I think I got maybe 2 or 3 quarts out for my trouble. But at least with the rubber gasket, I didn't have to scrape RTV again. I ended up leaving my factory aluminum valve and end cap in the valve body.
So, make sure you do a one-for-one swap with the springs, the aluminum plug and valve. The plastic rings with the backing metal circles were easy. Other notes: there were only six bolts in the valve body, and mine were 8mm hex head bolts. The valve body cover had 6 or 7 T25 torx screws, the same size as the bolt in my tranny filter. I referred to a handful of sites, including www.60ateeight.com/DodgeRam/ (mentioned earlier), page 21-368 from the DR manual, the application guide from Transgo, and a couple pages from the dodge talk forum I dug up.
Shifts do feel better, and I do not have to focus on letting off the throttle when I want to hit fifth. I have always had to do that since I soldered in the resistor.
Here are the NAPA part numbers: 1-8595 is a filter and rubber pan gasket, 1-8593 is the spin-on filter ($15).
The rubber gasket proved super useful because I had to do a repeat performance of the valve body removal (I hate re-work). Why? I did not realize each part in the kit is a one-for-one swap. I screwed up with the little aluminum plug and valve. I never did get my factory valve out, but initially stuffed the kit included one in the hole, and then the aluminum end cap. Don't do that--then you have no reverse. So, when I called and asked Transgo they confirmed my suspicions, and so I did it all again. I even tried shaking the valve body to drop the little valve out, tried using a nose-picker (scribe), tried using a hand pump to suck the little thing out, all to no avail. I bought the hand-pump ($12) to pump the fluid out of the trans pan, and I think I got maybe 2 or 3 quarts out for my trouble. But at least with the rubber gasket, I didn't have to scrape RTV again. I ended up leaving my factory aluminum valve and end cap in the valve body.
So, make sure you do a one-for-one swap with the springs, the aluminum plug and valve. The plastic rings with the backing metal circles were easy. Other notes: there were only six bolts in the valve body, and mine were 8mm hex head bolts. The valve body cover had 6 or 7 T25 torx screws, the same size as the bolt in my tranny filter. I referred to a handful of sites, including www.60ateeight.com/DodgeRam/ (mentioned earlier), page 21-368 from the DR manual, the application guide from Transgo, and a couple pages from the dodge talk forum I dug up.
Shifts do feel better, and I do not have to focus on letting off the throttle when I want to hit fifth. I have always had to do that since I soldered in the resistor.
Hall Of Fame
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 19,168
Likes: 23
From: South GA
What do you mean you are stuck on this tool? Stuck as in finding this tool or stuck as it you have it and cant get the coupler loose? They should be at any auto parts store if you dont have them and if you do have them you simply take the one that fits (dont remember what size) and slide the "ears" of the collar up into the coupler and then pull it apart.