Transmission pan and fluid change questions

HangmanNY · Jun 15, 2022

Are there any links or videos showing how the oil heater thermostat is removed?

Wild one · Jun 15, 2022

HangmanNY said:
Are there any links or videos showing how the oil heater thermostat is removed?

Somewhere in either of these threads,i'm pretty sure you'll find the info you want.

8hp70 heater bypass

Starting this thread to consolidate some information that we've been discussing (https://www.ramforum.com/threads/revmax-8-speed-thermostat-bypass.171776/unread) on the topic of keeping the 8hp70 cooler than stock. Here you'll see the thermostat assembly broken down into its individual...

www.ramforum.com

RevMax 8 speed thermostat bypass

I know there's a few guys running Rev Max's bypass.How do you like it,and was it very difficult to install? 2014-2020 Dodge Ram 8HP70, 8HP75 Transmission Cooler Thermostat Bypass | Revmax Converters

www.ramforum.com

HangmanNY · Jun 17, 2022

I have a small problem now. I was getting ready to do the third drain and fluid refill on the 8hp70 transmission

Although I followed the torque pattern exactly to the instructions from PPE I noticed a tiny leak around the rear edge of the pan bolts . I got out my 1/4 inch torque wrench and set it at 9 foot pounds. PPE said between eight and 10 foot pounds. So I had it set at 110 inch pounds.

I snapped one of the bolts! The remaining part of the bolt is sticking out about an 1/8” inch above the surface of the transmission. I forgot the fact that when a bolt has oil on it changes the torque.

I called a couple of local dodge dealers in the area and they don’t have it in stock.

I just don’t feel comfortable trying to extract that bolt. Although it looks like it’s sticking out about 1/8 inch. We are down in Florida now and I called several garages. A transmission shop gave me an appointment for Wednesday. I ordered a full set of Mopar bolts from CarID. They are arriving tomorrow.

Is there any reasonable explanation why I had a very tiny leak around a bolt (or two because I wasn’t sure which one was the source of the problem). I followed the torque pattern exactly. And it’s a brand new Fel-Pro gasket. I made sure that it was in the PPE pan channel completely.

HangmanNY · Jun 17, 2022

EdGs · Jun 17, 2022

Not sure why you had a leak, but if your torque wrench is a cheapie, that could be part of the issue.

My 1/4 " drive click-type torque wrench is a cheapie, and even though it seemed to do the job ok, I was scared using it. Very easy to over-torque if you don't hear the click (and my hearing sucks). A while back, I broke a valve cover bolt on my '02 Ram. Luckily, it was near the front, and I was able to drill and extract it.

Mind you, I used an OE pan on my '15, and I torqued the pan bolts in steps. First ~ 50 in-lbs, then 70 in-lbs, then 88 in-lbs.

I always check my torque wrenches to see if they feel ok and click as they should before use, and set them at the minimum torque when I am done using them.

I'm sure you will get it sorted out.

Wild one · Jun 17, 2022

HangmanNY said:
I have a small problem now. I was getting ready to do the third drain and fluid refill on the 8hp70 transmission

Although I followed the torque pattern exactly to the instructions from PPE I noticed a tiny leak around the rear edge of the pan bolts . I got out my 1/4 inch torque wrench and set it at 9 foot pounds. PPE said between eight and 10 foot pounds. So I had it set at 110 inch pounds.

I snapped one of the bolts! The remaining part of the bolt is sticking out about an 1/8” inch above the surface of the transmission. I forgot the fact that when a bolt has oil on it changes the torque.

I called a couple of local dodge dealers in the area and they don’t have it in stock.

I just don’t feel comfortable trying to extract that bolt. Although it looks like it’s sticking out about 1/8 inch. We are down in Florida now and I called several garages. A transmission shop gave me an appointment for Wednesday. I ordered a full set of Mopar bolts from CarID. They are arriving tomorrow.

Is there any reasonable explanation why I had a very tiny leak around a bolt (or two because I wasn’t sure which one was the source of the problem). I followed the torque pattern exactly. And it’s a brand new Fel-Pro gasket. I made sure that it was in the PPE pan channel completely.

1/4" rachet is all i've ever used,hand tighten them with a 1/4" nut driver,then just past snug with a small 1/4" rachet. You're inch pound torque wrench must be out if you broke a bolt,as they'll take alot more then 10lb-ft before they break,unless you had a defective bolt,but i highly doubt you had a bad bolt. I also spray the holes with brake clean,then blow them out with an air compressor

EdGs · Jun 17, 2022

Do the PPE pans come with new bolts?

