I’ve been searching all morning and just want to make sure I’m correct before I start this one! To change out all of my atf I 1st drain and refill the pan. Un-hook the "facing the front of the truck" right hand cooler line and plug the cooler, run this line into a bucket or drain pan. Start the engine and allow it to pump out 3 quarts, shut it down. Add 3, start it back up and do the same till I’ve added all 15 quarts. Re-attach the line to the cooler, run it through the gears, shut it down and recheck the level. Sound about right? I just want to make sure before I make a big mess in my garage, waste 15 quarts of M1 by pumping it right back out into the dirty pan, or worse by starving my AT of fluid! Thanks again guys, Matt

 

Come on, some one chime in! I just got back from Ghetto-Zone buying a few cases of M1 ATF, by 3:30 I plan on draining the pan and getting started on the fluid change, I really just need to clarify what line on the cooler to un hook! Like I said I think its the one under the radiator to the right if you are facing the truck but I really want to make sure since none of these lines have ever been broke open and dont want to mess with any that I dont need to! Thanks again Matt

 

Iam not sure of where you got the info on why to disconnect the tranny cooler, Yeah it makes sense for a 100% clean and refill but to go through all that trouble?.... I dunno When I did mine, I thought of doing that but I decided against it because I felt that the amount of liquid in it, would'nt have any bad effects if I just left it... But thats just me.
Hope this helps at all.
Cheers, Lee Hathaway

 

On my 93 3.0L I flushed at 100K miles but first I dropped the pan and changed the filter and cleaned the magnets. Then I was able to find a lube place that would let me bring my own oil without charging me for their oil. Keep in mind they probably only pay about $1 a quart for their oil so don’t expect a huge discount for bringing your own oil in. I went with Mobil 1 ATF and it took 16 quarts for the flush. I skipped cleaners and conditioners they tried hard to sell me. Auto zone sells a kit with the filter and a cork gasket but I didn’t use the gasket, I used that “Right Stuff”. If you drop the pan those magnets stuck to the pan are suppose to go specified locations so maybe take a picture so you can put them back where they were, or better yet look at a FSM to see the exact locations. My filter was hardly dirty but the magnets were covered pretty well. I think Gadget's site has the info for do it yourself flushing.

BTW on mine there is also a second little oil pan with a drain plug you should probably drain that one too.

 

well Im in the middle of the process.. I drained the pan and filled it "I had cleaned the filter about 8,000 miles ago and it was spotless" I then un hooked the return line and put it in a graduated 5 gallon bottle. I started the engine and it began pumping dark red fluid out into the bottle, I stopped at 4Q and added 4 more to the pan, started the engine again and pumped another 4Q of dark red fluid out, I just refilled the pan again and came in to take a look at my owners manual. It says Dry Fill 10.9 us quarts. Im going to go ahead and cycle 4 more quarts or so through it although I might as well run the 16 that I bought just to make sure its all clean fluid! I had no idea it was this easy to pump it through.. I let you know how it turns out...

 

Keep doing it until clean fluid comes out.

 

All finished, the odd thing is I took about 16.5 quarts out or so and put 18 back in!,,,well 17.5 I lost about a half a quart on my garage floor! It shifts smooth again, with no hesitation going into OD. I was pretty amazed at the color of the fluid that came out. Ive always just drained the pan and refilled it and every 3rd time I clean or change the filter.

 

Lee, you drain your pan and refill it with 4 quarts, then unhook the return line from your trans cooler and put it in a bucket, start the engine and let the trans pump out 4 quarts, then do it again and again. Your transmission holds about 11 quarts and the tourqe converter holds another 5 or so!!!

 

This morning was the test. It was under 20 here and yesterday my truck didn’t even attempt to drop into OD the entire way to work! This morning with the fresh synthetic fluid within 5 miles it dropped right in with out the hesitation it had before after getting up to temp, and today it was in the mid teens! I wish synthetics were not so expensive though, $95.40 for just the ATF is freaking ridiculous! "18quarts @ $5" . Anyway the job itself was actually very easy with the help of a little filler tube that I got at Wal-Mart, it screws to the top of the bottle and has a twist on/off spout and a plastic tip that fit perfectly in the dip stick tube. If you lay the bottle with the tube in the filler against the fender and use a knife to poke a hole in it you can regulate the flow and not even have to hold it in place.

 

Yeah, can't say I enjoyed the cost of flushing my two trucks with fracking Dextron VI. That stuff costs more than good beer at the tap.