Great video! thanks,
I can't believe how clean that used fluid looked! How did the old filter look?

 

Thank you! The filter is sealed inside plastic so I can’t see the paper.... I guess I could bust it open but I tossed it already. The fluid that drained out of it looked the same as the rest. I’m sure it was dirty and contaminated. Some steel and clutch material trapped in the fibers. Truly impressed by the improvement, shift quality, overall quietness.

 

Did my first at 67k and it felt like a rebuild. Best thing you can do for your trans is regular fluid changes.

 

ssshhh...

Don't tell Levi...

He'll get all grumpy.

🤫

 

I never advice anyone to follow my steps, I just tell them what I do.

I'm still in Mexico, after a long loaded trip, well over 100,000 miles on this vehicle (2017 DGC). Transmission running perfect with original ATF.

Many people complaining of transmission failure, most (probably all) have changed ATF sometime before transmission failure.

Do what it works for you.

 

Very good video. Very informative. Gotta try that dip stick trick .

 

Next time schedule it for July rather than a snow bank in winter - good job otherwise

 

It was 50!!! 😁😎

 

Good video, great you shared it.

However, there is an aftermarket gasket for the transmission pan made by Fel-pro. No need to use the goop. It worked very well in my case, will make future removal much easier and the best part, no need to wait 24 hours for cure time.

 

I like felpro! Glad to hear its a good solution. I had to make the decision which route to take and I followed the factory so I went with the goop. Good tip!

 

Gaskets can leak. A good RTV like Mopar black or Permatex ultra grey won't. Who cares if it takes an extra 5-10 minutes to clean every 3-5 years.

 

Gaskets can leak. A good RTV like Mopar black or Permatex ultra grey won't. Who cares if it takes an extra 5-10 minutes to clean every 3-5 years.

Anything can leak.
Have you watched OP's video? It's quite clear the OEM goop was leaking for quite a while.

On my minivan, the factory applied goop started leaking at around 40k miles. I exchanged the ATF via cooler lines at around 20k miles and planned to do a pan drop and filter change at around 60k miles.
Thanks to the leak I had to do it early. I used a little bit of goop to hold the gasket in place. Bone dry so far. Hopefully I didn't jinx myself 🤞

 

There has to be a reason the factory didn't use a gasket . I don't know but when i was at Ford they insisted we use black RTV on most applications . It came in a tube with the Ford markings . But it probably was permatex. Just Saying

 

I like permatex and since I never had a pan leak in over 100,000 miles, I decided to stay with the proven solution. Cleanup was easy 👍

 

Only time I had a transmission leak was when I first did my drain plug and my weld had a bubble in it. Re-welded it and no more leaks. My friends think I wash my engine bay regularly. Funny thing is, I only did that once... last month before the car show.

 

I've had Permatex failures (ultra black, red, blue)... but never Permatex ultra grey failures.

 

I have to be mighty paranoid about a future leak to let RTV pre-cure before bolting it down. Ultra grey doesn't need it.

 

Yes, but why not use "the right stuff"?

 

Moderators Note:
The conversation inspired by this post was moved to Chaveeraj's other post about transmission fluid here: Light burnt trans oil smell

Very interesting thanks for the video. I have a high mileagegrand caravan that needs a transmission oil change. I bought the van from a reseller. The van had the cooling lines replace , think they burst or something like that. The trans fluid is light brown and does not smell burnt. Called the dealer and they told it it was changed 7000 km ago. Th van has about 300 000 kms on the clock. I am wondering if I should drop the pan and change the fluid. Can anyone advise me please thanks

 

As to the RTV vs gasket debate, I prefer the Mopar silicone RTV MS-GF-41-B (formerly know as Mopar ATF RTV), Mopar part number 5010884AD. You put it on, install and torque the pan in place, then refill with ATF+4, no need to cure first. I've never had a leak using it.

