AFARR

As part of the routine stuff (in addition to my hesitation issues...), I swapped the Trans filter and fluid. Had the stuck dipstick tube. The rubber gasket that came with the filter was folded, and I couldn't get it on the pan right, so I 'sort of' smeared RTV gasket sealant around the edge.

Yeah, it's a half *** way to do it, but I was running out of time...and I want to change the fluid again one more time in the near future...so I'll drop the pan instead of just draining it...for now, I put cardboard to catch the small leak.

How to get the tube free? If I can drop the pan completely, I can use pegs or the bolts to hold the rubber gasket in place until I can get it in place.

Thanks.

schadelh

Tug like hell. I had a friend up top grabbing onto the tube (and twisting with channel locks IIRC) and I was under the jeep pulling like hell and twisting...

It finally broke free, causing me to slice my knuckle open something fierce...

just give it hell, it'll eventually come free... I recommend leather gloves so you dont shed any more blood than necessary.

djb383

Small tubing cutter, 1/2" rubber fuel hose and 2 clamps.....piece of cake the next pan drop. Hold the gasket to the pan with several bolts. A thin film of RTV on both sides of the gasket is almost foolproof.

schadelh

Make sure to butt the cut ends up against each other or else your dipstick will read low.

That looks a lot easier than busting knuckles... wish I would have thought of that...

Outlaw Star

Use Gaskasinch to hold it in place. Just make sure the mating surfaces are clean. Gaskasinch is a gasket glue if you will for holding gaskets in place untill you assemble the part.

Dirk Digler

I just replaced my filter last weekend and I was able to take the pan completely off w tube attached just by twisting and workin it down. I only have a 3 in lift but I still had the room

duafacia

There is a bolt on the top of the tube that holds it in place. Once I unbolted it, thinking I was going to outsmart it and drop the whole tube, the SOB separated at the joint.
Effin' Chrysler

AFARR

I wound up un-bolting it, pulling the whole pan and tube down, then separating the tube. Took some wiggling to get the tube down (there is a 'bracket' coming off the side that made it hard to slip down beside the trans/engine).

Tried to pop it loose from underneath (working by myself), but it wouldn't come lose. I could get the trans pan end to rotate around the upper part of the tube, but it wouldn't come out.

Once I got it free, a good tug on top of the tube while holding the pan down worked to separate the pieces. Cleaned up the tube, put anti-seize lube on it, and put the upper part back in place (lightly bolted to give it some room to move as I put the pan back)....had to install from the top.

Cleaned the pan, put a very light coat of RTV on it, put the rubber gasket on it, used the bolts to hold it in place (the bolts hold nicely in the rubber of the gasket...push them up from the bottom as they would normally install). Then went underneath, cleaned up the old gasket sealant on the bottom of the trans. Lifted the pan into position, used one hand to hold it, matched the bolts up, and tightened one at (roughly) the four corners until the pan would stay by itself, then went around tightening. A couple of bolts dropped out, but the gasket stayed in place, and it was fairly easy to get it back into place.

Then I hit the top of the tube with a rubber mallet to seat it properly, and tightened the bolt down to hold the tube in place.

AFARR