Has anyone installed any of aftermarket deeper trans pans? Do they help with trans temp at all? Thanks.

 

I haven't installed a mag-hytec Pan, but I use their diff cover. They do make quality parts and has never leaked. Annual maintenance was reduced to 20 minutes.

Hope this helps.

Tony

 

Just having a drain plug might be worth the change. That pan is huge. Thanks.

 

That was my queastion to! I was looking at cooler trans temps and I decided to upgrade to a larger trany cooler instead. It's alot cheaper!!

While doing this I changed the trans filter and installed a drain plug. Did all this today but well worth the effort as the fluid was dirty and had a smell to it.

Aside from price, some more of the negitives with a larger pan is that you have to cut into the cross member to get at the back 2 bolts. Also, I'm not so sure that more fluid will keep the temps down. It's the cooler that does the cooling and if there is more fluid, then it will take longer to get to the cooler. There could be warrenty issues as well.

 

DXprowler

Did you just get a plug kit from a local auto parts store? Any leaks around the plug seat? I thought about doing the same thing.

 

I got the B&M plug kit from Summit and had it shipped with the B&M cooler. The plug is $6.50. You can get them at most parts stores.

No leaks, seals up well!

 

I have a 4R70W with 2WD and didn't have to cut into the cross member when I last changed my fluid. This may be a 4R100 or 4x4 problem(?)

Moreover, a deeper pan isn't going to help much with running temps. It mainly makes it take a little longer to get hot. (Note: this will actually hurt you in a cold climate) It helps a little by having more fluid to warm up, but a transmission cooler would be better for keeping temps down, especially if you don't have one stock.

As was previously mentioned, you can get an add-a-drain-plug kit cheap. I'd prefer a pan with one built in, but is it worth the extra $140? I haven't decided yet.

For more opinions, search for "deep AND pan" in the Transmissions forum.

 

Jeff, do you have a larger pan?

I have the 4R70W, with a 4x4, and I just changed my ATF. I have read on this board that you have to cut into the cross member to get access to the back 2 bolts,if you install a larger pan. I could definitly see this as I had to use a 1/4" drive, with a swivel, to get the back 2 bolts of the stock pan. Not much room there with the cross member.

As you said, maybe there's more room with the 2x4.

Ditto on your comments about more fluid.

 

No, I don't have a larger pan (yet). I haven't yet decided whether it's worth the extra $140. I think I'm going to get a drain plug kit next time I do a fluid change (probably before the end of the summer). My main concern is whether or not it will seal properly and not leak, but I haven't noticed anyone on this site who's had problems with them. If it does leak, then I'll spend the extra dough on an aftermarket pan.

I'll be adding the drain plug, doing a full flush, and using Red Line D4 ATF. Once I've done it I'll post a review, but I'm not really sure exactly when that'll be since the fluid's so expensive ($8/qt. + shipping).

Anyway, I didn't even need a swivel when I last changed the pan fluid. I used an extension and it barely cleared my cross-member. It was a tight fit, but it was flush against the bolt, so I wasn't afraid of stripping. I really think the difference is with the 4x4; the main difference between 4x4 and 2WD is the suspension / frame, and slight differences in the tranny. This would quite possibly affect mounting / positioning of the transmission in reference to the cross-member.

Just my best guess, but it would seem to make sense.

Jeff