How to: Change Automatic Transmission Fluid

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 9:47 pm

Okay. I see one for the MTX, but this one has pictures.

You will need:

-Jack Stands
-4 Quarts of Mopar ATF+4
-Transmission Fluid Filter
-Gasket
-Drain Pan
-10mm socket with decent length extension

My trany filter came with a brand new gasket, so far it hasn't leaked. Thank god.

Part # @ Autozone is TF139 and includes filter/gasket.

Anyways, on with it.

1. Start off by jacking up car and putting the E-Brake up. You want to remove the passenger from wheel. The tranny is right behind it. (Excuse the leak...it tried committing suicide the other day)

You gotta remove the bolts that hold the transmission pan, altogether there are 14 I think.

At this point the fluid is going to start flowing pretty good.

It won't hurt to have an extra hand holding the pan until all the bolts are out to drop it. AKA get tranny fluid on your face.

Once the pan is out, it will look like this.

Remove the filter and gasket if it's stuck.

You'll notice the little magnet inside is pretty hideious, wipe the metal shavings off and throw it back in.

Before:

After:

Install of the filter is very easy..it just pops in there the same way it comes off. Make sure it has the O-Ring on the biggest tube.

So put your filter in, put the new gasket back on the pan and re-install.

Don't forget to put 4 bottles of this down the dipstick to refill

All this including my Oil Change while I was down there took like 1.5 hours. Most of the time spent jacking up the car and wiping the fluid off.

Post by **racer12306** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 9:55 pm

Was there an actual gasket on the pan when you removed it or was it silicone?

I seem to remember my dad having an issue with the 4 speed in his stratus leaking when he used the gasket, but sealed right up when using silicone.

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 10:06 pm

Previously it looked like they had used silicone...but we used a new gasket and it leaked but finally sealed up on it's own somehow.

I bought the silicone you see there because I thought I would need it, but ended up not.

One thing is not to torque those bolts too tight...gotta be real gentle with it

Post by **racer12306** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 10:10 pm

Yes, the case is just aluminum iirc. Too much torque and you will find yourself installing a helicoil really quick.

Note to everyone. Be sure to scrap off all of the old silicone and do not gouge the pan mating surface. You will leak if you aren't careful.

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 10:14 pm

I am not a big fan of the way these seal up...it seems like an easy way to spring a leak

aperson · Post by **aperson** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 10:54 pm

Also make sure that you have the tranny completely drained. When I did mine I a) didn't have another warm body to help and took a shower in hot trans fluid b) had fluid keep on draining onto the mating surface when trying to reassemble.

LionheartedSXT · Post by **LionheartedSXT** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 1:28 am

Adionik wrote:Previously it looked like they had used silicone...but we used a new gasket and it leaked but finally sealed up on it's own somehow.

I bought the silicone you see there because I thought I would need it, but ended up not.

One thing is not to torque those bolts too tight...gotta be real gentle with it

Yea apparently whoever owned my car before me or the dealer made that mistake and torqued the bolts way too tight and I ended up with the problem of the leak. But I think on my pan there was a gasket and when it was done, silicone was used and since then it hasn't leaked.

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 2:36 am

Ah yeah, this is my 2nd time doing a flush on it, but my friend torqued them the last time and he is like 10x buffer than me...so i'm guessing he wrenched the shit out of them.

Tranny is shifting smooth and good now

contagious18 · Post by **contagious18** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 3:38 am

u would have an automatic

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:27 am

Shut up joto

I hate atx...I need an SRT already

contagious18 · Post by **contagious18** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:54 am

or mtx at the least.

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 12:00 pm

I might be picking something up today....2.5L

contagious18 · Post by **contagious18** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 2:12 pm

2.5????????

Mopar65 · Post by **Mopar65** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 2:41 pm

How often should this be done? Nice write up by the way

Post by **racer12306** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 2:45 pm

IIRC, the book says every 48,000 when ATF+4 is used. Sooner if ATF+4 is not used.

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 2:51 pm

I'd say if you can, do it every year. Throw a can of seafoam in there before, the Trans Tune. OMFG it made a huge difference, I need to alter my review. It shifts better than when I bought the damn car.

Yes, 2.5L. I will post pics tonight when I go pick it up if it isn't sold from under me.

iskyfly · Post by **iskyfly** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:14 am

05 ATX

Somewhere in the referenced link (previously posted by another user on this forum)
http://www.allpar.com/mopar/transmissions/41TE.html

It mentioned that you are only changing about 1/3 of the total fluid by doing the drop pan method. Somebody mentioned that if you siphon out the fluid from the dipstick using clear tubing and just let it siphon over a 24 hour period you will more of the old stuff out. Any truth to that?

How does one go about getting more of the old stuff out? Is it ok to crank the engine (plugs disconnected) with the pan dropped to get more of the old fluid out?

Thanks!