Instruction from the service manual:

Mopar ATF RTV gasket material should be applied in a continuous bead approximately 3 mm (0.120 in.) in diameter. All mounting holes must be circled. For corner sealing, a 3.17 or 6.35 mm (1/8 or 1/4 in.) drop is placed in the center of the gasket contact area. Uncured sealant may be removed with a shop towel. Components should be torqued in place while the sealant is still wet to the touch (within 10 minutes). The usage of a locating dowel is recommended during assembly to prevent smearing material off the location.

 

That's exactly what the transmission shop did to the pan on the transmission they inspected for me. I was appalled, told the mech they'd be dealing with the leak the following day. They used the Ultra Black and poured the ATF+4 in minutes later and kicked me out the door. Not a drop leaked over the next 3 years.

 

Wow! I didn’t realize so many people didn’t like gaskets.

 

Yeah, they just wear mosquito nets to deal with the bugs. I think gasket lovers are just sitting back with a smile on their face, being quiet.

Isn't RTV carcinogenic?

Liquid silicone may block blood vessels in parts of the body like the brain, heart, lymph nodes, or lungs, leading to an extremely dangerous situation.

If using RTV under a vehicle and feeling wooshy, take a shot of spirits and call 911. Those instructions may be on the packaging.

 

Precisely why shops use RTV. Though ultra black wasn't the sure thing that ultra grey is.

 

I used to use ultra black for everything, but it just doesn't hold up to direct contact with oil the way ultra grey does. I'd get customers returning months after a repair with minor seeping. Never a drop from grey. Put my trans pan on last in January of 2019, and resealed some other spots on the trans a few months later when my flex plate shattered, only sign of fluid is around the drain plug gasket. Most people wouldn't even notice the seepage around the drain plug, but I painted my oil pan a dull silver, so any seepage looks grey instead of a slightly shinier black on black.

 

Both grey and black work, black is certainly suited to the task, a la Permatex literature (high oil resistance, OE equivalence)

Permatex® Ultra Black® Maximum Oil Resistance RTV Silicone Gasket...

OEM specified. For dealership warranty requirements, Ultra Black® ensures extended drivetrain warranty compliance. Fast-curing formula. Sensor-safe, low odor, noncorrosive. Meets performance specs of OE silicone gaskets. Retains high flexibility, oil resistant properties through use of a...

www.permatex.com

maybe better than grey, which is for high torque applications.

Sooo, the problems are obviously with the finicky application.

Use the right stuff and follow directions:

Ten most common gasketing mistakes

The Ten Most Common Gasketing Mistakes

The Ten Most Common Gasketing Mistakes: Gasket makers and flange sealants are great time savers to have on hand in the shop. And, when compared to a traditional gasket, the material costs for gasket makers are much less. Plus, if you have gasket makers on hand, you don’t lose time waiting for a...

www.permatex.com

 

Both grey and black work, black is certainly suited to the task, a la Permatex literature, maybe better than grey, which is for high torque applications, sooo the problems are with the finicky application.

I really hate the grey stuff, used once, never to be used again.

 

I bought a FelPro gasket for my van. No problems at all.

 

Grey for a structural oil pan, black for a steel oil pan.

I imagine grey has a higher shear strength, not sure what property about black makes it "more oil resistant".

 

Technical Data Sheet - Ultra Black: Permatex® Ultra Black® Maximum Oil Resistance RTV Silicone Gasket...

5. Apply a continuous and even bead of silicone to one surface, first tracing the internal areas of the gasket configuration, then all surrounding bolt holes as shown below:
6. Assemble parts immediately while silicone is still wet.
7. Finger tighten flange only until material begins to seep out the sides of the flange.
8. Allow to set for at least two hours and re-torque at least one quarter to one half turn.
9. For best results, allow to cure overnight.

TYPICAL CURING PERFORMANCE Permatex Ultra Black Gasket Maker cures on exposure to moisture in the air. The product dries tack free in two hours and fully cures in 24 hours. Cure times will vary with temperature, humidity and gap.

