If You’re Really Going to Service 8HP70 Trans on Your Driveway ...

[Wild one]

I know is an older thread but one question for the OP, did you run the transmission up to temp before doing the initial drain of the old fluid? some say do it after setting when all fluid has ran out of transmission, others say do when warm so to remove any suspended solids with old fluid.
just received the PPE pan I ordered and am going to do this soon.

I usually start the change by draining the tranny when i park it,then let it sit overnight with the drain plug just slightly reinstalled on my PPE pan.Then pull the plug again in the morning before dropping the pan to swap out the filter.I'd do roughly the same thing with the stock pan if you can,drain as much fluid out while it's warm,then let it sit overnight and then pull the pan in the morning. Anything suspended will go out in the hot drain,and then whatevers left to drain will drip down into the pan overnight.Start the level checking procedure with a cold or at very least cooled off transmission,as by the time you get through the level checking procedure,the transmission will be getting close to the 122F max temp for the level check

 

[MRFREEZE57]

I usually start the change by draining the tranny when i park it,then let it sit overnight with the drain plug just slightly reinstalled on my PPE pan.Then pull the plug again in the morning before dropping the pan to swap out the filter.I'd do roughly the same thing with the stock pan if you can,drain as much fluid out while it's warm,then let it sit overnight and then pull the pan in the morning. Anything suspended will go out in the hot drain,and then whatevers left to drain will drip down into the pan overnight.Start the level checking procedure with a cold or at very least cooled off transmission,as by the time you get through the level checking procedure,the transmission will be getting close to the 122F max temp for the level check

that sounds like a good idea. I raised the rear again, had to go up about a foot, guess my eyes are not the best level so got under with a tape measure and checked the front and rear of the surface and it was pretty level. have 5 gallons or redline D6 and the PPE pan and gasket arrived today so may do it in the next couple weeks. am planning on doing another drain and fill about 500 miles later to get a good fluid exchange as the PPE pan drain plug is not right under the exhaust like on the plastic pan. that should be easier as can measure the amount drained and fill it with the same amount.

 

[EdGs]

Getting set to order parts for mine. Looks like I'll be doing this around Christmas time.

Thank you to Funkychateau for the excellent thread, Wild one for the repost of the instructions, and to all who added their knowledge and wisdom here.

It is your knowledge that gives newer Ram owners like me the confidence to get this stuff done right.

 

[Wild one]

that sounds like a good idea. I raised the rear again, had to go up about a foot, guess my eyes are not the best level so got under with a tape measure and checked the front and rear of the surface and it was pretty level. have 5 gallons or redline D6 and the PPE pan and gasket arrived today so may do it in the next couple weeks. am planning on doing another drain and fill about 500 miles later to get a good fluid exchange as the PPE pan drain plug is not right under the exhaust like on the plastic pan. that should be easier as can measure the amount drained and fill it with the same amount.

I just use a small bubble level on the pan rails once the pan is off to make sure the pan rails are level front to back and side to side

 

[TheEnder]

How much would it cost to get this done at a dealer?


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[Wild one]

How much would it cost to get this done at a dealer?


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I've never asked,figuring if i can't do a simple tranny fluid swap myself,i better quit,lol.

 

[Burla]

Gears, using scan tool to gauge health of zf8 clutch packs, thus justifying a fluid change or not. Mind you this is to talk customers into paying $$ for a flush, but something to consider.

 

[EdGs]

How much would it cost to get this done at a dealer?

I tried calling (twice) one of my local ram dealers to get a ballpark price/schedule mine. Never called me back. So time to DIY for me.

Wouldn't surprise me at all if it was north of $800

Pan is $259, fluid $26/qt. Bet they would charge you for a full nine too, whethere or not they actually used that much

 

[Burla]

In the end it gets cool, cooler bypass valve can screw up level checks, lol. That bypass looks identical to the rfe ones, which we know causes pressure issues and blockages. Do the Rams have that??

 

[Burla]

I've never asked,figuring if i can't do a simple tranny fluid swap myself,i better quit,lol.

