Automatic Transmission Filter Replacement

mtbtim

mtbtim

Elite Member
Hey Dudes,
[MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and I have a video to show you how to replace the automatic transmission filter on your rigs. Hope you like it.

Here's the video and Enjoy the Show!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tuGazNhuEtM" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
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Another great video guys.

Here are my comments based on the dozen or so times I had to drop the pan when I was having tranny issues:

If you don't want to drop the sway bar, you do not have to. You will just have to work around it to get to the pan bolts in that area but the pan can come out with the sway bar in place. I used a rubber reusable gasket which hasn't leaked a drop in the numerous times I had the pan off and on. Nothing wrong with the FIPG, it's just a pain to remove it and you have to be careful when re-installing the pan so that you don't smear the sealer off.

If you are in a pinch and you cannot find a replacement filter, you can probably get away with reusing it. But, I would suggest replacing it if possible.

The other issue with using the old filter is the fact that the cork gaskets that are glued in place often come loose. The cork also becomes compressed over time and may not make a good seal if reused (again why you should probably just replace the filter).

I still have the old filter that was all plugged up with clutch material (way worse than what was on yours Tim). I used brake cleaner and sprayed in there the best I could, I also did shake the hell out of it until clean brake cleaner came out. I then used my inspection camera to look in the filter the best I could and from what I saw, it looked clean.

When I have time, I will cut open that old filter and post a picture of it on here. That will let us know how well cleaning the filter actually works or not.

Again, I would take Tim's advise and just replace the filter but in a pinch, you may be able to reuse it.
 
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I spent twice as much time scraping off the Permatex than doing the rest of the whole job. Mine is at 160K when I got it, not sure if the PO had done the trans service so I did. How was the pan from the factory, gasket or Permatex ?
I used a gasket and no leaks so far.
Next time I will try some gasket remover.
 

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Nice video Tim! Like thegipper, I like using the reusable rubber gasket instead of FIPG. Way less work to clean up.

As far as filters, I'd emphasize that if you're going to use a new one, be sure to buy OEM. I cheaped out and bought a Beck Arnley one, only to find out that its sump was shallower than OEM, which was unacceptable to me. So I pulled off the cork gaskets from the Beck Arnley filter and glued them to the original filter, and reused it (it was completely free of sludge and debris).
 
I spent two hours on this job, with at least an hour cleaning off the FIPG as [MENTION=211420]Wedgy[/MENTION] said. I would have loved to have a parts washer for that job.

Someone at Magnefine got smart and brought back the aluminum filter; Ford recommended Magnefine filters for some time on their transmission rebuilds until they began leaking on the ends due to the filter housing being made of all ABS plastic. Same thing happened to me on the three I used. $25 on Amazon:
http://magnefinefilters.com/NEW-Magnefine-3-8-Magnetic-Inline-Transmission-Filter-R038M-3810000.htm
 
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thegipper said:
Another great video guys.

Here are my comments based on the dozen or so times I had to drop the pan when I was having tranny issues:

If you don't want to drop the sway bar, you do not have to. You will just have to work around it to get to the pan bolts in that area but the pan can come out with the sway bar in place. I used a rubber reusable gasket which hasn't leaked a drop in the numerous times I had the pan off and on. Nothing wrong with the FIPG, it's just a pain to remove it and you have to be careful when re-installing the pan so that you don't smear the sealer off.

If you are in a pinch and you cannot find a replacement filter, you can probably get away with reusing it. But, I would suggest replacing it if possible.

The other issue with using the old filter is the fact that the cork gaskets that are glued in place often come loose. The cork also becomes compressed over time and may not make a good seal if reused (again why you should probably just replace the filter).

I still have the old filter that was all plugged up with clutch material (way worse than what was on yours Tim). I used brake cleaner and sprayed in there the best I could, I also did shake the hell out of it until clean brake cleaner came out. I then used my inspection camera to look in the filter the best I could and from what I saw, it looked clean.

When I have time, I will cut open that old filter and post a picture of it on here. That will let us know how well cleaning the filter actually works or not.

Again, I would take Tim's advise and just replace the filter but in a pinch, you may be able to reuse it.
Click to expand...

Maybe the transmission filter isn't as prone to getting clogged up like the filter on the bottom of the power steering reservoir.

I was heavily considering using a rubber gasket after reading your posts dealing with your transmission issues but I figured I'd do it the hard way for the video because anyone can plop a rubber gasket on. For those wanting to use FIPG, I thought it would be beneficial to show this method. Also, I never plan on dropping the pan again unless it's necessary for something like replacing a bad shift solenoid. With the added filtration from the magnetic filter I added into the cooler return line, I should never have to worry about the trans filter under the pan becoming clogged up.

I do a drain and refill of my pan every 10,000 miles and replace the magnetic filter at the same time. Doing this should keep my ATF in excellent shape and hopefully give my trans a long life.

I'd be interested to see how clean you were able to get your old filter. The compression of the cork gaskets on the filter was my other concern but I forgot to mention that in the video. I like saving money but $40 isn't that much money and I really don't want to drop my pan again unless it's absolutely necessary.
 
I'll be sure to post the pictures of my old filter that I cleaned after I cut it open. It's entirely possible that it still has crap on the hard to reach areas of the filter but from what I could see, it looked clean.
 
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mtbtim said:
Maybe the transmission filter isn't as prone to getting clogged up like the filter on the bottom of the power steering reservoir.

