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I'll have to edit the "how to" to indicate the issue with dropping the pan. When you don't drop the pan there is still some fluid available for the transmission to pressurize the system allowing you to run through the gears, otherwise it's just sucking air. Do as Bart says and once the pan is back on with a bit of fluid in it then you can continue. It's not absolutely critical to get every last ounce out of the system, especially if you're using Mobil-1.
As for the bolts, I believe those are "security plugs" that some places like Jiffy Lube use to keep you coming back and/or prevent you from doing it yourself. A local mechanic friend was cursing up a storm one day when I stopped to visit and he couldn't find the specific tool for these plugs as he had one on the lift. Apparently they're not terribly common as people like my mechanic friend tend to beat the crap out of the installers when they can find them! :rolleyes: Take a picture to your local NAPA and they should have a tool on the wall to fit.
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ok, yes I feel like an idiot now
I implied by reading Joe Black's article that I could run through the gears w/o the pans simply b/c in his article you could run through the gears w/o the drain plug or I guess the little hoses up near the radiator unhooked.
I will happily reinstall the pans and continue the process. I still need to get those dang bolts out of the main pan though. I took them by Advance and Autozone and a tranny shop. None of them knew what the heck they were. I'm perfectly willing to have someone drill the miserable things out and put "normal" bolts in.
Thanks for the info from everyone!!
Joe "amateur mechanic" Isuzu
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project complete, no issues thus far (fingers crossed), had to pay a mechanic to get the bolts out, I spat on them when they were out (j/k)
I'm so relieved that I won't have to deal with that crap the next time I do this job.
Also, just like the first time you do a brake job and learn your way around it, the next time I do a tranny job it should be like half the time! Thanks to all who tried to help on this
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WAY TO GO JOE!!!:)
This should last you a long time (err......... forever, hopefully)...unless you drive your VX in EXtreme conditions. i.e. towing, racing, or overheat your transmission fluid(as indicated by the warning indicator light on the dash) you shouldn't have to do this again. EVER!
Hope you r&r'ed with synthetic atf. More expensive but a good idea....
BTW even Isuzu does not recommend changing the atf if the transmission is asymtomatic.
Also, suggest you throw a piece of flat cardboard or newspaper underneath the car at night for awhile to check for transmission leaks over the next few days. It's not uncommon to see some people over torque these pan bolts and "pinch" the pan gasket and it will leak, ever so slightly, around one of the pan bolts. Visually, check it over the next few weeks. There is "0" tolerance for leaks on this tranny. If a leak is detected around the pans, just replace the pan gasket....it should be installed, "dry" (no gooey stuff!) also make sure there are no remnant's of the old gasket on the case or the pan. When or if you do replace it in the future.
John
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thanks for the support John, the prior gaskets for the tranny pan and the electronic pan in front of it were both stuck on, it was a serious pain to scrape them off without damaging anything, and this doesn't even go into the girief these lousy bolts gave me! haha
as far as leaks go, I had a really small one near the drain plug, tightened that a little more and apparently I'm home free, I did the protective coating tx on the garage floor so in addition to making it easy to clean up spills or drips, it's also pretty easy to see them as well, so far so good
And no, I went cheap and didn't get synthetic, didn't realize that Isuzu says not to mess with it if everything's going ok as I thought it was a 90k service, oh well, thankfully it's none the worse for wear