The OE pan I used on my '15 had new gasket, bolts, and fill plug with it.

HangmanNY · Jun 17, 2022

I have a friend who is also a DIY mechanic. Over the years he has recommended some really good tools to me. One of these pliers is made by a Japanese company called “engineer”. The pliers are called “ Neji-saurus”.
They are specifically designed to remove stripped screws of various types. I drained the pan a little while ago and removed all of the other bolts. By the way I was able to get the pan out this time without loosening the mounting bolts!

There was about 3/16” of bolt sticking out. With these pliers all you need to get is just a little bite on it and out it comes!

I don’t know if any of you guys have these pliers but they are absolutely amazing’

HangmanNY · Jun 17, 2022

Engineer Neji-saurus RX. Model PZ59

HEMIMANN · Jun 17, 2022

Even as an old fart, my forearms aren't calibrated in inch-pounds.

Those tiny screws s*p*o*o*k* me.

HangmanNY · Jun 17, 2022

I have three torque wrenches. All from harbor freight. 1/2 inch & 3/8” are the Icon brand. They don’t have a 1/4” torque wrench, only the Pittsburgh brand. That’s what I used. I don’t like this thing and it’s going back. It has a dial on the bottom which is supposed to lock the setting in place. It tends to move a little bit

A friend of mine told me to get a CDI torque wrench. It’s already been ordered and should be here Sunday

HEMIMANN · Jun 17, 2022

HangmanNY said:
I have three torque wrenches. All from harbor freight. 1/2 inch & 3/8” are the Icon brand. They don’t have a 1/4” torque wrench, only the Pittsburgh brand. That’s what I used. I don’t like this thing and it’s going back. It has a dial on the bottom which is supposed to lock the setting in place. It tends to move a little bit

A friend of mine told me to get a CDI torque wrench. It’s already been ordered and should be here Sunday

Unless they've also joined the international race to the bottom, you'll love it. You'll wonder how it's not a Snap-On. Well, the head IS a Snap-On. The handle is farmed out. At least that's what the info sheet said when I bought mine.

HangmanNY · Jun 17, 2022

Let me ask a hypothetical question. Is it normal protocol to use a new set of transmission pan bolts when changing the pan or servicing the filter?

Because when I took the original pan bolts out some of them had a little bit of corrosion. I put them on the bench grinder wire wheel and cleaned them up. Then I hit them with brake cleaner.

I didn’t think to clean out the holes in the transmission. I just went under the truck and cleaned those all out with brake cleaner.

I have a new set of bolts which should arrive tomorrow. So when the new CDI torque wrench arrives on Sunday I will put it all back together

I had done a second drain and fill with the Valvoline max life. When I drained the pan today the fluid looked like it was getting much more “red” (purer).

I also ordered another new gasket from Napa auto parts locally. That will come in tomorrow afternoon. So when I put this thing back together on Sunday I will fill it up again. And that will be it for this service.

How often are you guys changing the fluid in the ZF 8hp70? 30,000 miles? 40,000 miles? Or more?

I already have spare filters for the PPE pan for the next time.

Wild one · Jun 17, 2022

HangmanNY said:
Let me ask a hypothetical question. Is it normal protocol to use a new set of transmission pan bolts when changing the pan or servicing the filter?

Because when I took the original pan bolts out some of them had a little bit of corrosion. I put them on the bench grinder wire wheel and cleaned them up. Then I hit them with brake cleaner.

I didn’t think to clean out the holes in the transmission. I just went under the truck and cleaned those all out with brake cleaner.

I have a new set of bolts which should arrive tomorrow. So when the new CDI torque wrench arrives on Sunday I will put it all back together

I had done a second drain and fill with the Valvoline max life. When I drained the pan today the fluid looked like it was getting much more “red” (purer).

I also ordered another new gasket from Napa auto parts locally. That will come in tomorrow afternoon. So when I put this thing back together on Sunday I will fill it up again. And that will be it for this service.

How often are you guys changing the fluid in the ZF 8hp70? 30,000 miles? 40,000 miles? Or more?

I already have spare filters for the PPE pan for the next time.

