Hey all,

My Blazer is at 73k and I've had it since 34k. I haven't bothered to change the transmission fluid since I bought it in 2003. I think that I might have to do this this summer. I'm considering installing a B&M deep pan, but at a minimum, I'm considering a pan-drop, filter replace, and put a couple quarts of fluid in. Whats the right or wrong way to do this? I imagine it would be best to take it to the dealer and get the tranny pumped. Discuss...

 

OOOH...thats risky. they say if you dont do it regularly and then do it at that kinda mileage you open up a can of worms. you wind up with more problems then good from doing that. i'd be careful with that... i just got told that from a Chevy dealer when I went to do mine!

 

I don't consider 74k being too high where a flush would hurt anything, but why bother. I'm almost to 80k and will be doing a trans service here shortly. It will include a pan drop and new filter (possibly a shift kit install at the same time) and the installation of a trans pan drain plug. That way I can drain the pan every few years and refill with new fluid without pulling off the pan. I think I'm going to grab an extra pan from the junk yard and modifying it for a nice sized drain plug. Probably end up drilling a hole, welding on a threaded plate and using a standard oil pan drain plug, but they sell trans pan drain plugs fairly cheap. I just don't like how long they are and how small the hole is in them.

 

Ok. Well, I may just go ahead and do a pan drop for now. The fluid is still red so maybe a new filter and a couple of new quarts will be good enough for now. Still shifts good, I'm considering a PCM tune to firm up the shifts just a hair though, save some wear and tear...

 

A shift kit isn't too difficult to install and made a pretty decent difference. Me and Scott (4lowlife) installed one in his blazer here awhile back. Went very well and I was impressed by the difference. Not too dramatic, but just nice. Higher line pressures will make it better too.

 

There's a really good thread on this sort of thing that was discussed in here a few months ago. Check it out:

Click me!

 

As near as I can remember ALL the gear, anythings are 30,000 miles. Automatic, stick, rear or front melon. Change them all. Really a big can of worms if you dont? Repack wheel bearings when brakes are done EVERY TIME.

 

If you remove decide to remove the tranny pan, purchase a separator plate. Mine showed signs of wear at 79k miles. I didn't think I needed one before the tranny work we did. They start at $14.95 online.

I just got back from Darlington, SC Sunday. About a 1,700 mile round trip. Transmission shifts great and I still enjoy when it bangs into the next gear.

 

I'm not familiar with the seperator plate. What is it, exactly?

I did end up replacing the front LH side wheel bearing about 20k ago, but I've not done anything with any of the others. The brakes are pretty good. I do need to service my front and rear diffs, as I was told by my oil guy that the front is leaking a little bit.

 

The seperator plate is between the transmission case and the valve body (inside the transmission oil pan). You really only need to worry about it if you are digging into the transmission to install a shift kit. If you are going to put in a shift kit, get a new seperator plate before you start and just replace the one that's in there.