Topic: transmission oil change

[Mozman68]

Well...there's no way in hell I'll be able to get that fill plug off without removing the entire skid plate....and even then, I'm not sure if it will help THAT much....

So..Jeffy...you're suggesting I fill from the inside by the shifter??

I may need some guidance on that...will definitely be much easier to access from there....really do not want to take the skid off just to find that I still have to kill myself to reach the plug.

[sharpxmen]

...
So..Jeffy...you're suggesting I fill from the inside by the shifter??
...

  that's a great suggestion, and indeed probably the only reasonable way to add oil in that tranny by the looks of it.

Moz, just take off the booth and inner booth off the floor and remove the 4 bolts that hold the shifter plate - you should be able to pour the oil thru there. I'm not sure if you can do it w/o taking the plate off but since my AX5 in on the garage floor i'll go have a look and report back in a bit.

[Mozman68]

Thanks...if I can just remove the boot...remove the four bolts holding the plate...I'm assuming the shifter will lift right out with the plate??  And then just pour in the required 3.5 quarts....almost sounds easier than doing it from down below, but I want to make sure there isn't anything else I need to worry about...like screwing up the position of the shifter or something else like that....

[sharpxmen]

Thanks...if I can just remove the boot...remove the four bolts holding the plate...I'm assuming the shifter will lift right out with the plate??  And then just pour in the required 3.5 quarts....almost sounds easier than doing it from down below, but I want to make sure there isn't anything else I need to worry about...like screwing up the position of the shifter or something else like that....

you have 2 options by the looks of it. I am not sure how the TJ t-case shifter mounting plate is located but on my YJ it uses 2 of the 4 bolts from the tranny shifter, so in that case the t-case shifter also has to come off - not the best solution - see pic below








i removed the little rubber booth around the shifter lever and poured a little bit of tranny oil in there on top of the lever ball - it goes in, it is fairly slow but i think it's better that messing around the exaust pipes and crossmember plate - i am guessing it will take about 15 min to add the fluid but you'll still end up ahead - if your t-case shifter is not in the way i would remove the 4 bolts and pour the oil thru there. make sure you don't rotate the shifter plate around the shifter, that is the only way you can mess up, i didnt try to do it and see if it will fit but the position of the shifter would be different so i think in that case you will notice right away

the rest of the pics (you can see the oil coming thru on one of these when i poured it around the shifter lever

[Mozman68]

so, if I understand correctly, I can just remove the shift boot....peel up the rubber gasket at the top of the tower and use a funnel to pour the oil in that location and it will seep into the case??

Almost seems too easy....going to pull off the boot now and see what I've got....should be the same as what you have there....

[sharpxmen]

so, if I understand correctly, I can just remove the shift boot....peel up the rubber gasket at the top of the tower and use a funnel to pour the oil in that location and it will seep into the case??

Almost seems too easy....going to pull off the boot now and see what I've got....should be the same as what you have there....

yes, you are correct, the oil will sip around the shifter lever ball - there is an isolator booth as well under the one you can see in the cab as well that is bolted to the floor (at least on my YJ there is one).

[Mozman68]

Yep....had to pull out the driver's seat to gain access as my Tuffy console wouldn't lift up without it...not even sure if I'm going to be able to get that out without removing both seats.....

[aw12345]

It's a Keep thing Moz one thing always leads top another on these darn things.
Had to fix my muffler awhile back, this invilved taking the engine/transskid and bellyup off to even begin to remove it, then the bolts holding the front pipe to the manifold had to be broken off and so forth so a simple project turned into a day of wrenching

[Mozman68]

preach it, brother....I officially give up....started removing the passenger seat when I realized I would have to remove the exhaust just to get to the rear bolt near the center.

The price I pay for having a long arm setup...would have room to get up in there if the stinkin' arm on the passenger side wasn't there...oh well.

Gave me a chance to really clean out around the console...just putting everything back in now.   

[VA_YJ]

Moz,  I do mine from the bottom using an oil suction gun.  It's like a big syringe that holds about 2/3 of a quart.  Just keep squirting it in until the oil overflows out of the fill hole.

[VA_YJ]

Also, I realize you have the long arms to deal with.  I use a long 1/2" breaker bar to loosen the plug.  If you can get a wrench on it, you might be able to get something on the wrench (e.g., a pipe, a box end wrench) to get some leverage.  Another trick is to use something (e.g., a piece of wood, pipe) to put on the wrench and then hit with a mallet or hammer.

[sharpxmen]

preach it, brother....I officially give up....started removing the passenger seat when I realized I would have to remove the exhaust just to get to the rear bolt near the center.

The price I pay for having a long arm setup...would have room to get up in there if the stinkin' arm on the passenger side wasn't there...oh well.

Gave me a chance to really clean out around the console...just putting everything back in now.   

or you can make a cut in the floor booth (you only need a couple of inches wide to lift that rubber gasket or whatever it's called) and after you're done staple or stitch it back together, lot easier than removing the seats - you can also use a small pond liner repair strip from home depot or lowes to seal it back, they go for about $4, still cheaper than going under the jeep or taking out both seats (or some urethane sealer if in case you have some around, that would hold if you stitch it nicely).

[aw12345]

Realistically how often do you change oil.
Also lifting the body but not the axles the long arms might move out of the way enough to clear. Also you have a 2 piece skid plate should not be to hard to just remove the lower part

[Mozman68]

I'm not cutting into the floor....the seat would still be in the way.

I'll try jacking up the passenger side tomorrow and see if that helps.

[sharpxmen]

I'm not cutting into the floor....the seat would still be in the way.

I'll try jacking up the passenger side tomorrow and see if that helps.

i didn't suggest that (no metal cutting) - i thought you're past the top booth and you can't take out the lower one - i suggested to slice couple of inches in the lower rubber  booth since i will be covered by the top one, anyway nevermind the suggestion, good luck with it tomorrow.