I was heavily considering using a rubber gasket after reading your posts dealing with your transmission issues but I figured I'd do it the hard way for the video because anyone can plop a rubber gasket on. For those wanting to use FIPG, I thought it would be beneficial to show this method. Also, I never plan on dropping the pan again unless it's necessary for something like replacing a bad shift solenoid. With the added filtration from the magnetic filter I added into the cooler return line, I should never have to worry about the trans filter under the pan becoming clogged up.

I do a drain and refill of my pan every 10,000 miles and replace the magnetic filter at the same time. Doing this should keep my ATF in excellent shape and hopefully give my trans a long life.

I'd be interested to see how clean you were able to get your old filter. The compression of the cork gaskets on the filter was my other concern but I forgot to mention that in the video. I like saving money but $40 isn't that much money and I really don't want to drop my pan again unless it's absolutely necessary.
Click to expand...

Years ago, I took on the beast of cleaning the transmission filter and like everyone (almost) spent hours scraping off the FIPG while transmission fluid dripped in my face. I said to myself "never again" and used a rubber gasket from an aftermarket filter I ended up not using. I am glad I did. I have had no leaks at all out of it and the next time I decide to crack that thing open, I won't have to deal with all that FIPG!!!
 
I just received my four auto tranny shifter bushings in the mail. #90385-11003. Ever thought about doing a video on replacing them?

Will PM ya sometime this week Tim....
 
LittleCaesar said:
I spent two hours on this job, with at least an hour cleaning off the FIPG as [MENTION=211420]Wedgy[/MENTION] said. I would have loved to have a parts washer for that job.

Someone at Magnefine got smart and brought back the aluminum filter; Ford recommended Magnefine filters for some time on their transmission rebuilds until they began leaking on the ends due to the filter housing being made of all ABS plastic. Same thing happened to me on the three I used. $25 on Amazon:
Magnefine 3/8 Inch Magnetic Inline Transmission Filter
Click to expand...

Thanks for the Magnefine link. I did notice a slight leak on a Magnefine filter but not on the PTC brand I'm currently buying via Amazon. I think I'll order some of these aluminum filters for future use.

I use a piece of foam to cushion the filter against the fan shroud I zip tie it to. Maybe this is making a difference of reducing the chance of the plastic cracking.
 
When I swapped oil pans on my 2000 motor swap I used a small wire wheel on the end of my cordless drill. I had all the old FIPG gone in no time... I don't see why you couldn't use the same method on the transmission pan. :peep:
 
LittleCaesar said:
I just received my four auto tranny shifter bushings in the mail. #90385-11003. Ever thought about doing a video on replacing them?

Will PM ya sometime this week Tim....
Click to expand...

Yes, I have thought about making this video at some point. I remember reading write-ups on it. It would definitely be a helpful video to make since these bushings are prone to wear and will eventually allow the shifter to rattle around.
 
MOYotas said:
When I swapped oil pans on my 2000 motor swap I used a small wire wheel on the end of my cordless drill. I had all the old FIPG gone in no time... I don't see why you couldn't use the same method on the transmission pan. :peep:
Click to expand...

Somebody just commented on our channel with this same tip. Sounds like a great way to go. I had the Dremel tool, so that's what I went with. I just bought a brass wire wheel on Amazon to attach to my drill.
 
You can beat a wire wheel on a bench grinder for cleaning the old gasket material off of the pan. Takes only a minute or two.
 
mtbtim said:
Thanks for the Magnefine link. I did notice a slight leak on a Magnefine filter but not on the PTC brand I'm currently buying via Amazon. I think I'll order some of these aluminum filters for future use.

I use a piece of foam to cushion the filter against the fan shroud I zip tie it to. Maybe this is making a difference of reducing the chance of the plastic cracking.
Click to expand...

It should but the leaks for me and for others, at least here on the East Coast, stems from the large swings in temperature (think at least 80F in temp change throughout a year) and humidity, where the rubber and plastic meet, even with tight band clamps, would begin to leak after three years or so. The alumnium or metal one, usually never. Heck, even my OEM lower radaitor hose, being only five years old, is leaking now due to the very cold weather last month so it needs replacing now.
 
pauldub said:
You can beat a wire wheel on a bench grinder for cleaning the old gasket material off of the pan. Takes only a minute or two.
Click to expand...

Another good point. Wish I had one. If I had more bench space available, I'd buy a bench mount combo grinder/wire wheel. I just have too many damn bicycles and other crap in my garage to make room for another bench.
 
LittleCaesar said:
It should but the leaks for me and for others, at least here on the East Coast, stems from the large swings in temperature (think at least 80F in temp change throughout a year) and humidity, where the rubber and plastic meet, even with tight band clamps, would begin to leak after three years or so. The alumnium or metal one, usually never. Heck, even my OEM lower radaitor hose, being only five years old, is leaking now due to the very cold weather last month so it needs replacing now.
Click to expand...

Gotcha and that makes sense. Us spoiled Bay Area Californians don't deal with huge temperature changes but it does from time to time dip into the low 30's in the winter and hits 100+ degree temps in the summer. But, for the most part, the climate I live in is as mild as it gets.
 
Part # or Link for Reusable Gasket?

4Runner4Leon said:
Nice video Tim! Like thegipper, I like using the reusable rubber gasket instead of FIPG. Way less work to clean up.

As far as filters, I'd emphasize that if you're going to use a new one, be sure to buy OEM. I cheaped out and bought a Beck Arnley one, only to find out that its sump was shallower than OEM, which was unacceptable to me. So I pulled off the cork gaskets from the Beck Arnley filter and glued them to the original filter, and reused it (it was completely free of sludge and debris).
Click to expand...

Does anyone have a link to the reusable gasket? I would prefer to use that over FIPG.
 
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