Need to drop Tranny Pan at 90K?
 

I have been through numerous tranny flush threads including the one in Fluids and Lubricants section and now I am confused. So, I figured I'd just ask my questions in a new thread v/s piling on the tranny flush threads as I didn't see a dedicated thread on my questions. My questions are:

1. Do I need to drop the tranny pan and clean it?
2. Does a 1999 Maxima have a tranny Filter
3. If it does, where is it and how do I access it and do I need to replace it?

Background. I had a full flush done at a Nissan dealer @40K a few years ago. I am now at 89K. Planning to do a flush using the cooler return pipe. I have read the threads on tranny pans too. It seems I have been able to gather that I do NOT need those very expensive bolts so I only need a new gasket but I don't have a torque wrench and hence I am reluctant to do the tranny pan.

Would just a drain and fill of the tranny pan and then a 6 or so quart tranny cooler return line flush be fine?

Also, while researching, I came across some posts about a tranny filter. Where the heck is the filter?

Someone please help me make a decision.

No filter, there's a screen. Same as all other RE4F04's.

You don't need a torque wrench for the pan bolts, just don't be an idiot and overtorque them.

What about a coolant return line? Are you doing a coolant flush too, or what?

You could drop the pan to change out the fluid and check for an abnormal amount of debris on the magnet, if you want.

^pmohr - what's the difference between a screen and a filter? when i did mine a while back i just asked for a filter at a parts store.

Sorry posted coolant instead of cooler. Yes I am also doing a coolant flush but I am not going to open up the two bolts to get the coolant out of the front and rear banks. Only open the coolant release on the radiator and pour in distilled water.

I like your suggestion of seeing how bad the debris on the tranny drain bolt is. But I'd be working on the car on weekends so can't run to the stealer and get a gasket if I need one. :)

Also, I thought there was just the screen but some posters are saying there is a tranny filter and hence I asked just to confirm.

Also, should I slap on a magnefine on the cooler return line while I am under there?

It would be beneficial to drop the oil pan, clean out the magnets, remove the screen and clean it with brake cleaner, and put a new gasket. No need to buy new bolts unless yours are rusted to hell and no need for a torque wrench unless you never tightened a 10mm bolt before. Just don't tighten it like you would a wheel nut.

A filter is generally a single-time use filtering element. Think air filter, oil filter, fuel filter. This is called a screen because that's just what it is, a mesh screen.

Just a screen. Not the drain plug, the magnet on the pan.

Get a gasket beforehand, then...why would you buy a gasket in the middle of the job?

Magnefine?

Magnefine is the inline magnetic filter. Honda guys with the tranny problems recommend using it.
http://www.emergingent.com/subpage1Magnefine.htm

You are right. I missed that you mentioned dropping the pan to check the magnets. For some reason, I misread.

Is it a simple drop the pan, lift out the gasket, clean the pan and slap it back on or do I have to scrape some sealant stuff off the rims of the pan?

Thanks for the lightening fast answers pmohr. You have helped me out before with my coil issue and also my oil leak question. I appreciate your help. :) :)

You could, sure. The filter is up to you, I'd just be worried about whether or not it'd hamper flow at all.

sorry to mean to run thru the thread but i gotta 5spd tranny and when letting go of the clutch i hear a grinding anybody knows what this is? please pm me cuz i dont be on here 2 much...

don't be sorry, just start your own thread. especially that this one is about AT - not MT.

I dropped the pan from my i30 at about 100k miles, here is my experience:

- There was no sludge in the pan at all, but the two magnets were loaded with fine ferrous debris. I cleaned all of that.
- I took great care to clean off the pieces of old gasket that stuck to both surfaces.
- I used a new felpro gasket that I bought at Advance Auto Parts.

It is time-consuming due to the number of bolts and the need to scrape off the old gasket wherever it is stuck. Otherwise it is pretty easy.

Thanks. I tend to lean towards OEM parts so I am not sure about the Advance Auto gasket. Have you been happy with the quality and do you have any leaks?

What did you use to scrape off the stuck old gasket?

Do you remember the price difference between the OEM Nissan gasket and the Advance Auto one?

Nissan wants $28 bucks for the pan gasket, I just bought 2 of them. Ain't doing that again. Many recommend buying the set (21) of bolts because they have thread-sealer on them. If you don't, be sure to have something like Permatex to put on the old bolt threads when you put them back in. I think the bolts were 75 cents each at Nissan.

It's a PITA to pull the 21 bolts, but more time consuming and uncomfortable working condition than it is difficult.

The pan gasket is less than $5 at Advance Auto. Is it alright to use the Advance Auto one? You like for some parts, only OEM is the way to go. I am not sure if that applies to gaskets. Also, IIRC, the bolts are over $2 each not 75 cents.

Hey, I just got done with having my tranny flushed and I spoke with the head guy and he does not recommend taking the pan off because it causes problems with leaking later on. He said it is a wire mesh screen and does not need to be replaced, just flushed every 30,000 miles or so. I have 172,000 miles on my car and my tranny is as strong as the day I bought it.

I would never flush with a machine, but that's just me.

The only way taking the pan off would cause leaking later on is if the job wasn't done correctly.

Indeed, it's a screen, not a filter; it still needs to be cleaned, flushing won't remove the debris from the screen.

I always drop mine to clean the inside of the pan, clean/check the magnets and change the filter. Remember to use a new gasket. And you are supposed to use new bolts too. Maybe a new washer on the plug, I forget.

I just drain and refill
 

I don't machine flush. The problem with machine flush is I keep hearing first hand stories about shops that screw up the flush. A coworker of mine that got a flush had tranny problems afterward. He brought to me, and we found that they had not refilled the fluid! Another coworker had problems on a vehicle that required a particular spec tranny fluid, only to find that the shop had used standard Dec/Merc III. So I have a low level of trust of fluid replacements / flushes at shops. But if you have a shop you trust, I concede this is the way to go. 100% fluid replacement.

I don't drop the pan either. Once I saw how many bolts in the procedure, that thin aluminum rim, all the gasket scraping, the risk of having a gasket leak after replacing if not done just right, etc. Not for me.

I just drain and refill with new fluid myself every 30k miles or so, which is about 50% fluid replacement each time. Since the fluid stays bright red, I know that I have good viscosity, and minimum particulates circulating in my tranny fluid. I know that means I am leaving particulates on the magnets, but I figure I keep the concentration circulating in fluid extremely low with the frequent drains and maintenance of a strong red color.

143k miles and no problems so far.

One more shop horror story. An employee of mine (who does all his own maintenance) took his Honda Accord for state inspection about 6 months ago. They kept trying to sell him on the inspection package with oil change - he said no, he changes his own oil. A few weeks later, he started having problems with hesitation, uneven engine performance, and the check engine light came on. He eventually gets around to checking the oil level while troubleshooting -none! He now figures that when he got the inspection, the guy in the pit drained the oil, thinking just about every car gets an oil change. The guy up top, of course, did not add oil, since he did not purchase an oil change.

I haven't had any leaks. The Felpro gasket from AAP seems to work fine. It was tricky getting it to sit straight on the pan as I put it up to the transmission.

The pan is steel, it isn't flimsy. The transmission housing is aluminum, but thick. You can't easily scratch the steel pan, but be careful not to gouge the softer aluminum housing.

As others wrote above, the gasket is less than $5 from AAP, but I think the OEM kit also includes new bolts which add to the cost. I used the old bolts, but new ones would be better.

Get the filter/gasket kit from AutoZone ($21). Also, measure how much fluid you drained and replace with the same amount.

I just did mine tonight and I feel better about driving the car long distance now :D