hondavxr

I feel like kicking my 4runner after I discovered how hard it was to drop the auto tranny pan from my 97 4runner. I just recently change one of my rear inner seals cuz it was leaking, seem so common on 4runners. I did the switch from dino to Mobil 1 .I haven't even achieve taking out the pan yet. All the bolts are off but the pan can not come out. Is there any tricks or short cuts to take this pan out? I have tried cursing, using every swear word there is, and still haven't got the pan out. One of my friends told me to remove the top half of the dip stick out and the pan should wiggle out. I have done that, and the pan does not wiggle out. I think I bent the tranny tube a little already. Please someone help me out before I create more destruction on this truck. Thanks for the help in advance

Noliwan

You need to use a putty knife, one with a stiff blade to break the gasket seal-- Try starting from the corners then work it around tapping moderately on the knife between the pan & trans. casing just enough to break the seal open...using two of them might help even more...

Just did my Valve body upgrade two weeks ago-- and found this method very helpful... hope it works out for you also...

4RunnerFever

removing the sway bar will help also. some soft taps with a rubber mallet around the sides will encourage it.

hondavxr

The pan is actually off just hanging loose, because I can't remove it. There is no space to take the pan out. I already got the pan off the tranny but I can't seem to take the pan out. I think I will loosen the sway bar, because it looks like the sway bar is blocking the pan from coming out.

MTL_4runner

I pull the dipstick tube off when I do mine and it comes right out. There is a bolt right near the exhaust manifold on the passenger side which holds the dipstick tube in. Remove it and the whole tube slides out from the tranny. That should allow the pan to come out.....it does take some manipulation to get it out though. If you go a step further and remove the sway bar too, you should have no problem at all getting it out. Be sure to throughly clean the filter (strainer) and get out any debris before reinstalling it.

Here are some pics to follow (pay attention to pics 1-8 and 33-36):
http://members.cox.net/mgriese5/Level10%20Pics1.html

hondavxr

I didn't want to take the swap bar off but looks like I am going to have to. I pulled the top half of the dip stick off already, but for some damn reason the pan does not want to come out. Even with about 40 minutes of jiggling, and moving around that crap area it seems like there just is not enough space to fully take it out. thanks for all the suggestions.

4RunnerFever

success??????/

hondavxr

Dropping the sway bar worked, I knew it was going to work but I was too lazy. I wanted to do it the easy way, by wiggling around. I guess I was one of the unlucky 4runner owners that actually have to drop the sway bar. I have spoke to a few that said theirs wiggled out and others say drop the sway bar. If you guys ever need to get a a/t tranny filter kit at an auto parts store for a 96-01 V6 4runner. Tell the parts guy to look for a 98 Toy 4runner, all catalogging systems are wrong, because they follow Toyota's numbers, Toyota has it wrong also. It's like the 2 quarts of ATF the manf. reconmends, it's actually suppose to be 4 quarts. Make sure the kit comes with a gasket, makes life easier, rtv sucks. If the kit comes with a rubber gasket even better, cork will not last as long as rubber, and will leak sooner than rubber.