ZF says between 50,000 and 80,000 miles or 8 years .So you're probably good for another 50,000 or more miles before you need to do it again. I change mine yearly,but i also beat the living hell out of my transmission at the dragstrip weekly,and my truck puts down 572 lb-ft at the wheels,so the transmission see's it's fair share of s**** and abuse. I already had to replace (1) 8 speed on my dime,so i figure it's easier to bite off the fluid change yearly,then buy another 8 speed

EdGs · Jun 17, 2022

@HangmanNY , glad you got the stub out. I know that is a relief.

Sounds like you are doing great with the drain and fills. I think you will be good to go with the new bolts.

Those pliers look cool. Pretty much like linesman pilers, with a twist on the jaw design. Neat

HangmanNY · Jun 17, 2022

Wild one said:
ZF says between 50,000 and 80,000 miles or 8 years .So you're probably good for another 50,000 or more miles before you need to do it again. I change mine yearly,but i also beat the living hell out of my transmission at the dragstrip weekly,and my truck puts down 572 lb-ft at the wheels,so the transmission see's it's fair share of s**** and abuse. I already had to replace (1) 8 speed on my dime,so i figure it's easier to bite off the fluid change yearly,then buy another 8 speed

Which fluid are you using?

I used the Valvoline MaxLife after reading numerous reviews and watching videos online.

HangmanNY · Jun 17, 2022

EdGs said:
@HangmanNY , glad you got the stub out. I know that is a relief.

Sounds like you are doing great with the drain and fills. I think you will be good to go with the new bolts.

Those pliers look cool. Pretty much like linesman pilers, with a twist on the jaw design. Neat

I have been buying a lot of tools bit by bit for the past few years, including a lot of Knipex pliers. Those Japanese pliers have a specific purpose and they are worth their weight in gold when that situation arises.

The company is called “Engineer” . Those pliers are called “Neji-saurus RX” (model PZ59).

You can find videos of them online. There are no other pliers like them. All they need is to just have a little bit of bite on any stripped screw or bolt. And they will extract them!

Wild one · Jun 17, 2022

HangmanNY said:
Which fluid are you using?

I used the Valvoline MaxLife after reading numerous reviews and watching videos online.

I get a good deal from my local dealer,so i use the ZF 8/9 speed fluid from them.

HangmanNY · Jun 21, 2022

I received the new 1/4” CDI torque wrench a couple days ago. I also bought another new gasket for the PPE transmission pan. I’m waiting for a new set of pan bolts which should arrive tomorrow

I know the old torque wrench was the problem. However the spacers were flush with the gasket side of the pan when I started the last time. I just removed the last Felpro gasket and noticed that the spacers were now almost 1/8” above the surface with the gasket. I put it in a wooden vise and lighted tapped them back in with a punch and hammer.

However the original Mopar spacers are almost 1/8” longer than the thickness of the PPE pan. Is this normally an “issue” when the bolts get torqued? The specs are between 8 ft. lbs & 10 ft. lbs. I plan on doing them at 108 inch pounds (9 ft. lbs.).

I had contacted PPE last week and told them they should include the spacers in their aluminum transmission pans. Does any other supplier out there sell “spacers” for these PPE pans? Or am I overthinking it?

Thanks for any helpful advice!

Wild one · Jun 21, 2022

HangmanNY said:
I received the new 1/4” CDI torque wrench a couple days ago. I also bought another new gasket for the PPE transmission pan. I’m waiting for a new set of pan bolts which should arrive tomorrow

I know the old torque wrench was the problem. However the spacers were flush with the gasket side of the pan when I started the last time. I just removed the last Felpro gasket and noticed that the spacers were now almost 1/8” above the surface with the gasket. I put it in a wooden vise and lighted tapped them back in with a punch and hammer.

However the original Mopar spacers are almost 1/8” longer than the thickness of the PPE pan. Is this normally an “issue” when the bolts get torqued? The specs are between 8 ft. lbs & 10 ft. lbs. I plan on doing them at 108 inch pounds (9 ft. lbs.).

I had contacted PPE last week and told them they should include the spacers in their aluminum transmission pans. Does any other supplier out there sell “spacers” for these PPE pans? Or am I overthinking it?

Thanks for any helpful advice!

Over thinking it,i never used the spacers,and just lightly hand torque the pan bolts,i've never had any issues with leaks,and i dare say i highly doubt many guys on here have had their PPE pan on and off as many times as i have.

Transmission pan and fluid change questions

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