What size is the auto tranny drain plug?
 

It's larger than 22mm (my largest wrench.) Anybody know? Just thought I could save myself some trial and error before I go buying more wrenches. :)

http://members.cox.net/cpalmer4eva/tran1.jpg

24mm. hehe

My manual only worked with a 23" this time around, which is weird because I've taken it off dozens of times and I didn't own a 23", I had to go buy one.


Could have been the vodka too, though.

did you change the filter to in the tranny
Bruce

not yet, i have a Q:
http://members.cox.net/cpalmer4eva/tran2.jpg

See that bar going across, there is one parallel going behind it? It's a big long one held on by big bolts, if I take it off, is the engine gonna fall on my head or something? I just can't seem to get the pan out with it in the way.

yeah, those 2 bars are the main crossmember that holds up the front and back motormounts. you can get them, but you'll have to use a u-joint socket, or just a regular open-end wrench. to get a little more space, you can put a floorjack under the transaxle, and jack it a little. the motormounts most likely will flex a little, and give you maybe 1/2 inch more of clearance... Also, try usinga 1/4" drive, with a short extension and a short socket... The tranny pan bolts aren't that hard to take off, and the smaller size just squeaks in past the crossmember, and it works really slick. I just did this last weekend on my escort GT, which is essentially identical in this respect.

--sarge

I got the bolts off and everything, just that the pan doesn't have enough room to come down. I'll see about jacking up the transaxle, but I might have to just refill it and take it someplace where I can have all the right tools and everything, it's just sitting in my apartment complex's parking lot, not the best place to be working on it. :)

my haynes manual for the escort specifically says to jack on the transaxle to get the pan to clear the crossmember if it doesn't come out easily.

I had to kinda work it around a little bit, but I was able to get mine out without doing that, although it was a very close thing. Plus all that plastic shrouding was in the way, too, which made things more awkward than they needed to be.

--Good luck!


--sarge

yeah, I I took off the plastic shrouding, it's just held on by bolts and screws. (You do have to take off a big portion of it though, the smaller parts are riveted together).

--thanks!

--charles :)

Just becareful taken those crossmember bolts off ,, make sure the car is on stands and I would rather use a lift to hold that motor if you release those bolts , a lift is not needed , but since I have one .....
There would only be what 2 mounts supporting the engine , but I guess I would go with the escort guys saying , to jack the tranny up a git and then squeeze the bolts out ... I need to do this in my 323 also , dome girl never changed it :rolleyes:

Yeah, all I have is one jack, so this is gonna have to wait until the weekend ;) . I don't really have time to do it right now so I just bolted everything back up and refilled it. Geez the new fluid is a nice new pink color compared to the old brown shit. There was also a ton of crap on the drain plug. :o

It's driving a little better now, the torque convertor is trying to work, hehe. I may have grenaded it driving with such shitty fluid in it for such a long time, also it was getting low. I'll see once I actually get to changing the filter. I had no idea it would be such a headache, I hadn't taken into account that crossmember being in the way. Otherwise I probably could get it done myself in an hour. I am certain that the last owner of this car was a fucktard too. I have the records of the car of the owner before that at the mazda dealer, it was all taken in regularly, I can tell the last owner tried to do stuff himself but did a crappy job.

yeah, I need to do this on my 323 also .. the oil needs to be changed along with the tranny fluid . The BP won't get dropped in the car for now... so I am looking into overhauling her ... I may try and get some synthetic tranny fluid and drop in the car. I am really not trying to go crazy with the 323 , just fixing things that I know can be a headache. I put the zx2 energy suspension motor mount inserts in the front yesterday .. the back would have required the sub frame being droped lol ... and it was just to much for right now ....
What type of fluid are you using in your auto tranny .. and how much was the filter
Bruce

The filter was $22 from the Carquest parts store. I'd get the mazda one but they have something like a 100% markup, $10 for their oil filter, $50 for the alternator belt :rolleyes: .

I just bought the cheap shit in the gallon size black containers. Maybe now that I've used a lot of that up without changing the filter I'll buy some better stuff when I actually get to changing the filter. But I'm not too sure about how much it really helps in an auto tranny. Oh well

oh yeah, forgot to post this:
http://members.cox.net/protegefun/dirtyplug.jpg

At least some of that is broken transmission pieces. :(

You can remove the crossmember bolt with no trouble at all. To give you an idea when i remove those transmission i remove the crossmember all together and it doesn't fall the two side support are enought to support the engine and the transmission. The engine and tranny are going to move a little but don't worry just use a pry bar when the time to put the crossmember come i will just have to advance the base of the tranny. There's two other magnet in the tranny check if there is metal on them.

P.S. : It's not always recommanded to change the automatic tranny oil has there are detergent in those oil if you never changed the oil and you are pass 100 000 km it's really not a good idea. You may clean some part that when clean with the wear that they have they let the oil pass around them which result in a pressure drop in the clutch assembly in simple word it may slip after you change the oil due to leak of pressure

The fluid was a nice dark brown. It shifts better though I think I will get better oil next time (soon since I need to replace the filter). If it's broken, it's broken. Oh well

There no real better oil in auto tranny oil if you want a tip try atf+3 it's oil for the chrysler they have a little more additive in it be carefull you can not do the inverse put normal oil in a chrysler but for the rest oil his oil either it's castrol penzoil or any make it all do the same work

Hmm, I kinda figured as much...

are stop leak or any of those additives any good, by the way?

please becarefull when you tell people to do such things like removing the crossmember bolts , especially without some extra support on the engine ... You never know what can happen due to the condition of that car or other mounts .
Thanks
Bruce

aren't magnets amazing
bruce

The side support are surrounded by steal even if the bushing in the support his finish it's not going to fall i had the experience once with a 323 it's scary but in no way it's possible that the engine drop more then an inch. Personnaly i don't like does additive there's already all the additive needed in the oil itself and you can not make new piece with worn metal. I always have a little smile when i ear the vendor of those product saying it prevent and repair the damaged part how can a liquid repair worn clutch and metal piece.

yeah, especially when it's me, I"m an idiot and I don't know what I'm doing :D

http://members.cox.net/chastan/flush/

Pics. Some extra ones in there but take a look at the one with the two magnets... that's not sludge on them, that's little metal filings. :D Now if there was no gasket (just that red sealant), does that mean it was original? If so then it definetely passed the 50,000 point of no return mark. :p

The transmission lift technique didn't get me enough clearance. The engine dropped about 1.5 inches. How exactly did you use a pry bar to get it back up? Is there a good place to jack the engine?