Help
Usually you're safe with about 5 quarts of ATF
Appropriate filter.
fluid catch can
3M scuff pad
Razor blade/scraper
10mm socket with short extension
Torque wrench (Not needed, but reccomended)
Brake Parts Cleaner (not needed, but I reccomend it)
Beer (quantity depends on hangups and shop hands. best to over prepare)
You should know the basics: Jack up the car, USE JACK STANDS, make sure its on decently level/stable ground.
This is roughly what your trans pan should look like.
You want to start at the bottom there, pulling the bolt from the very point first, then the one to the left of that, then to the right,left,right,left etc. This will to sort of aim the fluid to your catch can. If you havnt started already, crack your first beer.
Now that it's pretty well drained out, you'll want to take out the rest of the bolts, and put them all in the same place. I like to put the bolts into an old coffee can filled with some kind of parts wash. Simple green will work. The gasket is reusable, as long as it's in good shape, do not throw it out. Clean it of any debris and set it on a clean place.
Take the pan aside and inspect the magnet for and large metal filings. If you havnt done this in a while some pretty thick build up is normal. Alot of filings indicate you're on borrowed time. Remove the magnet, and clean it the best you can with a rag or paper towel. Use the brake parts cleaner and the 3M pad to remove any debris from the pan, inside and out, especially along the gasket surface.
REPLACE MAGNET. The single most common goof up is that people forget to put the magnet back in.
By now you should have the pan,magnet, and gasket clean. Good time to open a beer.
Now you want to go back under the car and pull the filter out. It comes out by hand. Assuming you already purchased a new one, you know what to grab. You'll notice that the little o-ring stays in there 9 out of 10 times. Leave it. You're more likely to get your finger stuck, or gouge the metal parts trying to get it out. Take your brake parts cleaner and spray off the visible fluid. Try not to be too invasive with it.
Now replace the filter. Very important step.
Once thats done, clean the area around the gasketing suface of the trans with the 3M pad and some cleaner.
Back out from underneath, good time to open a beer. Clean off the threads of the bolt the best you can, even the heads of them.
Now bring everything back under the car line up the gasket on the pan, and put a few bolts in to hold the gasket in place.
Then bring the pan up to the trans and start threading bolts by hand, each time you thread one in, thread the next on opposite of it.
Once you have 3 or 4 in replace the rest of the bolts all by hand at first.
Take your socket and sort of snug them all down in a criss cross pattern, such as the way you threaded them by hand. Snug means little to no force used.
Use this criss cross pattern again to torque the bolts down to approx. 10ft/lbs. Go around at least twiceto make sure they are all seated properly.
If you can tell how much fluid you've drained, that is usually a good reference point to start your refill. IIRC I almost always put in 5 quarts. Add the fluid, start the car. Once it's warmed up check the dipstick to make sure it's operating at the correct level.
If you skipped the beers, take a once over to make sure everything is buttoned up, and take her for a spin around the block.
