98 Monte Carlo torque convertor plug?

98 Monte Carlo
Is there a drain plug on the torque convertor?

 

Highly doubtful. You're trying to accomplish a total system drain?

 

if you indeed are trying to accomplish full fluid swap with flush, you can do this:

i, personally, do total fluid replacement with flush. you need to determine how much TOTAL capacity is your trannie. you can drain only about 3rd or 4th of it during regular drain. so, i buy enough fluid to replace all the volume. then determine how much is one drain. say, total volume is 12 and drain is 4. so, i drain, refill with 4, drive for about 15 miles, drain, refill with 4, drive for about 15 miles, drain, refill with 4. thus, you have drained ALL of the ATF, and flushed trannie at the same time, while driving.


hope you have drain plug. some domestics don't.

 

OK, suppose a person did it that way except not replace the 4 qts. Wouldn't the front pump refill the transmission oil pan in about 30 seconds? Would fluid be pumped out of the converter eventually?

 

The other way is to disconnect a cooler line at the radiator and simply let the tranny pump it out. Can be a little messy and you have to remove the "in" line and not the "out" line. Also have to ensure you kill the engine as soon as there's no flow (no more fluid lubricating the tranny).

FWIW I don't subscribe to any kind of tranny flushing or messing around with complete fluid replacement. IMHO it's a lot of extra work and fluid to dispose of for very little, if any, long range benefits. I do the fluid in wife's car every 25k miles and I expect the tranny to outlive the rest of the car. My wrecker gets fluid every 10k and filter every other fluid change; the last tranny went 280k miles I think.

 

"The other way is to disconnect a cooler line at the radiator and simply let the tranny pump it out. Can be a little messy and you have to remove the "in" line and not the "out" line. Also have to ensure you kill the engine as soon as there's no flow (no more fluid lubricating the tranny)."

This approach could be dangerous - consult a transmission specialist before you try this. Some transmissions have the lube circuit plumbed into the cooler return line (Chrysler Torqueflites for one).

- Joe

 

for everyone's info, method that i described is not my invention, it was in print in mitsubishi galant factory manual.
though it might look time consuming on the surface, it is cheaper than to do it at the shop. for my silverado, eg, i was quoted $470 to do "flush" and filter. filter kit is $40 OEM.

supporting uncle's post, i have heard MANY concerns about flushing transmissions, esp when cleaning additives are added. consensus is not to do it on well used trannies, as it removes sediments that work as "seals" for tiny cracks or pinholes, then trannies have blown seals and start leaking.

with mitsubishi protocol, you are not removing anything or otherwise disrupting "the natural way of actions" in trannies, simply replacing all of the fluid in normal working way, and getting it out of small holes and tight spaces that regular drain will not do. but yes, it is time consuming, gas consuming, and takes about an hour to do. but it is my personal preference.

 

Project all done.
I didn't know I would drain 7-8 quarts just by removing the pan. That's close enough to a full fluid change for me.
Also, I found a NAPA gasket (rubber coated steel) for 1/3 the cost of the dealer gasket. Parts Mgr said he can't get a less expensive gasket from GM.
Thanks. SteveS

 

Wow, that's a lot of fluid to come out of just a pan drop. Even 6 quarts would have been a lot; must be just the way it is engineered.