PERFORMANCE OF CURED MATERIAL
After 7 days at 25C (77F), 50% Relative Humidity
Typical Values
Hardness (Shore A) 30
Elongation, %* 360
Tensile Strength, N/mm2 (psi)** 1.7 (240)
Gap Fill, inch 0.25
*Material will stretch 3.6 times its original length before breaking.
**Amount of force required to break material.

Technical Data Sheet - Ultra Grey: Permatex® Ultra Grey® Rigid High-Torque RTV Silicone Gasket Maker

5. Apply a continuous and even bead of silicone to one surface, first tracing the internal areas of the gasket configuration, then all surrounding bolt holes as shown below:
6. Assemble parts immediately while silicone is still wet. Secure or tighten to recommended torque specs.
7. Re-torque will not be necessary after the product has cured.

TYPICAL CURING PERFORMANCE Permatex Ultra Gray Gasket Maker cures on exposure to moisture in the air. The product dries tack free in one hour and fully cures in 24 hours. Cure times will vary with temperature, humidity and gap. Longer cure times will apply to applications in low humidity conditions or colder temperatures.

PERFORMANCE OF CURED MATERIAL After 7 days at 25C (77F), 50% Relative Humidity
Typical Values
Hardness (Shore A) >45
Elongation, %* >120
Tensile Strength, N/mm2 (psi) ** >2.6 (>377)
*Material will stretch 1.2 times its original length before breaking.
**Amount of force required to break material

 

I just had my trans fluid & filter replaced on my recently purchased 2014. The shop told me one of the transmission coolant lines has a pretty good leak. He wants $400+ to replace. He says the front bumper has to come off. Seems excessive to me, and I have zero oil drops from underneath. I'm holding out for a second opinion.

 

You’re correct. $400 is excessive.

I have a 2014 T&C. I replaced both trans cooler lines a couple months ago.

It’s a job you can do. It took me ~1 hr to do - working in an unhurried manner.

I sit in a chair for a living and began doing my own car maintenance ~3 years ago.

I created this thread on this forum explaining how I went about accomplishing the task.

If you don’t own a single tool you need to do this job, you’ll have much less than $400 in the parts and tools to replace those two trans coolant lines.

Your mechanic must be quite slow or charge well above market rates for his time.

The front bumper doesn’t need to come off by the way.

Edit: Included link to a thread explaining how to replace trans coolant lines on a Pentastar 3.6.

 

So, an ironic, karma filled story....

Earlier in this thread, @Jeepman diplomatically corrected a recommendation I made to @delhiboy3732 to coat the trans pan gasket before reattaching the pan to the vehicle. Jeepman included links to Fel-pro’s website where they explained why lubing the gasket prior to installing wasn’t necessary because of technology used in modern gaskets.

I’m changing the trans fluid today. I replaced the OE pan with the Dorman pan that has a drain plug.

I drain the fluid from the OEM pan and leave the old fluid laying near the trans but a little bit out of the way toward the rear of the van.

I’m laying there with the new pan and Fel-pro gasket trying to get everything situated so I can put the new pan up there and fasten a couple bolts so I could use both hands to fasten the remaining bolts.

Guess what happened? Half of the new gasket slipped into the old trans fluid!! 😂

I wiped it off the best I could. We’ll see how it holds up.

I torqued the bolts to 60 in. lbs. No leaks thus far after ~20 miles of driving, no leaks.

I’ll drain and refill the next two weekends using the drain plug.

 

I think you will be okay as long as the bolts are torqued up enough.
Interesting experience, one to write up in your log book.

 

Update! Transmission is still silky smooth and shifting like new. No pan leaks! The entire van is smoother and quieter. My wife is not a car person but even she mentioned that the van feels great. So far so good 👍

 

I wouldn't go over 60k on transmission filter/fluid. It's important to keep those fresh. I went wayyy too far on a filter on my 3rd gen and it got to the point where I started getting pump whine from it being starved of fluid, and eventually loss of hydraulic pressure. It sat all winter until I got around to changing the filter and voila it was back to normal.