Blacklane wrote:
I've done this a few times. It can be an awful mess. I recommend a big piece of cardboard under the pan to absorb the drips, which are everywhere.
However, I've never really found any debris in the filter, certainly nowhere near enough to worry about flow rate.
I think the new fluid is the important part of this job. The next time I do this, I'm planning on just having the system back-flushed with fresh fluid, which will replace more fluid than a drain-and-fill, and it will clean the filter somewhat.
That would be my choice, too. I was a mechanic for 7 years and have done several of these back before they put drain plugs in the transmission pan. Very messy. I use to hate doing them because it made a mess and they frequently leaked after someone messed with them.
If the pan is a lightweight metal one and not a cast pan they're really easy to bend. Don't over-tighten the pan bolts because it will damage the gasket and cause a leak. If you tighten them unevenly it will warp the pan and cause a leak.
