Want to do a trans filter and fluid change....

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

wjburken

Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2017
Posts
9,923
Reaction score
27,405
Location
Eastern Iowa
I would like to add a drain plug, like my 2003 had. Do they make a pan with a drain plug, or is it a mod only ?
RockAuto has a few that I shared with some other folks here. Not sure about the year or motor in your particular vehicle.
 

swathdiver

Full Access Member
Joined
May 18, 2017
Posts
19,582
Reaction score
26,265
Location
Treasure Coast, Florida
Is there a kit that I can order that has the correct filter and fluid, or do I need to get it all seperately?

Some kits come with just the filter and o-ring and others include the pan gasket. Drain and fill is 6 quarts. Total capacity is 12.4 quarts.

We're doing ours in the next day or so. Going to pump out 6 quarts from top line on radiator and then add the fluid down the dipstick and repeat until fluid is clean or about 3 gallons. Bought a 6 gallon box of Dexron VI like you guys did with the motor oil.

Oh, we're not going inside this time either. I promised myself next time at 200K!
 

Foggy

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2019
Posts
1,079
Reaction score
1,379
Location
KS
Use a wix or ac delco filter... Your pan gasket is 'reuseable'.. so unless it looks really bad when you remove it, it's fine.
About 6 qts.. any name brand dexron VI is fine.. The valvoline maxlife synthetic works well too and it's cheap.

If doing yourself, know that you'll have to move the exhaust to remove and install the pan.
You can get a drain plug kit and put it in yourself or an aftermarket pan with drain..
Don't Do the flush crap.... drop the pan, clean up everything, new filter, reinstall and fill
 

OR VietVet

Multnomah Falls
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Oct 8, 2014
Posts
20,636
Reaction score
36,242
Location
Willamette Valley
I would like to add a drain plug, like my 2003 had. Do they make a pan with a drain plug, or is it a mod only ?

What year are you talking about and what trans? You can look it up at RA. I have an 02 so there is a pan listed. Depending on your rig, I don't know.

"We recommend that you put all your rig(s) info in your signature so we all don’t have to guess at year, make, model, engine size, trans, rear axle locker…….etc. Makes it way easier on all members that attempt to help, to have that info right up front. It is also recommended that you take a pic of your RPO codes, on the inside cover of the glove box, and post that image in your signature. All this info will greatly help those that will try to help with a problem.


If there is any other info, like upgrades, mods or recent mechanical/maintenance work done, that would be helpful in any post as well. Too many times a question is asked by the poster and after about 10 responses we find out that the poster has done recent work to attempt to fix the problem or work that was done that SEEMS not related to the problem."
 

the blur

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2012
Posts
353
Reaction score
66
Location
Cyber Space
What year are you talking about and what trans? You can look it up at RA. I have an 02 so there is a pan listed. Depending on your rig, I don't know.
"We recommend that you put all your rig(s) info in your signature so we all don’t have to guess at year, make, model, engine size, trans, rear axle locker…….etc. Makes it way easier on all members that attempt to help, to have that info right up front. It is also recommended that you take a pic of your RPO codes, on the inside cover of the glove box, and post that image in your signature. All this info will greatly help those that will try to help with a problem.
."

Mine is a 13.. and this is posted in the 2007-14 section. I'm guessing GM stopped using the drain plugs in 2007.
 
OP
OP
gooffeyguy
Joined
Apr 11, 2018
Posts
7,124
Reaction score
14,364
Location
St. Louis
My 2001 has a drain plug, and a completely different trans (4l60?} than the 2012

2001 Yukon SLT
2012 Yukon Denali XL
2011 Yukon Denali RIP 5/20/18
 

OR VietVet

Multnomah Falls
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Oct 8, 2014
Posts
20,636
Reaction score
36,242
Location
Willamette Valley
Mine is a 13.. and this is posted in the 2007-14 section. I'm guessing GM stopped using the drain plugs in 2007.

Please don't tell me that since you posted in the 2007-2014 section that you think each and every one of those year rigs are EXACTLY the same. Try this, if I have not posted and you read already.


