First Transmission Drain and Fill

[Maximus Gladius]

You have done it now and have awaken the Kraken(s) that will be along shortly to eviscerate you.

I’m glad I can’t claim anything strange and other worldly like this! Thanks @4-Low !

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[Stan H]

When I do these 8 speeds, I install the Dorman pan. It's identical to OE in construction, but it has two important updates. One, it has replacement filter elements available. Two, it has a proper drain plug on the bottom of the pan.

For fluid I use Valvoline Max Life. It's ZF 8 and 9 speed compatible and costs WAY less money than the factory brand.

As far as fluid temp, I just wait until the middle of summer when ambient is 90F and do the job. That way there are no fancy tools need to measure fluid temp and there's no waiting around. Just do the job "cold" and fluid level will be perfect.

OMG I guess money talks and knowledge walks.
An old adage ( qoute ) says
Ignoring facts does not make them go away.
Fact #1 you have to do about 4 or 5 pan drops to have 100% of your Valvoline in there.
Fact #2 If you have warranty ..it's gone
Fact #3 In your effort to save cash you probably will cost yourself alot more.

8&9 speed fluid is what was speced for the transmission. I hope yours makes it 130k but I doubt it .
Eviseration started.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

OMG I guess money talks and knowledge walks.
An old adage ( qoute ) says
Ignoring facts does not make them go away.
Fact #1 you have to do about 4 or 5 pan drops to have 100% of your Valvoline in there.
Fact #2 If you have warranty ..it's gone
Fact #3 In your effort to save cash you probably will cost yourself alot more.

8&9 speed fluid is what was speced for the transmission. I hope yours makes it 130k but I doubt it .
Eviseration started.

Easy Bill,…ah I mean StanH, it’s all about pushing boundaries and science and common sense and we all get to learn what works and doesn’t. You’ll be ok.

 

[Stan H]

Easy Bill,…ah I mean StanH, it’s all about pushing boundaries and science and common sense and we all get to learn what works and doesn’t. You’ll be ok.

No I am having a literal melt down right now...






NOT

 

[4-Low]

OMG I guess money talks and knowledge walks.
An old adage ( qoute ) says
Ignoring facts does not make them go away.
Fact #1 you have to do about 4 or 5 pan drops to have 100% of your Valvoline in there.
Fact #2 If you have warranty ..it's gone
Fact #3 In your effort to save cash you probably will cost yourself alot more.

8&9 speed fluid is what was speced for the transmission. I hope yours makes it 130k but I doubt it .
Eviseration started.

Fact #1? Did you miss the part where I clearly stated the pans I use have drain plugs? Now why would a guy want a dedicated drain plug?

Fact #2? While these vehicles are under warranty the dealers won't touch the trans. They will tell you that it's "lifetime fluid". If you follow that advice, by the time you find out you're screwed you no longer have a warranty.

Fact #3? Negative. I used parts that are high or higher quality AND save a lot of money. 202k miles and purring like a kitten. Zero issues. Another one at 106k no issues. I've been wrenching for over 30 years. I know what I'm doing.

Are you ready for this next fact? The "8&9 speed fluid" you speak of isn't made by Stellantis. OR ZF! Large conglomerates such as Valvoline, etc. make these fluids and they get branded for dealerships, just like there's only a handful of companies making base oil stock for motor oil, just like there are only a couple of refineries nearby that supply ALL your brands of gasoline.

But hey, if you want to keep burning cash go for it.

 

[4-Low]

You have done it now and have awaken the Kraken(s) that will be along shortly to eviscerate you.

Yep, my father who is a master mechanic with over 50 years of experience says it best: "There's book sense and there's common sense, and most people only have the former."

 

[Stan H]

Yep, my father who is a master mechanic with over 50 years of experience says it best: "There's book sense and there's common sense, and most people only have the former."

Whatever floats your boat go for it . You can just fix it then.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

Fact #1? Did you miss the part where I clearly stated the pans I use have drain plugs? Now why would a guy want a dedicated drain plug?

Fact #2? While these vehicles are under warranty the dealers won't touch the trans. They will tell you that it's "lifetime fluid". If you follow that advice, by the time you find out you're screwed you no longer have a warranty.

Fact #3? Negative. I used parts that are high or higher quality AND save a lot of money. 202k miles and purring like a kitten. Zero issues. Another one at 106k no issues. I've been wrenching for over 30 years. I know what I'm doing.

