So this weekend I changed my transmission oil. The big question was, of course, how the f am I going to get the old oil out?

So, we get the car up on jacks, remove the plastic panel and start trying to find the drain bolt. We finally figured out which one it was thanks to the pics on that cardomain site (WHY are the no instructions for this in the FSM????). So we start trying to loosen it and it is IMPOSSIBLE.

We tried a 13mm wrench, too big. 12mm, too big. 11mm, TOO SMALL. And when I say too big, I mean like a LOT of play...i.e. definite strippage, no question that it is not the right wrench. I didn't beleive my dad, who was trying it, so I tried myself and 12mm is just not the right wrench. So we get the standard's out...1/2, too big. 7/16, too small. So basically...the nut is like 11.25mm. WTF is that? So we try an adjustable. I manage to get it on there good depite the freakin frame member being in the way but was still unable to get the nut off...started to round it.

So we go to the sensor. Bolt comes off easy and we start to pry because it's stuck. Cr-Cra-Cr-Crac....almost cracked it...no good.

So we were ready to give up when we decided to try the fluid extractor my dad just got. We managed to fish the tube in all the way down to the bottom...there was about 3 steps...push in, it sticks, jiggle, push, it sticks, jiggle, push and it bottomed out. I was worried that we might not get it all, but we ended up pulling about 4 1/2 quarts out so I'm pretty confident that we did.

My transmission oil was previously changed at the dealer, and there was no sign of wear on the drain nut, so I am 99% sure that they probably used a fluid extractor just like we did.

Obviously you'll need a compressor or if they make a electric fluid extractor, but it's worth it. The reason I posted this was because I wanted to let people know that I would not even bother trying to do the drain nut, and would ABSOLUTELY have a spare sensor on hand if you went that route...it is very easy to crack. If you have any access at all to a pneumatic fluid extractor, that is the best way to go hands down. Very easy and works well if youcan fish the tube in there all the way.