We recommend that you put all your rig(s) info in your signature so we all don’t have to guess at year, make, model, engine size, trans, rear axle locker…….etc. Makes it way easier on all members that attempt to help, to have that info right up front. It is also recommended that you take a pic of your RPO codes, on the inside cover of the glove box, and post that image in your signature. All this info will greatly help those that will try to help with a problem.


If there is any other info, like upgrades, mods or recent mechanical/maintenance work done, that would be helpful in any post as well. Too many times a question is asked by the poster and after about 10 responses we find out that the poster has done recent work to attempt to fix the problem or work that was done that SEEMS not related to the problem.
 

TheAutumnWind

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2015
Posts
3,222
Reaction score
1,920
Use a wix or ac delco filter... Your pan gasket is 'reuseable'.. so unless it looks really bad when you remove it, it's fine.
About 6 qts.. any name brand dexron VI is fine.. The valvoline maxlife synthetic works well too and it's cheap.

If doing yourself, know that you'll have to move the exhaust to remove and install the pan.
You can get a drain plug kit and put it in yourself or an aftermarket pan with drain..
Don't Do the flush crap.... drop the pan, clean up everything, new filter, reinstall and fill
I'd just replace the gasket for peace of mind.

Basically all the dex VI is essentially the same.
 

calsdad

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2017
Posts
100
Reaction score
85
I did a complete fluid flush, filter change - and changed the pan on the 6L90 trans in my 2010 Yukon XL 2500 in September of last year - and it's still going strong.

First what I did is use a Mityvac MITMV7300 fluid evacuator to pull all of the fluid out of the pan. Once the pan was empty - I removed the old pan , installed the new filter - and then installed the PML deep pan (which has a drain plug in it). The pan install was a bit of a PITA, but I managed to get it installed without removing the exhaust or doing any of the other things I've seen people say they had to do - to get the pan reinstalled.

I then filled up the pan - and double checked the fluid on the dipstick. I used the AC-Delco Dexron VI fluid.

To flush the system disconnected the cooler return line at the radiator - and then used an adapter fitting I found at the local AutoZone to hook up a line back to the Mityvac as a resevoir to catch the fluid being pumped out of the transmission. Doing that gave me an easy way to see how much fluid had come out - and allowed me to do this whole job by myself.

I flushed the trans by turning the truck on - letting a couple of quarts at a time fill up the Mityvac - and then refilling the trans pan until it was at level. Rinse and repeat.

Using the Mityvac to catch the flushed fluid also allowed me to see the color of the fluid coming out - so when I finally started seeing nice clean red fluid (the old stuff was a darker color) - I knew I had finished the flush.

There was a lot of people saying " don't flush the fluid - you'll blow the transmission" . Well all I can say is that after the flush the transmission definitely shifted "nicer" and the truck was getting driven 5 days a week for about 350-400 miles a week @ 70-80mph - and I still haven't seen any issues with it.

I haven't towed any really heavy loads in that time - nor has it been driven in really hot weather. The PML deep pan definitely brought the typical trans temp down by a good 10-15 degrees, so that probably helps. The truck currently has about 115,000 miles on it.

The overall job was pretty straightforward - and I would definitely recommend getting one of the Mityvac evacuators - doing that made the job a LOT easier for me.

As far as a drain pan with a drain plug - check out Summit Racing or Jegs, they'll likely have a selection of different pans you can buy if you want one with a drain plug. The other alternative is to get a drain plug kit for the original pan.
 

Meccanoble

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2016
Posts
1,166
Reaction score
355
Location
Georgia
I'm planning to do this job this week on my 2011 tahoe. I did it before using a fel-pro gasket kit which looked sturdy but I did have leaks. I will be sure to properly torque this time and want to be safe and replace my pan bolts. Some people gave bad reviews on ac delco filter kit stating gasket for transmission pan dont fit because of different types. Was going to use my harbor freight fuel pump to get fluid out during flush process. This will take forever compared to first time i did it through transmission coolant line but safer.

Was preferring to use Valvoline Max life to flush the old fluid out and fill with a shutter fix type of tranny fluid like lubeguard? Any suggestions on that?

1. Part number/link for transmission bolts (how many total) - ?
2. Most recommended gasket/filter kit - ?
 

Forum statistics

Threads
132,087
Posts
1,862,132
Members
96,552
Latest member
charles454

Latest posts

Top