Tranny Service

I bought a 1998 LaSabre last week with only 31K on it. Should I service the transmission? Can a DIY person do it?

Hello

Welcome to AFs! What condition is the fluid in? Bright red? Dark red? Brown? Bright red=good. Brown=bad. Keep in mind that the fluid lubricates the moving parts. Bad fluid, just like bad oil in your engine, will cause your trannie to wear out sooner. Is there a trailer hitch on the car? Has the car been used for towing? Are you the second owner? Has the fluid been changed in the past?

I talked to a trannie repair guy, and he said: "if everyone changed the fluid on their trannies I would have a lot less work.

Yes a DIY can do this. It's a messy job. If you're asking I take it you haven't done this before. If you want to do it to save some money, get a manual and follow it. Make sure you put in the correct fluid for your car. There are a few different ones out there.


Regards

Dan

I bought a 1998 LaSabre last week with only 31K on it. Should I service the transmission? Can a DIY person do it?

LaSabre97mint has given you good advise.
Mileage is low but lot of years on it.
Good time to change it.
People that service there transmissions have a lot less problems with them.
I would add. Get a big or bigger drain pan. Bigger is better on that deal.
I use the end of a 55 gallon drum for a drain pan.
Also most of them have a good hard thick rubber reusable pan gasket.
It can be reused 3-4-5 times.
And use no sealer on a pan gasket just put it on clean and dry.
Most of the filter kits just come with a cheap pan gasket.

As suggested do a pan drop only consisting of ATF fluid resupply and screen filter only...no flushing. Use an AC Delco screen filter, TF304.

The tranny uses Dextron-III and you will need around 7.5 quarts on a pan drop. Be sure to properly torque the pan bolts to 10 ft-lbs or 120 in-lbs in a proper sequence.

Sorry for the slow response, Monday night and homework make a bad pair.

The fluid is not a new color of red and does NOT smell burnt, so yes, service is needed.

Where can a get a manual for instuctions to service the tranny? I have done my old Saturn many times, but all I had to do there was pull a drain plug and replace the screw-on filter. I have no experience dropping a drain pan for a transmission.

A couple of disposable roasting pans are worth the investment ;thumbsup:

General maintnence steps are in your standard Chilton's or Haynes manual or online at autozone's site.

Where can a get a manual for instuctions to service the tranny? I have done my old Saturn many times, but all I had to do there was pull a drain plug and replace the screw-on filter. I have no experience dropping a drain pan for a transmission.
I buy my manuals online as they are cheaper(even when you include shipping charges.) You can look on eBay, or amazon.com to start. Some other sites that sell manuals for less include autopartswarehouse.com , books4cars.com . and this site has a lot of online info including views and instructions:http://www.eautorepair.net/?gclid=CJrbitnN2IgCFRaaOAodlAt6jQ . That site charges $9.99 for each vehicle. Your options are many.

Where can a get a manual for instuctions to service the tranny?

For general autotransaxle pan drop service see tech procedure below:


1. The fluid should be drained when warm so contaminants are in suspension in the transaxle fluid.
2. Raise and safely support the vehicle on safety stands.
3. Place a suitable drain pan under the transaxle fluid pan.
4. There is no drain plug for changing the transaxle fluid (but...you can add one!!!!), so fluid change on most automatics is messy. Draining the fluid involves loosening some bolts, removing others, and, after the pan is loosened, letting the fluid run out from the joint between the pan and gasket and the transaxle body. Use a drain pan with a large enough opening to accommodate draining the fluid from a large section of the pan.
5. There are twenty oil pan bolts (metric 8-10mm size). Loosen and remove only the bolts from the front and sides of the pan.
6. Loosen the rear bolts about four turns.
Remove the bolts from the front and sides of the pan
Tap or pry the pan loose, then allow the fluid to drain completely
After all the fluid has drained, unfasten the remaining bolts and remove the transaxle fluid pan
Remove the pan magnet and inspect it for metal chips, which may indicate excessive wear
Carefully remove the pan gasket. Some late-model pans use a steel-core pre-formed gasket, which, if in good condition, can be reused
Use a long-neck funnel to add fluid through the automatic transaxle dipstick tube
Use OEM AC Delco screen filter whenever possible, AC Delco PN: TF304 for 4T65E


WARNING
Do not pry between the oil pan and the aluminum transaxle case. A prying tool could mark, scratch or gouge the gasket sealing rail making it impossible for the replacement gasket to provide a satisfactory seal.

