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Changing Tranny Oils
Jump Points: Notes, Tools Needed, Capacities, Transaxle, Transfer Case, Rear Differential, and Funnel Notes

Notes

These procedures will work for any Manual Transmission vehicles (FWD or AWD). The transaxle procedure is definetly void for auto-trannys, but I am not for sure about transfer case/differential procedures.

For you FWD guys, only the transaxle procedure is required. The AWD folks will want to look at the transfer case and differential procedures as well.

This procedure runs through changing the transaxle, transfer case, and differential oil on an AWD manual drive 1995 Talon. The plug positions are almost idential for all years/makes of T/E/Ls.

Tools Needed

17mm & 24mm sockets
Breaker Bar
Funnel (see Funnel Notes)
6 ft of hose (max 1/2" outer diameter)
3 qts of GL4 Gear Oil (i.e. Redline MT90)
1 qt of GL5 Gear Oil (i.e. Redline 75W90)
Drain pan

Capacities
Transaxle: 2.4 qrts
Transfer Case: 0.5 qrts
Differential: 0.9 qrts

 

Transaxle Procedure

  1. Park car on level ground
  2. Climb under car (don't jack up) and remove the filler plug (17mm), see picture. This plug can sometimes be a royal pain to get out. Be ready to have to use your breaker bar!
  3. Place catch pan under tranny and remove drain plug (24mm)
  4. When done draining, replace drain plug and remove catch pan
  5. From the passenger side of the radiator (to the right of the air can) you should be able to see down to the transaxle case. Run the hose down through there and into the filler hole. You can attach the funnel to the catch on the hood to hold it while you pour. After about 2.3 qrts, remove the hose and see if any oil leaks out of the filler plug hole. If none does add more oil, if some does wait till it doesn't leak anymore then replace the filler plug. See the top and bottom funnel set ups.
  6. Your done!

 

Transfer Case Procedure

  1. Jack the front of the car up to be able to get at the transfer case.
  2. Find the fill plug (17mm) and the drain plug (24mm).
  3. Place the pan under the drain plug and then remove the plug. Remove the fill plug.
  4. When  done draining replacethe drain plug
  5. Using a similar setup as to the Transaxle refill, fill the transfer case with the remaining GL4 gear oil (better be > 0.5 qrts).
  6. Remove the fill tube and let whatever excess drain out of the transfer case fill plug.
  7. When it quits, replace the fill plug

Differential Procedure

  1. Park car on level ground
  2. Climb under car (don't jack up) to be able to get at the differential and find the fill plug (24mm) and the drain plug (24mm), see picture
  3. Place the pan under the drain plug and then remove the plug. Remove the fill plug.
  4. When  done draining replace the drain plug
  5. Using a similar setup as to the Transaxle refill (see picture), fill the transfer case with the GL5 gear oil. We found that snaking the tube down through the passenger rear tire wheel well to the differential allows an easy path to filling the differential.
  6. Remove the fill tube and let whatever excess drain out of the transfer case fill plug.
  7. When it quits, replace the fill plug

Funnel Notes

The biggest problem is coming up with a hose/funnel. The filler hole is 1/2" in diameter, so your hose can't be any bigger than that. Don't go to an automotive store, because all the hose they have there usually has a large amount of insulation (i.e. 1/2" outside diameter fuel hose, has a 1/4" inner diameter). Go to a home store that has cheap plastic tubing (with a small amount of insulation) and get the a large diameter hose up to 1/2". Then find a funnel that will fit the hose you just bought and go to it!
 

Special Thanks

A special thanks to Mark Farmer for providing his '95 Talon AWD for photos used in this procedure.


Created 2/9/99.

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Copyright 1999, Brad Bauer