2006 Caravan Removed transmission pan, changed Filter

Denny B wrote:
> Dodge Caravan Year 2006 V6 3.3L Transmission 0il and
> Filter change
> Sat 5/9/09 6:35 AM
>
> Last Saturday May 2 / 2009
> Changed transmission oil, Filter, new Oil Pan with Drain Screw
> KM 89800.
>
> How I did Transmission oil and filter change:..........This was First
> time I removed Transmission Pan.
>
> Heat engine before draining transmission fluid.
> 1 ) Suctioned 4 liters of transmission fluid out through the dipstick
> check tube. I measured the amount I suctioned out, it was 4 liters
> I have a suction bottle I got at Lee Valley tools.
> I also measured the oil that remained in the pan that did not come out
> by suction and also came out of the Transmission Filter was 11/2 pints.
>
> 2 ) Jack up drivers side of vehicle......next time it might be a good
> idea to jack up both sides of front of vehicle.
> 3 ) Clean around transmission pan area. Next time good idea to go to
> car wash and wash around transmission pan area, kneel down get under
> vehicle with wand.
> 4 ) I removed all 14 bolts from transmission pan. ( p.s. size of
> transmission pan bolts M8 x 1.25 x M16 ),
> ( 1.25= metric way of determining number of threads ) Size of socket
> to remove pan bolts 10mm.
> After removing the 14 pan bolts, I inserted four, 8mm x 100mm long bolts
> in the four corners of pan, so the pan would not just fall and flop
> down, when I broke the RTV seal.
> 5 ) Break RTV seal transmission oil pan, front corner driver's side. (
> good idea to remove front driver's side tire) First I used the Mora
> knife ( use any knife ) to get some separation, between transmission pan
> and transmission body. Knock the knife in just to get the bare minimum
> separation. Then I inserted a beveled edged, rigid, putty knife into the
> slight separation. Knocked putty knife in along the edge and it very
> quickly broke the RTV gasket seal and the pan moved down on the four 8mm
> x 100mm corner bolts I installed to prevent the pan from just falling
> and flopping down. Remember even though I suctioned 4 liters of
> transmission oil out of pan you cannot suction ALL the oil out, about
> 11/2pints remained in pan. I had an adequate drain container under the
> transmission pan.
> I was surprised how much dirt there was inside the pan, there is also a
> magnet inside the oil pan and it was saturated with tiny metal filings.
> I installed two extra magnets inside the new transmission pan, making it
> three magnets.
> The thickness of the RTV seal between the pan and the transmission body
> is very thin. RTV on transmission body was less then a paper thin
> coating. Use a tooth brush size, steel brush, to brush this coating off,
> brushes off easily.
> There was no problem breaking the RTV seal and getting the transmission
> pan off. I thought much about this job and thought I would have much
> difficulty getting the transmission pan off. Truth is it was easy.
> Next time I will NOT first use Mora knife to get a slight gap between
> pan and transmission body, I will just use beveled edged putty knife
> first. Just work on one corner of the pan with the putty knife and a
> rubber hammer. Next time it should be easier with the front drivers side
> wheel off. However hammering the putty knife was no real problem.
> Separation of the pan came easy.
> Always remember to install the four 8mm x 100mm corner bolts, this
> prevents the transmission pan from just falling when the seal breaks.
> All the RTV seal broke for me at once. If I did not have the four corner
> bolts the pan would have fell. Remember oil remains in the pan.
> With one hand push the pan up and remove the four corner pan bolts, drop
> the pan and drain the remaining oil in the pan into your drain pan. As I
> mentioned about 11/2 pints remain in pan. Don't forget I suctioned out 4
> liters of oil at the beginning.
> Yes I know the 4 liters of transmission fluid I suctioned out is not the
> total amount of oil in the transmission, I have the two shop manuals.
> 6 ) After all the transmission oil is drained and the pan has been
> removed, it still drips transmission oil drops along the back of the
> transmission body edge ( car was tilted in that direction). It dripped
> all the time I worked on the transmission. No matter how much you wipe
> with a cloth the drops will not stop.
>
> 7 ) I did not have to remove the RTV seal from the original transmission
> pan, because I did not reinstall the original pan.
> I purchased a new transmission oil pan from a Chrysler dealer, about
> $35, then had a welder, weld me an oil drain fitting with drain screw
> to the oil pan, $20. Next time I change my transmission filter which I
> plan on doing once every year, I don't have to first suction 4 litres of
> oil out the transmission dipstick tube, I just remove the transmission
> pan oil screw, like I do with the engine oil drain screw and drain
> whichever oil.
>
> 8 ) Cleaned the new transmission pan rim, also the underside of the
> transmission rim surface with lacquer thinner. For a final clean
> I used the same final clean I use before spray painting a vehicle. The
> factory service manual recommends spreading 1/8 inch
> bead of ATF-RTV around pan edge surface including screw holes. This is
> what I did.
> ATF-RTV I used was what is recommended in the Chrysler service manual
> and purchased from a Chrysler / Dodge dealer.
> AFT-RTV transmission pan sealer........Part number / Description,
> 05010884-AA Sealer 01-081-003.....this is exactly what is on the
> Chrysler receipt. Cost was $ 7.94..........On the 3 oz. RTV tube is also
> MS-GF41B..............RTV colour is Black.
>
> 9 ) Inserted 3 magnets in pan.......originally there was only one. Two
> were Chrysler dealer original magnets, third was a more
> powerful Lee Valley Magnet.
>
> 10 ) Inserted new transmission filter with rubber gasket.
>
> 11 ) Transmission pan was now ready to be installed about 10/ 15 minutes
> after I spread bead of RTV around pan edge.
> First I again inserted four 8mm x 100mm bolts in transmission edge
> holes, however these bolts I cut the heads off and where I cut the heads
> off, on a grinder I ground a point on the bolts, so when the bolts were
> inserted into the transmission body, it would be easy to guide the
> transmission pan onto the bolts. I pushed the pan up onto the bolts,
> slid the pan up a little, then wiped for the last time the slight drops
> of transmission fluid that accumulates on the back edge of the
> transmission body, then finally pushed the pan with the TRV sealer, all
> the way up to contact the transmission underside, With one hand pressing
> the transmission pan against the underside inserted the pan screws, not
> forgetting to remove the 8mm x 100mm guide bolts and insert pan screws.
> You must also spread RTV sealer on the underside of the transmission pan
> bolts, as per service manual. This I did.
> Spread RTV on underside of all 14 pan bolts while both of your hands are
> still free, before you start pushing pan with RTV up onto transmission.
>
> 12 ) Transmission pan bolts must be Torqued to 165 in / lbs.....which
> equals 165 divided by 12, which =13.75 ft / lbs.
> I torqued the pan in three increments, 50 in / lbs, then 100 in / lbs,
> then 165 in / lbs.
>
> I filled with the same amount of Mopar ATF 4 fluid I drained and removed
> from transmission pan.
>
>
> THE END
>
> Today it is one week since I did the above job, not one drop of
> transmission fluid has leaked, no indication of any transmission
> problem. I have checked twice a day for oil leaks, in the morning when I
> go to work and after work. Great to know I now have a
> Transmission Drain Plug.
>
> Denny B
>
>
>
I suspect that a lot of failures result from leakage here - in perhaps
250,000 miles of various Caravans, have had two RTV failures and one
giant O-ring failure (giant failure on giant O-ring). If one doesn't
check often, and parks in a place that isn't spic and span, leakage
will never be noticed until overheating takes place.