Dropped the pan... Question inside

[nebojsa_o]

Well I dropped the tranny pan today, and I don't know who changed it before me, but damn they scratched the pan pretty good. It's still good, but they sure weren't too careful around there. The gasket is ready for garbage. While trying to get the filter out, it broke. That plastic piece was stuck inside of that ring, but I got it out in about 7 or so small pieces. The little metal ring, I can't get out, because the person before me used sillicon or something like that. That's why the filter broke on the way out, and the ring, I just can't get out of there, I've been trying for over an hour with no luck. Is it alright to leave it in there? I cleaned it up, and it looks as nice as the one that came with the filter. There was silicone or something like it on the inside and the outside of the ring. I've heard you're not supposed to use sillicone anywhere in the tranny, is this correct? Do I need to use sillicone around the big gasket once I'm putting the pan on? I read the FAQ tranny dropping guide.

[pwmin]

you shouldnt have any problems leaving it in there, and no you shouldnt use silicone. you mean the reusable stock gasket is bad? dont use silicone, use a high-tack red spray on the gasket. if you use an aftermarket gasket, you should use neoprene or some derivative (i forget the name of it, but it's brown and not cork) duraprene? just dont use cork.

[White93z34]

i know that metal piece your talking about, i left my old one in when i did my filter/gasket last since it was stuck in there prety good, i don't see any problem with doing that.

 

as for the gasket, if its the nice gm one with the metal rings, i woulden't use sealant on it, however if its the one that came with the filter and is a rubber substance, i would put a thin bead of silicone on both sides just to be sure, because a tranny pan is a job i don't like doing twice, once again i did that last time i did mine, just don't go overboard with the silicone.

[nebojsa_o]

Yea, the gasket that was there wasn't a reusable one. And I got a rubber gasket with the filter, which I will use. So I should use a little bit of sillicone then? I'll get to that in the next 20 minutes or so, I need the car for tonight. It's always like that, something always goes partialy wrong just so it's not the way you expected it to be. Thanks for helping guys.

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

You should be fine with or without using any silicone or sealant on the gasket... rubber really doesn't need anything. Tighten the bolts to 10-12psi (girly tight) check all the bolts a second time and there isn't any reason for it to leak. Cork sucks balls and will leak almost no matter what you do.

[pwmin]

no silicone, high tack. the gasket is prob neoprene not rubber even though it appears to be. what brand is the kit? i always use duraprene with delco filter if no reusable one exists. like this:

[nebojsa_o]

Hey how 'bout that, that's the stuff my brother had lying around and that's what I used. When I put the new filter in, it just kept falling out. I thought I had the wrong filter or something. Then I checked again and it said 4T60-E, so I knew it was the right stuff. I fucked around with it some more, and I got that damn ring out. Then I put in the new ring, and the filter went in semi-easy, and its in there pretty firm. I put the pan back up, and tightened to about 12-13psi, I read 13 in the FAQs. I poured in some Valvoline ATF Dextron III and now I gotta eat something, because I didn't eat all day. I missed breakfast, and lunch, and I'm gonna be eating supper I guess. I will go out after that, and start her up. Also, I'm wondering if I need to give the gasket some time to properly and fully sets in, or is it as good as it will ever be as soon as you put it on? I'll inform you guys if it shifts any better once I go for a cruise. BTW, I changed the gasket just in time, it started leaking last night, lol. I parked it on the driveway, and in the morning there was a very small puddle. :shock: Talk about timing, eh?

[Turbo231]

That small rubber thing in the transmission that the filter neck fits in can be left in, as per the FAQ which came from the service manual. Of course, this needs to seal with the filter so if it's open to the point where it won't even hold the filter up, it may need to be replaced.

 

FYI, while it seems like it maybe glued, that little rubber thing is a total bitch. A normal one takes about an hour to remove. I use a spring puller but I'm sure GM has some sort of easy way to pull those out.

[nebojsa_o]

Well I changed the metal ring, and the new filter went in perfectly, and doesn't fall out by itself. I put the pan back up, and filled it up with some ATF. Then I went for a ride...

HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!! The 1st to 2nd shift has never been that smooth. It still feels like it's gonna do that very rough shift, but it doesn't, it just goes over so smooth. It's so damn awesome. Also, I don't know if this makes any sense, but for the last few days, when I come to a stop, and I'm holding the brake, then I put it in Park, and let go of the brake, the car would shake, almost like a sudden stop, and bad suspension. That seems to be gone now, although I'm not sure what gives... Either way, it was defenitly worth doing. All together cost me $45CDN and some work. The Canadian Tire place near by charges $80+tax and some other small "enviromental" fees, or whatever he said. So I saved some money, gained some experience, and the shifts are the shit. Thanks for all the input guys, I appretiate it.

[paulo57509]

The way to get the filter seal out of the transmission case is to use a chisel or similar tool that you can rap on with a hammer. I used a long pry bar.

 

Carefully get the tool located on the seal lip and without bashing and dinging up the case, hammer on the tool and collapse the seal on itself; make it look like a kind of "B". Now you can get a pry bar between the seal and the case and pop the seal out. Just don't use the case as a fulcrum for the pry bar. You can use a small piece of wood or something.

 

Tap the new seal in with a large socket.