7. Lightly tap the pan with a rubber mallet to loosen and allow the fluid to drain.
8. Remove the remaining bolts, the pan and the gasket. Hold the pan level to keep a small amount of fluid in the bottom. This allows you to check the sediments in the pan for contaminants. Remove the pan and set aside.
9. The transaxle screen filter has a small neck that is a press-fit into the transaxle case. It should pull straight out. A little careful prying may be required. The rubber grommet that accepts the neck on the filter will likely remain in the transaxle case. Use a small screwdriver to carefully remove the seal. Use care not to damage the case sealing surface.
10. Inside the pan should be a small magnet. Inspect the oil pan magnet for small bits of steel. The factory places the magnet here to trap stray metal particles. Excessive amounts of steel shavings indicate internal transmission damage. A small amount of sediment in the pan is normal as the friction elements wear.
11. If desired, use side cutters to open up the transaxle oil filter assembly by cutting or prying the metal crimping away from the top of the filter and by pulling the filter apart. Inspect the filter for excessive amounts of the following: clutch plate assembly fiber material, indicating clutch distress; bronze slivers, indicating bushing wear; steel particles, indicating inter\nal transaxle wear.

To install:

12. Clean all parts well. Clean all traces of old gasket off of the oil pan gasket rail as well as the sealing surface on the transaxle. Use care not to damage the sealing surface on either area.
13. Inspect the oil pan for damage to the sealing surface and dents or cracks in the pan.
14. If the oil filter seal came out of the case, install it using a socket as a driver. Gently tap in with a plastic mallet. Using the same plastic mallet, gently tap the filter neck in place.
15. The design of the steel-core factory pre-formed gasket is such that it is reusable, if not bent or otherwise damaged. Note that most replacement transaxle oil filters come with a new gasket. Lay the oil pan gasket on the pan and install the pan to the case. Normally, no sealer is used. Start a few bolts at the ends of the pan to hold it and to keep the gasket from moving out of position. Install all 20 bolts and tighten to 97 inch lbs for 4T60E and 120 inch lbs for 4T65E. Do not overtighten or the gasket could be squeezed out of position and/or the bolt threads in the aluminum transaxle case could be damaged.
16. Lower the vehicle to the floor.
17. To refill the transaxle from just a bottom pan removal, approximately 7.4 quarts of DEXRON® III will be required. Use a funnel to reach the filler/dipstick tube. Use care not to spill fluid in the engine compartment.
18. Check ATF fluid level a few times. Make sure car is on a level surface. Run shifter through all gears and then check level in PARK after sufficient warm-up time. Dipstick is marked accordingly.
19. Perform final inspection for leaks.

Mmm....pictures :)

http://www.lesabret.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=2945

This is for a 4t60E from '89, but should be very similar to your 98 with a 4t65e (I think...).

Pics? Always a complainer in the crowd. :lol:

How about a live drain on a 4T65E. If done properly you can get the ATF to drip out of one corner into the drain pan to minimize the mess.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/lizzywiz/drainingpic.jpg

The part about the pan magnet has some differences. Here's one for a 4T65E all cleaned up.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/lizzywiz/panpic.jpg

I like pictures :) Other than the slight design change in the magnet, is there much of a difference? I wouldn't think there would be...

I like pictures :) Other than the slight design change in the magnet, is there much of a difference? I wouldn't think there would be...


Not really but technically it makes a difference especially if the pic doesn't show how it really looks. Plus the part in the procedure where it mentions the following is questionable. The square magnet is bonded to the pan and not removeable so I would disregard that. Other than that the job is a no brainer. :grinyes:


Take out the magnet and clean off the metal particles. If you don’t have a magnet, make sure you get one. The magnet should have a hole in the middle that fits with the dimple in the pan.

Sorry for the slow response, Monday night and homework make a bad pair.

The fluid is not a new color of red and does NOT smell burnt, so yes, service is needed.

Where can a get a manual for instuctions to service the tranny? I have done my old Saturn many times, but all I had to do there was pull a drain plug and replace the screw-on filter. I have no experience dropping a drain pan for a transmission.

Mkids

It is possible to put a drain plug in the trannie pan when you have it off so next time when it's time to drain the trannie you pull the plug, drain the pan, and then remove the pan, clean the inside, including the magnet which will have a bunch of gray stuff sticking to it. (Remember to put the magnet back in) I've had to pull the pan because I forgot the magnet.

FYI.

Dan

Even with the drain plug, you'd still have to drop the pan to get at the filter...but it would make the job a lot cleaner to do.