Got lucky today changing tranny fluid

cliffish

cliffish

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St James, NY, United States
OK, get your mind out of the gutter!

Dropped both skid plates to do transfer case and tranny fluid change (42rle auto)...Frame looks good under the skids and all bolts came out good. Anyway, after dropping tranny pan and getting pissed that PO used black gasket maker instead of a gasket. I look closer at the bottom of the outside of the pan where some rust formed cracking the paint/PC. Test a low spot with a dental pick and it goes straight through!

Could have been a disaster very soon if I wasn't being proactive on the maintenance. So now go for a pan with a drain plug or just a $30 replacement? Any preferences?
 
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cliffish said:
OK, get your mind out of the gutter!

Dropped both skid plates to do transfer case and tranny fluid change (42rle auto)...Frame looks good under the skids and all bolts came out good. Anyway, after dropping tranny pan and getting pissed that PO used black gasket maker instead of a gasket. I look closer at the bottom of the outside of the pan where some rust formed cracking the paint/PC. Test a low spot with a dental pick and it goes straight through!

Could have been a disaster very soon if I wasn't being proactive on the maintenance. So now go for a pan with a drain plug or just a $30 replacement? Any preferences?
Click to expand...

I did the lazy mans method of changing the transfer case fluid today. I read on here somewhere about putting a disposable baking pan on the skid plate, poke a hole through it where the hole in the skid plate is, and then put another one (or an oil catch pan) underneath it. Then remove the fill and drain plugs, refill, etc. without having to drop the skid plate. Worked like a charm. However, had you done that method you wouldn’t have caught the rust issue.
 
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That is a quick way to do the transfer case....the tranny pan has to be removed for the trans fluid change if it is the OEM as they have no drain plug. I also wanted to drop the skids as this is a fairly new to me TJ and I wanted to check the frame where the skid was against it. I knew I could see some caked rust there and wanted to make sure it was not the frame. It was not, it was the skid that was rusted. Everything is getting sanded, washed and coated with Eastwoods rust encapsulate black.
 
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Wire it down, clean it w alcohol / acetone / mineral spirits - either of those, then hit it w self etching prime and paint it. After giving thorough drying time, I would hit it with Fluid Film or CRC 06026 before mating the parts together. I’ve found that the best rust protection or inhibitor is either of the above products and not just paint. Well, at least in the salt and snow states.

Btw, I have no idea what the undercarriage pan of the auto trans looks like. Im talking my experience with my skid under a manual trans.


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the manual has no tranny pan, just a drain plug...the auto, we have to drop a pan to change the fluid, much easier with the stick. I think the skid plate is the same though...will get the crc before I put back together.
 
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I just remove 5 of the 6 bolts holding the skid plate on. I loosen the right rear one so the skid plate hangs from it, and swing it out of the way. I support the trans with a jack first. When I'm done with the fluid change, I just swing it back into place and bolt it up.
 
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I did what Andy did cause one was free wheeling(skid plate bolt). But before that I went to Wal Mart and bought a clear plastic tote with wheels. Think its supposed to go under your bed. For 10 bucks (on sale a great deal) I drained my trans oil into it no worry about missing the tote nice and wide and the wheels keep you from sloshing it while moving. It actually worked really well as it fit between the frame jack stands so I was able to use it right from the front diff,engine,trans,transfer case and rear end. Like it when a plan comes together. Now transferring it to another container is a job I left for my daughter and her boyfriend:) I'm a mean old man. Don't worry about the disposal as it gets used to start the burn piles on my property.
 
cliffish said:
OK, get your mind out of the gutter!

Dropped both skid plates to do transfer case and tranny fluid change (42rle auto)...Frame looks good under the skids and all bolts came out good. Anyway, after dropping tranny pan and getting pissed that PO used black gasket maker instead of a gasket. I look closer at the bottom of the outside of the pan where some rust formed cracking the paint/PC. Test a low spot with a dental pick and it goes straight through!

Could have been a disaster very soon if I wasn't being proactive on the maintenance. So now go for a pan with a drain plug or just a $30 replacement? Any preferences?
Click to expand...
New pan with a drain plug is my vote.
 
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To give myself a bigger drain oil target when dropping the pan of an auto transmission, I place my largest drain pan inside the lid of a large Rubbermade garbage can.
 
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