Finally ready to install factory tech valve body and B&M tranny, but have a few questions, and fishing for a few tips/hints if anybody has any. When you installed the B&M pan did you use the new gasket or reuse the one the came on the truck. I don't know if I've been reading right on this forum but I thought I read that they are made of different materials, just making sure. Also, where and with what did you pucture the old pan and how deep is it safe to drive whatever it is you used, this worries me because i don't want to hit anything vital and F-up the transmission, but I also don't want to take a tranny fluid bath doing it the hard way.

Thanx in advance for the help ,
Bill

 

The deepest section of the pan is where you'd wanna punch a hole... I'd go with the far back corners of the deep section... it truly isn't too bad if you have a nice catch basin to just un bolt the stock one slowly and let down the back of it before you unbolt it and dump it... a 2nd pair of hands is also very useful...

the stock gasket is re-usable... my pan didn't even come with a gasket so I didn't have a choice in the matter. If your pan didn't come with a magnet around the drain hole, be sure you grab the magnet from the inside of the stock one and transfer it over!

Have your inch-pound torque wrench ready and have fun. It's really quite simple to do... just a bit messy if you aren't careful.

 

Reuse the existing gasket along with the existing filter or you could just go out and get a new filter($25) from auto zone or local parts place. Use an awl to punch the hole or a screw driver. Don't go too deep, maybe an inch or less. I never punched a hole in mine. It may come in useful for you if the truck is still under warranty.

 

Thanx for the replies guys, very helpful. Easterisland you said to use the existing fiter, I should do this even though the B&M pan comes with a new filter? Is it not the right one for us?
Thanx again for the help,
Bill

 

IF the pan came with a filter, I'd use the one it came with.

G

 

Use the new filter!

You should always put a new filter in when adding new fluid... otherwise you might contaminate your new fluid... that is, make it dirty from the start...

 

Thanx for the help guys, I appreciate all the help I canget.
Bill

 

Well, the instructions that came with my old B&M pan said to use the filter with the short pick up(the stock filter). Not the 4x4 filter which has the long pick up. I don't know why. The instructions said that if you wanted to use the existing filter and you have a 4x4 you need to cut off the extra pick up length.
I agree that you should probably change the filter every time you have the pan off.

 

I punched my pan. If you have a punch that continues to widen for the top 1/3rd of it's length, it's pretty hard to drive the punch too far. I think I only punched in like 1/8", that was enough to get the drain action going.