Post by **occasional demons** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:31 am

iskyfly wrote:05 ATX

Somewhere in the referenced link (previously posted by another user on this forum)
http://www.allpar.com/mopar/transmissions/41TE.html

It mentioned that you are only changing about 1/3 of the total fluid by doing the drop pan method. Somebody mentioned that if you siphon out the fluid from the dipstick using clear tubing and just let it siphon over a 24 hour period you will more of the old stuff out. Any truth to that?

Why not just leave the pan loose or the plug out for 24 hours? I doubt you would get too much more anyways.

How does one go about getting more of the old stuff out? Is it ok to crank the engine (plugs disconnected) with the pan dropped to get more of the old fluid out?

You might get a bit more out of the TC that way. It worked on my Jeep.
The only real way to get it all out is to hook it to a pressurized system and force flush new fluid through the lines.
Most shops do this for a nice fee.

Thanks!

iskyfly · Post by **iskyfly** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:50 am

Why not just leave the pan loose or the plug out for 24 hours? I doubt you would get too much more anyways.

Risk of bugs / dust getting blown up in there?
I am a newbie so my understanding of things are most likely incorrect.

How does one go about getting more of the old stuff out? Is it ok to crank the engine (plugs disconnected) with the pan dropped to get more of the old fluid out?

You might get a bit more out of the TC that way. It worked on my Jeep.
The only real way to get it all out is to hook it to a pressurized system and force flush new fluid through the lines.
Most shops do this for a nice fee.

Ok thanks. I am concerned that a flush may dislodge any metal shavings back into the system. Irrational concern?

Post by **occasional demons** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 12:22 pm

With no drain plug just leaving the pan loose enough for the fluid to escape I doubt you would get any dirt in there. Just enough to let it seep out. The oil all over the outside would attract the dust before it makes it's way in. Unless you are in a sand storm. I don't know of any bugs that will willingly crawl into oil. Every one I've seen has turned around.

If there is a drain plug by all means use that. Even after a day there will prolly be fluid dripping trying to mess up your silicone job. That is the part I hate most about ATF change, the damn thing never quits dripping.

I usually spray some carb cleaner around the edges, wipe it down, and slap the pre-siliconed pan in place before it starts dripping again. Carb cleaner will evaporate before you fill it, so it is pretty safe. As long as you aren't using candle light.

iskyfly · Post by **iskyfly** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 12:41 pm

Right oh, thanks.

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Tue May 10, 2011 11:03 am

So uhhh, what if you can't get the pan off because it is super glued on there with old silicone? LOL I have been whacking the corner of the pan with a soft-faced mallet like the haynes suggests and I can not get this sucker off for the life of me...

dblsg · Post by **dblsg** » Tue May 10, 2011 11:36 am

try using a putty knife to seperate the pan from the actual transmission. once you start cutting/seperating the silicone a little bit, it will give easier.

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Tue May 10, 2011 3:06 pm

dblsg wrote:try using a putty knife to seperate the pan from the actual transmission. once you start cutting/seperating the silicone a little bit, it will give easier.

Thanks! That is exactly what I ended up doing along with continuing the whack the side of each corner with a rubber mallet and *bam* came right off haha Tranny fluid is now changed

(If I have to smell that stuff one more time....)

NickKo · Post by **NickKo** » Tue May 10, 2011 11:52 pm

I just want to say that this is a nice write-up.

- Nick

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Wed May 11, 2011 12:04 am

NickKo wrote:I just want to say that this is a nice write-up.

- Nick

Yes, it is - great job Adionik

However, I just want to add for 03+ the tranny is behind the Driver tire - not the passenger as Adio lists above on his 2002. I made the mistake of first taking off the pass. wheel only to find my oil pan & no tranny

ThisWas · Post by **ThisWas** » Sat May 14, 2011 5:12 pm

Very helpful post, Adionik! I like having photos to look at and these were great.

Your reminder about the big orange O-ring was helpful. I snapped the new filter on then must have taken it off to check I did it right, and put it back on again. I was starting to put the cover back on when I noticed TWO orange O-rings in my oil collector - the old one and the new one. Glad I noticed that before I buttoned everything up and added the ATF.

I wondered how I was going to get the cover back on with the 14 holes lined up in the new rubber gasket that came with the Autozone TF139 filter. I found that the holes in the gasket were small enough so I could thread all 14 screws through the cover and into the gasket. Then it was easy to hold the cover up to the transmission and finger-tighten some of the screws.

It does seem to shift smoother now.

bennettmotorsports · Post by **bennettmotorsports** » Mon May 16, 2011 2:50 pm

Keep in mind this is a helpful post but there is another type of transmission. It is a 3 speed without overdrive. This one takes a different type of filter. This filter is held on by 2 torx bolts. There is no orange o-ring on that one either. I will take some photos of that as I am tearing mine apart today.

bennettmotorsports · Post by **bennettmotorsports** » Mon May 16, 2011 7:42 pm

This is what the 3 speed filter looks like. This is the one from Advance Auto Parts ($10.99)

2003NeonSXT · Post by **2003NeonSXT** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 5:58 pm

Are there any pros/con's about using a gasket or a sealent/sillicone?