Are you ready for this next fact? The "8&9 speed fluid" you speak of isn't made by Stellantis. OR ZF! Large conglomerates such as Valvoline, etc. make these fluids and they get branded for dealerships, just like there's only a handful of companies making base oil stock for motor oil, just like there are only a couple of refineries nearby that supply ALL your brands of gasoline.

But hey, if you want to keep burning cash go for it.

If I may sneak in here gently to provide some clarity….NOT PICKING SIDES….just facting up the facts flying around,
Fact #1, even with a drain plug put in, and lets go a step further and just yank the pan right off and spray it out and let dry….theres still approximately 3 quarts in the torque converter and some more in the cooler that will get mixed, and as @StanH has said, will require a few more of those pan drops or drain plug pulls to get ALL the 8/9 ATF out.
#2, You’re both right. The dealership will and will not touch the transmission unless you come in with a transmission performance complaint and it requires them to pull the fill plug and stick their finger in there. If the finger comes out “red”, you’re screwed. They did this to me when I flushed out the green oil for the red stuff and had to examine the fill hole with the finger and it came out red. They all, and I mean ALLLLL freaked out and the book was thrown at me.

So if you never want to experience what a book thrown at you feels like, go ahead and put in the red oil and NEVER go in during warranty period with a transmission problem.
#3, I can’t speak for #3 but you’ve expressed real life experience with a ton of years behind it and you trust what’s worked for you.
#4, can’t speak to that either.

 

[ChrisNLA]

If I may sneak in here gently to provide some clarity….NOT PICKING SIDES….just facting up the facts flying around,
Fact #1, even with a drain plug put in, and lets go a step further and just yank the pan right off and spray it out and let dry….theres still approximately 3 quarts in the torque converter and some more in the cooler that will get mixed, and as @StanH has said, will require a few more of those pan drops or drain plug pulls to get ALL the 8/9 ATF out.
#2, You’re both right. The dealership will and will not touch the transmission unless you come in with a transmission performance complaint and it requires them to pull the fill plug and stick their finger in there. If the finger comes out “red”, you’re screwed. They did this to me when I flushed out the green oil for the red stuff and had to examine the fill hole with the finger and it came out red. They all, and I mean ALLLLL freaked out and the book was thrown at me.

So if you never want to experience what a book thrown at you feels like, go ahead and put in the red oil and NEVER go in during warranty period with a transmission problem.
#3, I can’t speak for #3 but you’ve expressed real life experience with a ton of years behind it and you trust what’s worked for you.
#4, can’t speak to that either.

I'm only partially following along in this thread.

So is the morale of this story:

1) Use green fluid (which one is green? Its GREEN? I didn't know it was green).

2) And/or don't fool around until the warranty runs dry

 

[Maximus Gladius]

I'm only partially following along in this thread.

So is the morale of this story:

1) Use green fluid (which one is green? Its GREEN? I didn't know it was green).

2) And/or don't fool around until the warranty runs dry

1) Green fluid is the MOPAR 8/9 Speed ATF. Red is typically everything else ….includes Amsoil.
2) bingo!

 

[JTGuy]

I think if I just put the magnets in the deep end of the pan they will be OK . Not like they will get. sucked up into the trans. I believe there is a magnet of some type in it. I am just going to get a small cheap hand pump to get the new ZF made in Germany fluid in. I bought the PPE pan in raw aluminum for the rumor of better cooling.

 

[Stan H]

I like Green, Green is good , come online green.

 

[Mor R.D.]

OMG I guess money talks and knowledge walks.
An old adage ( qoute ) says
Ignoring facts does not make them go away.
Fact #1 you have to do about 4 or 5 pan drops to have 100% of your Valvoline in there.
Fact #2 If you have warranty ..it's gone
Fact #3 In your effort to save cash you probably will cost yourself alot more.

8&9 speed fluid is what was speced for the transmission. I hope yours makes it 130k but I doubt it .
Eviseration started.

In many BMW with 8HP trans from ZF my family members go with Valvoline. This oil works great in this trans. And anytime you change oil in this trans you should do 4x pan drops. I’ll go this way when my Mojave will hit 50.000km.

 

[Hootbro]

I think if I just put the magnets in the deep end of the pan they will be OK . Not like they will get. sucked up into the trans. I believe there is a magnet of some type in it. I am just going to get a small cheap hand pump to get the new ZF made in Germany fluid in. I bought the PPE pan in raw aluminum for the rumor of better cooling.

Please, do not just throw the magnets loose into the PPE pan. They will migrate and attach to the first ferrous thing and that will probably be on the valve body shift solenoids and can possibly affect them to the negative in operation. This is not a "more is better" thing.

 

[JTGuy]

I never thought of that, thanks.

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