I am having trouble changing the ATF pan on my 2 Door LS with 4 wheel drive. Two problems: No. 1./ I found the odd 10 mm bolt on the passenger side rear corner and removed it. Just ahead of that bolt is a trans shift cable that is attached to the pan by a hidden bolt. I cannot see the bolt to determine what size it is. I can't figure how to get a socket on it. Of course, all the other bolts are the traditional 13 mm for the standard 4L60E auto trans. What is the bolt size and how do I remove it? Gearwrench? Special socket ? Size ?

No.2.....To drop the pan, do I need to remove that cross member that has the rear trans support on it ? Or can I jack up the trans* and just drop the ATF pan? If I have to remove the cross member, do I need to support the rear of the trans with a jack ?


Read somewhere on this forum : * Quote--- " Here's a tip take out the trans mount, jack trans up and use a pry bar and the pan drops down/". ..and what exactly does this tip mean?
I am doing this on my unpaved driveway on two ramps. I do have a heavy duty floor jack. I do need to get this SUV back on the road, so thanks for your help. Jim




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Yes, I have searched the Engines and Trans section and the 2nd Gen as well. Can't find anything helpful. I did go to the 'You Tube' and found some basic how to change ATF but nothing addressing these two 4 Wheel Drive problems. Any ideas ? The weather here is mild and almost 'skeeter' free. Nice to work on a classic Blazer.

 

Here's a somewhat related tip. You can buy a 4L60E trans pan with a built in fluid drain plug for $49.99 from 1A Auto. Or you can also buy a diy drain plug kit for about 10.00 or so. Both of these will let you drain most of that hot ATF out before you drop the pan. This makes the chore of dropping the ATF pan a lot easier. No balancing act. But this tip still doesn't answer my question about the two problems in my original post. I only have the Haynes Manual,

 

I finally was able to see the second 10 mm bolt which holds on the metal bracket for the shift cable. I cannot get a socket on it. I can get a 10 mm wrench on it, but can only turn it 1/4 turn at a time. I hope I have 10 GearWrench. I hope to have access to all 16 pan bolts. I still need your feedback. Do I need to remove the crossmember that has the rear trans support ? If yes, do i need to support the rear of the trans with a jack.? I would like to hear from you. Thanks, Jim

 

Jim
#1 take anything in the Haynes manual and even the soft sided Chilton manual with as the old saying goes a truck load of salt. there isn't much in them accurate. If your lucky the how to change your oil maybe correct but don't count on it.
#2 I somewhat remember the post that you are talking about, If I remember right it stated unbolt the transmission mount from the cross member and by jacking under the transfer case jack the rear of the transmission as high as you can,
This is by memory and I'm old and I've slept since reading it .....

 

Without removing the crossmember, I have managed to get the ATF pan off by twisting it and forcing it. I do not think it would be possible to get the pan back on with a new gasket and some of the 13 mm bolts stuck into the gasket to make sure the gasket stays in place. So I am afraid it will be necessary to remove the rear cross member to position the pan correctly without disturbing the new gasket.

If I do try to jack up the rear of the transmission/ transfer case, will I have to loosen anything before I do that ? I don't know anything about the 4 wheel drive system, IOW, I have changed the transmission fluid on rear wheel drive GM sedans, but not on a 4 wheel drive SUV.

 

Anybody home ? Is everyone on vacation ? I am still wondering how to get the pan with the new gasket into position with the crossmember in the back, the cat on one side the engine on the front side, and a drive shaft on one side. It is tight on the four wheel drive models. See my post above for my questions.
I did find out something surprising. On my 4L60E, I bought the 'shallow pan' kit with the shorter ATF filter neck. When I took the old filter out and measured it, it was about 1.25 " longer than the new filter neck for the shorter pan. I have the deep pan, which is good. So I made a quick trip to the O'Reilly's Auto Parts and swap my kit for a deep pan kit. It was $8.50 more but you have to have the correct one. I like the deep pan , but wish I had the pan with the built in drain plug !

 

I have a 1998 2 door 4x4 Blazer and had to remove the crossmember to get the pan off... it was a shallow pan. Support the trans and transfer case with a jack and unbolt the crossmember and get it out of your way. I hope there was no collateral damage from forcing your old pan off, solenoids can crack/break rather easily. Good luck.

 

I am also hoping that I did no damage to anything. I don't think so. It would be so much easier if it was a 2 wheel drive. Even easier if there was a pan drain bolt like you see on the 1A Auto pan. Thanks for the input.

 

To remove the 'crossmember', Do I remove the two 13 mm bolts at each end ? Are there other bolts that need to be removed ?

 

This may help you more than I can... but to remove my crossmember I had 6 bolts and nuts total to remove.