Rico1111
Well-Known Member
DER ....after typing all that I clicked on your pic and saw the fill plug with letters stamped on casing oil fill!!!!! I wear glasses and I either need new ones or have to buy an actual work light!
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This one. And it’s labeled lol. Driver sideQuestion for the OP ....I crawled under mine today and easily found the drain plug ..but was at a loss finding the fill plug! I have the manual also and have had some drips out of the drain plug ......crawled under today to drain and fill and put some permatex on drain bolt but for the life of me could not figure out which was the fill plug. There was a bolt with not much grab on the drivers side of case but was not sure if this was fill hole so I abandoned my task to find a schematic online to give me the exact location. I'm sure it is stupid simple but at 59 crawling around under the jeep with my iphone light seemed pretty stupid. I did find a vid of a guy changing his JK'S but it was totally different.
picture of it a few posts upQuestion for the OP ....I crawled under mine today and easily found the drain plug ..but was at a loss finding the fill plug! I have the manual also and have had some drips out of the drain plug ......crawled under today to drain and fill and put some permatex on drain bolt but for the life of me could not figure out which was the fill plug. There was a bolt with not much grab on the drivers side of case but was not sure if this was fill hole so I abandoned my task to find a schematic online to give me the exact location. I'm sure it is stupid simple but at 59 crawling around under the jeep with my iphone light seemed pretty stupid. I did find a vid of a guy changing his JK'S but it was totally different.
Lol, I just turned 52, so I can start blaming this kind of shit on my age and get away with it! Of course, it happened just as much when I was 22.DER ....after typing all that I clicked on your pic and saw the fill plug with letters stamped on casing oil fill!!!!! I wear glasses and I either need new ones or have to buy an actual work light!
Wait til you are 67...I can't touch my toes without bending the floor.Lol, I just turned 52, so I can start blaming this kind of shit on my age and get away with it! Of course, it happened just as much when I was 22.
Is it at all possible to use a funnel and tubing from above through the engine compartment to fill?I changed the manual transmission fluid today, at 20,148 miles. It was quick and easy and not too messy. Just make sure you don't lose the little metal washer/gasket on the drain plug. Mine fell off and I discovered it after I had filled it up with new fluid, so I had to fix that quickly while trying to lose as little of the new fluid as possible. I wound up losing 3/4 of a quart. Oh well, ATF+4 is cheap. I went with NAPA synthetic ATF+4, which is Valvoline. It is a fair deal at $7 a quart. It took very slightly over 2 quarts.
I then changed the T-case fluid. That is quite a bit messier because of the skid plate and because the fluid shoots waaay out from the drain hole. I used some Castrol left over from my JK T-case change last September and Valvoline ATF+4 for this.
Note: The Napa is Valvoline bottled for NAPA. It is maybe 70 or 80 cents cheaper per quart than the Valvoline branded bottles at Walmart. The T-case took very close to 2 quarts. All ATF+4 is essentially the same, anyway, so I'm not super picky. I've run Castrol and even Autozone brand before in other vehicles and the all are fine.
I typically change tranny, T-case, and diff fluids every 25-30k miles. I like doing the first one a little before that to get break in crap out of it.
Here is the transmission from the driver's side. The front of the Jeep is to the left. You'll need a bottle pump with a tube to reach the fill hole. The drain hole goes straight down and barely touches a brace nearly under it, so it is a much cleaner drain process than the JK's NSG370, which drains right on top of the exhaust pipe and requires an improvised tool to get it loose. The Aisin in the JL is a straight shot with a 24mm socket.
Here is the transmission drain plug. The magnet has trapped a fair amount of metal shavings. (Normal and about what I expected for the break-in period and 20k miles.) The pic after that is the plug all cleaned up.
Napa ATF+4. It says right on the back that it is made by Valvoline. No secret there. Valvoline makes most, if not all of Napa brand oil, gear lube, and transmission fluids. Good stuff.
Not sure, but it really isn't that hard to get to. It may be too far back to access from the top and the tube/hose would have to be pretty long. The pump is an easy way to go. I wish someone made ATF+4 in a squeeze bag like amsoil does with their gear lube. That'd be ideal.Is it at all possible to use a funnel and tubing from above through the engine compartment to fill?
Dating myself here, but I remember when I had my 1988 Ford Mustang GT manual transmission fluid changed by a local lube place, and freaked out when the guy asked for the ATF gun to add the fluid. I stopped them and they were sure it was the correct fluid to add. I left there and called Ford ASAP from the nearest pay phone to confirm.I thought it was weird too that we use atf-4. After some searching, so have other manufactures in the past. Some have used motor oil as well.
Sorta weird but it works
Lol, yeah, I had heard of some manuals using ATF, as well, but never one that I owned. I was used to Synchromesh that my JK's NSG370 uses, which is much thicker than ATF+4 and is similar to other manual transmission gear lubes I've used in the past.Dating myself here, but I remember when I had my 1988 Ford Mustang GT manual transmission fluid changed by a local lube place, and freaked out when the guy asked for the ATF gun to add the fluid. I stopped them and they were sure it was the correct fluid to add. I left there and called Ford ASAP from the nearest pay phone to confirm.
Lol, you saw that barn door open wide, didn't you? I may give it a try next time around, if not ridiculously expensive and if it has all the certifications. No, I don't want to join Amsoil's club to get a better price (pay for a discount) and no, them just saying it meets or exceeds isn't enough. It has to be certified."I wish someone made ATF+4 in a squeeze bag like amsoil does with their gear lube. That'd be ideal. "
AMSOIL offers their ATF +4 in a squeeze bag https://amsoilcontent.com/ams/lit/databulletins/g3110.pdf/?zo=1181889