Murphy's Law and a Tranny Filter/Fluid Change

[Jogasz28]

After finishing up our 3.4L top end work, we (my Son and I) started to replace the 4T60E filter as it had never been done (100K+ miles). I picked up a filter gasket kit and Dexron 3 fluid from N*P*. My Son dropped the pan, removed the old filter. We installed the new filter and used gasket sealer as an adhesive to hold the aftermarket gasket in place.
Murphy's first visit: After we torqued down the pan bolts, we started cleaning up from underneath the car. That's when i saw a small flat piece of metal with a V bent in it laying on the floor. I checked the book and sure enough, it was the spring clip that helps hold in the thermal element (still don't know what that does). Anyways, off comes the tranny pan again. I put the clip back in on it's 2 pins. We than put the pan back together...AGAIN.
Murphy's 2nd visit:We got the car back on the garage floor, I started to add fluid. After the 3rd quart,I asked my Son to look underneath the car for any leaks. He said DAD! I looked and tranny fluid is dripping from the pan edge. We dropped tha pan and cleaned everything up. I notice the "V" end of the gasket is bent a little, but it doesn't register why. We call it a night.
The next morning I get up early and use Ultra-Copper on the gasket. I'm doing the 156 "/LBS final torque when I see why that V end of the gasket was bent. As I tightened the bolts to final torque, the gasket would creep out from between the pan lip and tranny sealing surface at the V end. I tried loosening the bolts and pushing the gasket back in, holding it there while tightening the bolts, but it would always creep back out. I then went to my local dealer and paid $35 for an OEM gasket, which is much stiffer than the cheap aftermarket.
Murphy's 3rd visit: When I used the aftermarket gasket, it had no metal washers in the bolt holes, so the pan bolt holes bulged in when we tightened the pan. I used a 3/8" bolt, washers, & nut to tighten up and flatten all the pan bolt holes.
I put the OEM gasket on dry (like the book says), bolted it in and torqued to 156 "/LBS. Added fluid, no leaks.
I will NEVER buy an aftermarket tranny gasket again.
Yeah, I'm experienced at 4T60E pan/Filter changes

[bszopi]

Thermostatic element info: http://60degreev6.com/Articles/Trans...60e_thermo.gif

Yeah, as far as anything to do with the tranny, I have never had any luck. I think the first time I did it, I had to go back to the parts store twice because they kept giving me the wrong kit. And yes, aftermarket crap leaks. Next time I do it, I will probably either have someone else do it (and a complete flush as well), or get OEM parts.

[97cutlas$upreme]

yea workin at autozone youd be surprised how much of that crap gets returned... i used it on my cutlass but only used the filter the oem gasket was still good not one leak...

[El_Diablo]

never torque down a trans pan, its a sure way to get leaks and cause problems

first thing you wanna do is finger tighten the bolts and make sure they're all even, after that go ahead and start tightening them up and make atleast 2-3 passes around to do so.. this will allow the gasket to seat in firmly and trust me, you dont need 156ft.lbs. on the trans pan

[Jogasz28]

never torque down a trans pan, its a sure way to get leaks and cause problems

first thing you wanna do is finger tighten the bolts and make sure they're all even, after that go ahead and start tightening them up and make atleast 2-3 passes around to do so.. this will allow the gasket to seat in firmly and trust me, you dont need 156ft.lbs. on the trans pan

The book says 13 foot/pounds. ( which equals 156 "/lbs [inch/pounds])
I torqued them to 156 inch/pounds.
My large torque wrench only goes down to 20 foot/pounds., so I use my small torque wrench that reads in inch/lbs.
First cross tightened to snug,
second cross-tightnend to 75 "/lbs.,
third circular-tightened to 125 "/lbs.,
fourth circular-tightened to 156 "/lbs.

[IsaacHayes]

When I did mine, I re-used the OEM original gasket. Worked like a charm compared to the new one. Also I hand tightened the bolts, but had to go back and re-tighten them several times as they would loosen and leak.

I will use blue threadlocker next time.

Oh and the GM seal conditioner works miracles if you have trans issues.

[sharkey]

the 4t60e usualy has a reuseable pan gasket. these are identified by the 2 o-rings on each side of the gasket, and they have a steel core, so they are stiff. if you break or lose this gasket and cant get a replacment, use silicone on the pan, a regular cork gasket will leak.

cork gaskets are designed for pans with the small "valley" between the bolt holes. this allows the gasket to crush into it and this is what seals the pan. a cork gasket will not seal on a flat pan with a flat case. also, when using anything other than a factory reusable gasket, make sure you flatten the pan rail. what happens is the area around the boltholes tends to bend up, and when you tighten the pan up it leaves low spots between the holes were there isnt proper tention on the gasket, and this will cause leaks. by taking a hammer to the holes and pounding them down, this flattens the pan and you get even tension across the gasket.

[El_Diablo]

The book says 13 foot/pounds. ( which equals 156 "/lbs [inch/pounds])
I torqued them to 156 inch/pounds.
My large torque wrench only goes down to 20 foot/pounds., so I use my small torque wrench that reads in inch/lbs.
First cross tightened to snug,
second cross-tightnend to 75 "/lbs.,
third circular-tightened to 125 "/lbs.,
fourth circular-tightened to 156 "/lbs.

sorry, must have been out of it... as usual