Wildman Do you have the thermo bypass valve as well? 14:30 mark on vid.

 

[Wild one]

Wildman Do you have the thermo bypass valve as well? 14:30 mark on vid.

That's an old video,all the 8 speeds have a thermostat,but if you don't disconnect the lines to the cooler it doesn't drain on a fluid swap.But if you do blow up the tranny,i do reconmend flushing the cooler and heater assembly. When my 8 speed went south,i bought a ****load of ZF fluid then disconnected the cooler lines and flushed and back flushed the cooler itself several times and the disconnected lines with ZF fluid and also flushed the hell out of the heater assembly .After i put the new tranny in,i drove the truck till the tranny was up to 185,then did another pan drop / filter swap and refilled it it again with new fluid,just to make sure i had everything flushed out of the cooler. I bought every quart of ZF fluid the local dealer had in stock,and quit counting when the fluid bill was over a $1,000.00,lol. In hindsight it probably would of been almost as cheap to buy a new A/C condensor,but then i would of had to have had the 1234 gold plated A/C refirgerant evacuted and re-installed,which at the time would of meant a trip to the dealer for that high priced service,as nobody local to me was set-up to handle the 1234 refirgerant yet,and i would of still drove it till it was warmed up,and did another pan drop,as i wouldn't trust the new condensor/cooler to be clean even being new.

 

[Burla]

damn, for just the fluid?

 

[EdGs]

.......When my 8 speed went south,i bought a ****load of ZF fluid then disconnected the cooler lines and flushed and back flushed the cooler itself several times and the disconnected lines with ZF fluid and also flushed the hell out of the heater assembly......I bought every quart of ZF fluid the local dealer had in stock,and quit counting when the fluid bill was over a $1,000.00,lol.

Holy transmission fluid, Batman!

 

[Wild one]

Holy transmission fluid, Batman!

Tranny went south at the dragstrip,but it made the 150 mile trip home from the dragstrip that night with-out 5th/6th/7th or 8th,so i knew the cooler would need to be flushed "alot" lol.Biggest issue was it took 10 days for the brand new transmission to come out of Michigan to Alberta,so the truck sat on the driveway 3ft in the air for close to 2 weeks without a transmission in it,lol.If i'd put a factory reman tranny in it,i could of had it the next day,but i wanted a "brand new" 8 speed,and there was only 1 in the system at the time,and it was in Michigan,aarrgghh,lol

 

[Pull Ya]

I see one of two things happening as a result of this thread. We're either going to help people enough to give them the confidence to tackle this job at home or, we're going to scare the **** out of them and reinforce their idea that there ain't no way they want to do this project. Good luck either way and thanks to everyone for the input and information!!!!!!!
Jay

 

[TheEnder]

I tried calling (twice) one of my local ram dealers to get a ballpark price/schedule mine. Never called me back. So time to DIY for me.

Wouldn't surprise me at all if it was north of $800

Pan is $259, fluid $26/qt. Bet they would charge you for a full nine too, whethere or not they actually used that much

I heard someone say it was near 4K...


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[Wild one]

I heard someone say it was near 4K...


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That would have to include a new transmission for 4K,as new transmissions come pre-filled with fluid,lol

 

[crackerjack1957]

Add about 10k more to replace a 6-speed.........lol

 

[EdGs]

I see one of two things happening as a result of this thread. We're either going to help people enough to give them the confidence to tackle this job at home or, we're going to scare the **** out of them and reinforce their idea that there ain't no way they want to do this project. Good luck either way and thanks to everyone for the input and information!!!!!!!
Jay

Kinda does scare the **** outta me, because I don't want to eff it up, but the fear will force me to be extra careful and get it right.

 

[Wild one]

Kinda does scare the **** outta me, because I don't want to eff it up, but the fear will force me to be extra careful and get it right.

It's not hard to do Ed,it seems a bit intimidating on paper,but it's actually easier then you think. All you do is follow the couple steps of going through the gears after filling it till fluid comes out the drain hole,then double check the level afterwards.