Here's my write up that I use for myself to remind me how to do it:
This procedure took me about 6 hours to do the first time. Now I can do it in about 2 hours. Here are the tools and parts needed:
5 empty clean plastic milk jugs with 1 quart measuring lines marked on them
1 bottle of mineral spirits (to clean the pan with)
16 quarts of Mercon-spec transmission fluid
1 funnel
1 under-bed plastic storage container, you will want a large one (got at Wal-Mart, and it had rollers on it too!)
1 flathead screwdriver (for prying off the old gasket, and loosening hose clamps)
1 10 mm socket, 1 13 mm socket
1 SPX Microfelt transmission filter (available at
www.bulkpart.com)
1 small o-ring (
www.bulkpart.com)
1 larger o-ring (
www.bulkpart.com)
1 paint can (optional, I used it to support the milk jug as it was being filled)
1 transmission pan gasket (
www.bulkpart.com)
1. Drive the truck a little so the fluid is mixed a little and is up to operating temperature.
2. Jack up the front of the truck. I only did this so that I could have more room to operate under there, and also so that the fluid would drain toward the back of the truck.
3. open the hood and remove the transmission dipstick.
4. position your under-bed storage container under your truck, close at hand so that you can quickly move it under the pan.
5. there is a catalytic converter heat shield that clips onto the pan. You will have to push these clamps out of the way to remove the pan. It's a real pain that took me an hour the first time I did it.
6. take a 13 mm socket, and loosen the pan bolts in a criss-cross pattern. Loosen the bolts toward the rear of the pan more.
7. take a flathead screwdriver and gently pry the rear of the pan down, catch old transmission fluid in the under-bed storage container.
8. let the fluid drain out for 15-20 minutes (go do something else while it drains).
9. once a good amount of fluid has drained, you can loosen and remove the 13mm pan bolts the rest of the way and remove the pan. More fluid will drain now so catch it in the under-bed storage container.
10. the gasket may or may not separate with the pan. If it stayed, pry it off with your screwdriver, and discard the old gasket.
11. clean and dry the underside of the valve body with lint-free shop towels. Observe any metal buildup on the valve body, there shouldn't be any.
12. take the pan and observe it. Fine gray sludge is normal. If there are metal filings, etc. then that's bad. Clean the pan with mineral spirits until it's spotless. If you want you can add some flat magnets to the pan for extra sludge-trapping.
13. take a 10mm socket and remove the bolt holding the transmission filter in place. Keep this bolt. Ditch the old filter.
14. be sure the old o-rings are removed along with the old filter.
15. clean everything well under there with shop towels.
16. use a 10mm socket to tighten the valve body bolts a little.
17. get your new transmission filter and put the new o-rings on its tubes, 1 large and 1 small
18. fit the new transmission filter onto the valve body, and then re-use the old bolt that held the filter in place. It's a 10mm socket.
19. As you tighten the bolt, gently push on the ends of the filter to make sure the o-rings get seated properly. (that's important)
20. back to the pan. Clean the gasket mounting surfaces well on the pan and the valve body area.
21. take your new pan gasket and position it on the pan. You may have to use dabs of RTV silicone to keep the gasket in place as you position it.
22. install the pan with gasket. It is kind of tricky putting it in there, with all the frame crossmembers etc. and the cat shield clips in the way. Try to get a pan bolt or two or three in to halfway hold the pan up after you've positioned it. It's tricky. Make sure the gasket is positioned properly.
23. using a 13mm socket, install the rest of the pan bolts in a criss-cross pattern. Torque them to 10 ft/lbs in a criss cross pattern.
24. take your under-bed storage container (which should have old fluid in it) into one of your calibrated milk jugs. Should be about 3-4 quarts.
25. Pour in the exact amount from step 23 above, into your transmission via the filler tube under the hood. It is **VERY IMPORTANT** that you pour in the **EXACT** amount that came out.
26. now you can begin the flush. Move your under-bed storage container toward the front of the truck to keep it handy.
27. Peer under the front of the truck and note the two hoses under the auxiliary transmission fluid cooler. The hose on the passenger side (NOTE: I can't quite remember which hose--should be output hose) is the only one you will have to mess with.
28. use a flathead screwdriver to loosen the aircraft-style hose clamp, and remove the hose, aiming it into one of your milk jugs. A little fluid should leak out.
29. take a paint can or something of similar height and use it to support the milk jug. Now, keep the hose aimed into the milk jug.
30. start your truck. Let it run for 7-8 seconds, then shut it down. There should be about 1 quart of fluid in the milk jug. If there is more, only run the truck for 6 seconds next time. If there is less, run for more. I have found 7-8 seconds per quart is about right though.
31. pour exactly 1 quart of new fluid thru the filler tube.
32. repeat steps 30 and 31, using a new milk jug after each jug is filled (they hold 4 quarts each)
33. after you are done, put the hose back on and tighten the clamp with your flathead screwdriver. Make sure it's snug, or you will get a leak there.
34. Replace the transmission fluid dipstick.
35. un-jack the truck. Start truck and check fluid level as normal.
36. IF you haven't flushed in a while, do this procedure again in a few weeks. Then every 30,000 mi or so, depending on your driving habits, towing, etc.
37. Buy several filters and o-rings at
www.bulkpart.com --you might as well have them.
