Trans Filter and Fluid Change

[99sierra4x4]

Anyone have a recommendation for fluid and where to buy the filter??

I was thinking about getting the filter from GM, and going to a royal purple or a synthetic fluid unless regular ATF is going to be good enough.

and i shouldnt need any special tools? just unbolt the pan, swap the filter bolt it back up and fill right?

fluids gettin a little dark, been 30k since i changed it and i abuse it bad.


thanks guys

[DamnYankee]

My advice would be to get a deeper pan since you're going to be dropping the pan. It's cheap insurance for longer life on the trans. And I've been told to run the regular fluid - not synthetic.

DeRale pans are pretty reasonable and hold an extra couple of quarts. Search on summit for part 14104.

[GMCwantsLS1]

I would stay with the regular ATF and change it often. No special tools required. Install a drain plug if it dosen't have one. As for the filter I've never bought anything special.

[hwyto666]

+1 with using regular ATF, if you use other fluids like royal purple you will mix it with some old fluid since just dropping the pan won't get arid of all the old fluid completly.

[RedHeartbeat]

a large rubbermade tote will make changing the fluid so much neater if you don't have a drain plug already installed. Get one about 8-10" deep and much larger around than the pan. Slide it under just before you drop the pan and you'll catch almost all the fluid that falls out otherwise you may be looking at painting the drive a nice dark brown.

Nothing but old fashioned dinosaur fluids in the transmissions for me. I like to change it every other oil change since the truck has a decent size stall converter and it gets abused. As for filters, just good old Pioneer or WIX brand from the Orielly store.

Preventive maintenance is always larger capacity pans and additional external air to air stacked plate coolers such as the Tru-Cool units plumbed after the cooler in the radiator.

[withac]

+1 with using regular ATF, if you use other fluids like royal purple you will mix it with some old fluid since just dropping the pan won't get arid of all the old fluid completly.

FWIW.

Here is the reply I got from an RP rep when I emailed with questions.


The pan drop is fine, our will over power what ever oil it mixes with as our film strength is 400 times stronger. With the mix we also recommend doing another pan drop at 5,000 miles to get a high concentrate of our oil in the tranny.



MY PERSONAL opinion-

A flush is like a empty glass with sugar in the bottom of it, then you pour tea into it. The sugar is stirred up and not is floating all around. What if the sugar was metal shavings in the pan and you flushed the transmission? Well the shavings will stir and go all over the transmission and could give you problems later. I know a lot of people who have never had a problem with flushes, but I myself would never have a flush done on my person car/truck. It is your call and this is my opinion not Royal Purple’s.

[99sierra4x4]

ok ya im gonna drop the pan for sure. Probably gonna just do the filter and fluid for now, moneys tight till august. moving and such, and gas. but i think im going to add a second trans cooler for those long 500 mile roadtrips home.

i think ill stick with regular atf as well.

thanks for the help guys.

[BossGMC]

Trans filter change wont hurt at all, if you really want to service the total amount of fluid in the trans my best recommendation is to go to any trustworthy place you know of and perform a trans flush, that's done with at machine that splices beween your cooler lines removes the old fluid after running an additive for 15 minutes to lossen clutch power debris from the pan and filter, and at the same time inserts new fluid back in, not to mention if you have Longtubes, probably have an offroad y-pipe, with is clamped or welded, everyone I've had to remove the pan on it never clears the y-pipe, so you have to remove it which can be a pain in the rear, so just keep that in mind and do whats the best for you liking....

[txarkitekt]

Yeah A--its a real easy job. Just make sure to watch out for a belching of fluid when you pop the filter off. It just snaps on and off.

[99sierra4x4]

well the exhaust y pipe is somewhat over lapping the trans pan, but i am still going to try and get it changed, but im wondering what this bolt is for..... can any one tell me???

thanks