DIY - V8 L99 Automatic Transmission Fluid Change
 

V8 L99 Automatic Transmission Fluid Change only.

1) Jack your car up on the Passenger side and put it on a jack-stand(s).

2) Take out the drain-plug and drain the transmission fluid. (About 2 qt)

2a) My method (this method will not require to remove the pan) - Park your car on an incline slope and jack both side up so the head of the car as high as possible (see picture). Unplug the drain-plug and you should get about 3.5 qt out this way. You can also get two ramps to create your incline slope. I got about 3.5 quarts out with this method.

2b) Correct method - require to remove the pan) unscrew the pan nuts and take out the pan to release all the fluid out. Remember to change out the pan gasket.

*Either methods will allow fluid to come out one way or another more or less. You can create your own method if you have a different idea.*

3) Close the drain-plug. Measure the oil fluid level and add the new fluid (DEXRON-VI ATF) using the same measurement. Common sense: 3.5 quarts out, 3.5 quarts in. If you think you need to do the technical measuring while the car idles, koodos to you then.

4) Count three screws down on the passenger side and go straight up. You will see/feel the fill-plug with a rubber cap. Using a small flat-head driver, pop the rubber fill-plug cap out.

5) Using a hand-pump (see picture) fill the new fluid through the open fill-plug. I run the tube from the engine bay to the fill-plug.

6) Close the fill-plug back up with the rubber cap.

7) Smile and pad yourself in the back for saving $250 at the dealer service department.

Wow thanks alot!! Great write up. How offer should that be done??

Btw nice job incorporating the camaro into the full metal jacket quote!!

your method/ instructions are totally wrong.

Enlight me with your wisdom. How do you do it?

The book says every 100,000 miles, but I do mine at every 25,000 miles.

thats not the drain plug, it is the fluid level check plug

you have the vehicle raised up and level, you remove the pan to get all the fluid out

you re-install the pan and add some fluid, run it through the gears, and warm up the trans to 30-50°C (86-122°F)

you then with the trans in park and the engine running at idle, pull out the fluid level check plug on the pan and fill the trans till fluid just starts to run out of the plug,, the trans is now full

the vehicle needs to be level and the trans at the correct operating temp

I would be great if you can scan the whole transmission fluid change instruction by the repair manual. Thanks

This procedure checks both the transmission fluid level, as well as the condition of the fluid itself. Since the transmission on this vehicle is not equipped with a fill tube and dipstick, a tube in the bottom pan is used to set the fluid level.


Caution: The transmission fluid level must be checked when the transmission fluid temperature (TFT) is between 30-50°C (86-122°F). If the TFT is not within this range, operate the vehicle or allow the fluid to cool as required. Setting the fluid level with a TFT outside this range will result in either an under or over-filled transmission. TFT>50°C=under-filled, TFT<30°C=over-filled. An under-filled transmission will cause premature component wear or damage. An over-filled transmission will cause fluid to discharge out the vent tube, fluid foaming, or pump cavitation.

Observe the TFT using the driver information center (DIC) or a scan tool.
Start and idle the engine.
Depress the brake pedal and move the shift lever through each gear range. Pause for at least 3 seconds in each range. Move the shift lever back to PARK. Ensure the engine RPM is low (500-800 RPM).
Allow the engine to idle for at least 1 minute.
Raise the vehicle on a hoist. The vehicle must be level, with the engine running and the shift lever in the PARK range.



Caution: THE ENGINE MUST BE RUNNING when the trans oil level check plug is removed or excessive fluid loss will occur, resulting in an under-filled condition. An under-filled transmission will cause premature component wear or damage.

Note: Continue to monitor the TFT. If the TFT is not within the specified values, reinstall the trans oil level check plug and repeat the previous steps.

Remove the trans oil level check plug (1) from the transmission fluid pan. Allow any fluid (2) to drain.

• If the fluid is flowing as a steady stream, wait until the fluid begins to drip.

• If no fluid comes out, add fluid until fluid drips out.


Replace the trans oil level check plug and tighten to 25 N·m (18 lb ft).

Camaro1 - Thank you for your inputs. I'm sure some of us all here have the same questions. Very technical write up(repair manual?) but it only good after you have all the fluid inside the pan and every nuts and bolts are tighted to specs.

My first concern is, how or where do we fill up the pan with fluid according to the manual? If my fill-plug location is wrong, why it is there with transmission fluid residual (see picture) and what purpose does it do beside a fill-plug?

My second concern is, why bother with all the technical measuring while the car idles at the set temperatures while you can use the same measurement and be done with it? Common sense tells me that if you get 5 quarts out, putting 5 quarts back in makes more sense to me. We're doing a fluid change, not a transmission fluid flush.

ok, first i never said your fill location was wrong,,, but your bolt that you removed to try and drain the pan is not a drain plug,,, it is the fill level plug,, you fill the trans when the car is level and up to temp and when fluid starts coming out of the plug hole in the pan the trans is full

your fill method of just measuring the fluid you drained and putting that much back in, tells you nothing,,, is the trans full or not,, you dont know unless you do the correct fill procedure,, on top of that you are trying to drain the pan from the fill level indicator plug,, look at the pic i posted, the pan will never drain below the tube that is in the pan, as this is how you know the fluid level is full,,, when the fluid level spills over this tube

the correct fluid change requires you to remove the pan , drain it and re-install the pan, and do the correct fill procedure,, this is a fluid change

and the fluid temp is needed to be in specs when checked because trans fluid expands and contracts based on temp,, when you have the trans fluid warmed up to the spec you then can check the level with the plug in the pan.

a fluid flush requires you to hook the trans lines to a trans fluid flush machine and the machine will pump new fluid into the trans at the same rate that fluid is being pumped out of the trans while the engine is running,

There are more than one way to drain the fluid out. I appreciated your inputs. I still see no reason to do all the measurement test according to the book unless you don't trust your current fluid level put in by GM.

You would think GM would put a drain plug on the pan. I wonder if the truck 6l80e pan has a drain plug. I might just have to install a drain plug on my pan or buy a pan with a drain plug.
:bow::bow::bow::bow:

Bill