Hi guys! I was searching for this particular problem and couldn't come up with an answer, so here I am.

I have a 2000 Blazer with 4WD. It has the deep well transmission pan. I'm trying to change the transmission filter and the pan gasket. I've got the pan completely unbolted, but I can't get the f***ing pan out! It's not getting caught up on the gear **** cable (that's in a really stupid spot by the way), it just seems to be a really tight fit with the transmission frame cross member and the exhaust coming off the manifold. I tried taking it off with the Blazer jacked up, completely on the ground, and can't get it off. I guess my question is then, what's the trick to getting it off? Every time I've dropped a tranny pan before it just pops right off, but no dice with this one... Possibly it could be my working on it at 1:00 in the morning...

Thanks in advance!

 

First disconnect the shift cable and tie it out of the way to the front drive shaft so that it isn't bugging you. Before you do that, go get the new gasket and lay some phone books on it to flatten it out if it came in a box.
With the pan unbolted, you gotta move it rearward and up while dropping the front down to clear the exhaust. It's tricky but its possible. A few curse words usually help.
A trick I use when putting the pan back on is to use small plastic wire ties to hold the gasket in place. They are easily cut out once a few bolts are started. I also installed a drain plug on my pan while I had it out. Don't you just love the smell and feel of old hydraulic fluid? yuck!

 

Last time I replaced the filter in my old 2000 Bravada (same thing as a Blazer for all intensive purposes), I did not have to mess with things all that much. Just move the pan back to clear the exhaust as Lenny has said.

Depending on the age and health of your transmission mount though, you may have to remove the rear cross member to get enough clearance. If you have to do this, get a new transmission mount before you put everything back together.

 

Well, that seems to work as i can move it back and get it down in the front, but I can't get the stupid shift cable apart. i think this is just cause i don't know how.... lol I took the metal clip out of the front side and assume i have to get the white plastic one out of the backside, but that's where my problem lies, lol. Any ideas how to get it apart?

And i seem to have enought room not to have to move the crossmember (thank god!). i just need to get the stupid shift cable apart.

 

I did not have to remove the shift cable. I just twisted the bracket out of my way. In fact this was the same way we did it on another member's truck when I helped him install his shift kit...

Hopefully you have not loosened the adjustment with pulling on the clips...

As far as the gasket goes, it is definitely a good idea to get it flattened back out before hand. Most gaskets have holes smaller than the bolt OD so you can install a few bolts through these smaller holes to hold both the bolts and the gasket in place for assembly.