VN-VS Gearbox Fluid and Filter Change (Auto)

Ok, after doing this job last weekend on my VS series II, I will never do it again! It was a really dirty job!

If you want to get your hair drenched in transmission fluid, go right ahead. This stuff stinks when it comes out of your gearbox, too.

Tips for newbies... USE A TARP! It's a messy job. You don't have much space under your car when its on ramps and chassis stands. When you remove the bolts around the sides and the front of the pan, expect it to be UNCOMFORTABLE while you're trying to hold up the pan with one hand while you're undoing those last few bolts at the back of the pan. It weighs a lot when you're on your back, and you've got a large container between the ground and the gearbox. You don't have much room for your arm!

Next, when you start trying to get the seal out, don't expect it to come out easily. With the drain tray just behind your head, you're trying to pull this seal out... which does NOT want to come out! It's in damn tight. But once you butcher the rubber, you have no choice but to get the thing out. So, after trying with circlip pliers for a good hour, the only way you're gonna get the thing out is with a small screwdriver and hammer, to bend the thing out of shape and then remove it.

By this time, you're hair has been sitting in the drain pan, your torch is covered with dripping transmission fluid, and you're cursed almost every swear word known to man.

Cleaning the pan and removing the old gasket remnants is like a walk in the park after you've got that bloody seal out!

The new seal taps in pretty easily with a hammer, and the pan and gasket goes on without too much more trouble. Torquing up the bolts to the required 11nm is pretty simple after you've done all the previous chores. Of course, the tarp is covered with fluid and is only worth throwing away at the end of the job.

If you like being dirty, and working in very uncomfortable areas, go for it. Personally, i'm just glad its done and back together.

Still want to service your own tranny? THINK TWICE!!!!


My other car, the VT? I'm taking that to the transmission specialists to get them to do it.... never again!

 

Are there any bands that need adjusting in this service? i know some auto's require it.

Pfft, getting dirty is half the fun.
Try changing said gearbox in an L300 van when you gotta drop the motor 50mm to slide the gearbox off. same oil, just a lot heavier thing to put in place.

 

A tip is to take out all the bolts across the rear of the pan and about half way up each side, loosen the rest, this will tip the pan backwards and let it drain most of the fluid out before you remove the rest of the bolts. It is still messy, but a lot easier than trying to balance a full pan.

 

another tip is to ensure the draining container you are using is wide enough to catch the fluid without it missing it all together (Made that mistake only once)

One further tip (THIS IS SO BUSHMAN STYLE YOU PROBABLY SHOULDNT DO IT) is to remove the return hose from the trans line and place it into an empty 2 litre coke bottle and drain some out by starting the engine before you start the undoing and tipping stage with the pan.

Sorry I had to throw in that it is bushman and could harm your tranny

 

honestly, what i would do if i had an auto, would be to either

a: Clean your sump up real good, then weld a drain plug in there somewhere where it wouldnt get damaged easily.

b: get a length of wood, place 2 jacks either side and use it to hold pan in place while you remove the bolts. Then, lower each jack just enough to be able to remove the pan upright or even just tip it into a container with two hands.

aZk.

 

either that or it's conversion time, if I have the money and I cant find that parts, when i'm finished rebuilding my engine that's what i'm doing.

honestly autos suck the dangle berry's so badly.

 

Undo the bolts while holding the pan against the trans, the let go really quick.....

 

Too right. will wear overalls

 

as asked,is there any bands that need done,im on a mission to do mine very soon

 

thanks good how to.... so how often should the auto in a vr be serviced?

 

Once you have this done...it doesn't hurt to re-tighten those pan bolts after a week or so...steel bolts, alloy pan! Expand at different temperatures and you will probably find that some may just a little re-snug.

 

Thread locker

Would it pay to
Threadlock the bolts?

I do on the Bike Sump. Guzzi Sump is just like an Auto tran pan.
These are Steel Capheads into Alloy body.
Clean the Bolts
and also
Clean out the threaded holes with a Tap and Cleaning fluid.

Loctite 290 for me:thumbsup:

 

I'd stay away from loctite into alloy. Every now and then when you remove the bolt you'll strip the threads out with it. Believe me, you only have to do that once under a dripping trasmission before you get tired of it. Tighten them up to the specified torque (which is 11 Nm), then check in a week or so.

 

Just remember that when you remove the old filter to ensure that the neoprene/silicon (or whatever it is) seal comes out still in place on the neck of the filter. In my experience they frequently come of and you have to 'fish' them out with a suitable tool/wire/hook - trying not to cause any damage etc. DO NOT overtighten the trans cover retaining bolts otherwise you risk flattening the gasket and WILL get leaks. Tighten to specified torque - found in Workshop Manual.
I agree DO NOT Loctite retaining bolts in place..

 

add on advice.

I have only just done an auto tranny fluid, filter and gasket change this morning in my series I VS ute. I just wanted to add;

-With the tranny pan off and fluid draining, move the selector lever back and forth, this will free up a bit of the old fluid in the valvebody and allow it to drain (doing this with the engine off won't do any damage).

- In the bottom of the pan, in my VS anyway, there is a small square magnet, cleaning this magnet is good practice as it improves and maintains the magnet's ability to collect metal particles/shavings which cause damage.

 

my 2 cents, I found that there is a nice sqaured off area to put a sump bung place. (little modification) but makes it ten times easier in future, or have a look at an american type trans sump that will fit, most the american cars with these trans have sump bungs.

 

Whats involved

Spoke to a specialist automatic trans outfit today and hey explained to me what they do, they perform everything listed above but also check the TPS, adjust the bands if required and clean all connectors etc.

 

How often should the transmission be serviced? time and/or km interval?

 

The advantage of professional trans places is that they can take it for a road test (after servicing) and accurately know wear levels, if a particular shift etc is normal or rough, pick up things like a loose mount causing clunks and the suchlike. Also they flush ALL the fluid, not just the 70% exchange like you do at home.

Although $220 at the local trans joint for a service could be better spent tbh...

as for intervals, the vs is recommended 80 000kms but thats probably a bit high. the VT onwards has a larger sump capacity so probably higher recommended intervals, i dunno.