Fluid change m5od - Stuck fill plug

[wyyup]

Hello everyone, I have just bought a 1992 Ranger 3.0 with the m5od transmission. I drove it to work and back yesterday and noticed the transmission whine got worse. I got up under it at home and saw that it was covered in fluid. I traced it to the rubber plugs (by the help of this forum!) and I pulled them and covered in RTV to seal it off.

My next course of action is to drain and fill the transmission. However, I cannot for the life of me get the fill plug out. Can I fill from the shifter? If so, how can I tell if I get enough fluid in and don't over fill it? I've read that there is a bolt to check the fluid level next to the fill plug but I am unable to find much more information about it.

Thanks!

 

[cammeddrz]

for what reason will it not come out? I worked for years at Jiffy Lube. A good lube tech has skills, and tools that you don't have. Go into a jiffy lube and ask them to check the fluid level......they will do their best, and usually don't charge. and if they get it out, problem solved

 

[wyyup]

I guess the last person that was in there put it on as tight as possible. It has leaked out a large amount of fluid. I'd be worried to drive it into town to a shop and I don't have money to pay someone to get it off.

 

[cammeddrz]

most of the time its just a matter of needing to stand under the truck, instead of laying on your back. then suddenly something that was too tight to get out, comes out relatively easily. get fluid into it any way you can, enough that you feel comfortable driving it to a quick lube place.

that's what i'd do.

 

[Mark_88]

You can probably get the nut off with a wrench and a second wrench used as an extender...or a breaker bar with a socket if you have one that size...can't remember but I think it was 11/16 or bigger...

The good thing is that the fill bolt is higher up...the bad thing is you need a squirt bottle or something similar to actually fill it...if you have a spray bottle you can do it with that but it takes forever and much trigger finger action...

If I have to do that in the near future I'd consider running a hose from inside the truck down to the transmission fill plug and use a funnel or something similar...just takes a few trips up and down to make sure the hose is still in and not running all over the place...

 

[PlumCrazy]

It is 7/8 or 15/16...I always grab both.lol

 

[cammeddrz]

You can probably get the nut off with a wrench and a second wrench used as an extender...or a breaker bar with a socket

^^also true
I didn't mention it because those methods are common-knowledge, and went without saying. I just assumed he tried the absolute basics first.

but in the off-chance that you haven't tried those yet, try that first

 

[Kowboy]

Try using a breaker bar and while pushing on the breaker bar, tap the bar w/ a hammer. Sudden shock will go a long way to loosen up tight bolts. Work gloves seem to help in the confidence factor, for protecting the old knuckles.

 

[wyyup]

Thanks for the suggestions! I will try to get it higher off the ground and try to get more leverage. I will also try a longer breaker bar. I'm putting in the shifter repair kit tonight to fix the loose shifter. Hopefully if I can get the fluid drained and refilled it will be back to normal.

I did pick up a pump to make filling it up easier.

 

[Mazda]

Nothing beats even a cheap torque wrench. Even better than a breaker bar. Has gotten me out of a lot of stuck bolts..

 

[black_demon69]

manual trans takes approx 3 QT mercon iv

i would drain then fill from shifter hole if you still cant get plug out

also if you do get plug out they sell a little hand pump that screws right onto bottle for about $8 it will be over by the gear oil section in most autoparts stores

 

[Mark_88]

^^also true
I didn't mention it because those methods are common-knowledge, and went without saying. I just assumed he tried the absolute basics first.

but in the off-chance that you haven't tried those yet, try that first

Yeah, that would be common knowledge with people that work at it all the time...but my nephew showed me that trick and I would never have thought of it myself...probably have ran out and bought a long breaker bar (which I did anyway) under the circumstances...

Thanks for the suggestions! I will try to get it higher off the ground and try to get more leverage. I will also try a longer breaker bar. I'm putting in the shifter repair kit tonight to fix the loose shifter. Hopefully if I can get the fluid drained and refilled it will be back to normal.

I did pick up a pump to make filling it up easier.

I've never actually seen a pump for this application but I will look for one...lost track of the hours I spent with a squirt bottle trying to do this job...even bought a turkey baster...lol...but it did work better than the squirt bottle...

I was thinking since you have the shifter boot off it would be easy to run a hose down that way...but the pump would be way better if it puts you under the vehicle...I hate cleaning up vehicle fluids...they are always so hard to get completely cleaned up so I started using a small catch basin on anything I work on.

 

[Andy D]

Another force multiplier is to use your foot. Another is the cup of a floor jack. Or a 2x6 and a fulcrum. If you start the bolt just the merest fraction, theneach succeeding try will easier. No garage . no air tools, no lift, no welder, Lotsa bars , hammers and chisels

 

[Crossthreader]

Mark,

Check this out before your next transmission or diff. refill. http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/Marine/Outboard-Motor-Oil-Pump/8167512.p

Paul

 

[black_demon69]

Mark,

Check this out before your next transmission or diff. refill. http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/Marine/Outboard-Motor-Oil-Pump/8167512.p

Paul

yep i have one works great