TRANS PAN HOW-TO Installing a Mag-Hytec Transmission Pan

Chris Tobin
Chris Tobin
TRANS PAN
HOW-TO
Installing a Mag-Hytec
Transmission Pan
Okay, we all know how easy it is to
ignore automatic-transmission maintenance—it’s messy and time-consuming and no one really thinks about it
until the trans starts to slip. Most
transmission pans are simple stamped
steel and do not have a drain plug, so
draining the fluid makes a big mess on
your garage or shop floor. If maintaining your automatic trans were easier
From the inside you
can see the
machined O-ring
channel, internal
ribs, magnetic drain
plug and machined
port to accept a
1/8-inch pipe-thread
temperature sender.
80
July 2007 4X4 BUILDER
and less messy, you would probably
stay on top of the maintenance, wouldn’t you?
Replacing your factory transmission
pan with a new pan from Mag-Hytec
can make your next transmission service easier and a lot less messy—and it
can even extend the life of your tranny
by reducing the fluid temperature and
catching metal particles in the fluid,
preventing them from flowing
through the transmission. MagHytec transmission pans are made
from finned aircraft aluminum
with deep, high-capacity sumps
for maximum cooling.
Rather than rely on leak-prone
paper gaskets, the pans use an Oring for the pan-to-transmission
seal (727 Torqueflite models use a
hard paper gasket) and the drain
plug seal. Yes, the pan has a magnetic drain plug, which allows you
to drain the fluid without making
a huge mess all over your floor and
catch metal particles in the fluid.
Additionally, the pans are machined to
accept a 1/8-inch NPT temperature
sender for those who want to closely
monitor their transmission fluid temperature. A 1/8-inch NPT pipe plug is
installed in the pan from the factory.
Mag-Hytec currently builds transmission pans for Dodge 727-DD, Ford
4R100 and E40D, as well as GM 4L60E
The Mag-Hytec transmission pan comes
with everything you need to install it on
your 4x4, including the hardware and
Allen wrenches.
and 4L80E applications. The pans
come with a black powdercoated finish
with machined fins for a great look.
Mag-Hytec includes polished zincplated Allen-head cap screws with
stainless steel washers and all the necessary Allen wrenches to install the
cover and service the transmission.
We visited our friends at Advantage
Performance Center in Riverside,
California, to install the Mag-Hytec
pan on our 2000 Tahoe Limited project truck’s 4L60E transmission.
Removing the factory pan and
installing the new one took us a little
less than two hours with time set aside
for photography. If you are performing
the swap in your garage without the
help of a vehicle lift, it may take longer,
so give yourself an afternoon. Also, be
sure to pick up a new filter and transmission fluid before you begin, since
you won’t be able to use your rig to
run down to the local parts store once
you start.
Draining the fluid with the factory
pan in place is messy but easy enough
to do, although you may need to
remove the heat shield from the passenger side of the transmission to have
clearance to remove the pan. For a
TECH - TRANS PAN INSTALL
A. B.
A.
1. Be sure to have plenty of transmission fluid
on hand before you start the installation,
because you won’t be able to drive your 4x4
down to the parts store if you come up short.
We used Valvoline Dexron III/Mercon ATF
fluid for our Tahoe.
B.
B.
4. Removing the bolts from one corner and
loosening the others allows you to drain the
fluid from the corner with slightly less mess.
7. After installing the pan, align the bolt
holes and install the Allen-head cap screws
and washers finger tight before torquing
them to 12 to 16 lb-ft in a cross pattern.
2. The stock GM 4L60E pan has no provision
for a drain plug, so draining the fluid can be
quite messy if you are not careful.
A.
5. Make sure the transmission’s gasket mating
surface is clean and free of any irregularities
that would require careful filing.
8. With the installation completed, the
transmission pan looks great and will make
future fluid and filter changes much easier
and cleaner.
B.
Sources
Advantage Performance Center
Dept. 4X4
1253 W. LaCadena Dr.
Riverside, CA 92501
951/684-8483
www.advantageperformancecenter.com
3. On our Tahoe, the heat shield on the
passenger side of the transmission had to be
removed before the pan could be detached
from the tranny.
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July 2007 4X4 BUILDER
6. Don’t forget to install the new transmission
filter before installing the new pan!
Mag-Hytec
Dept. 4X4
14718 Arminta St.
Van Nuys, CA 91402
818/786-8325
www.mag-hytec.com
little cleaner draining, loosen and
remove the bolts at one corner more
than the others and tilt the pan, allowing the fluid to drain from the corner
until the level is low enough to lower
the entire pan and drain it into your
bucket. The old filter can be removed
once the pan is dropped and the new
filter can be installed in its place.
With the new filter installed, the
Mag-Hytec pan is ready to be installed,
but first you should apply a thin layer
of clean transmission fluid to the Oring to ensure a good seal. Before
installing the new pan, check the transmission gasket mating surface on the
transmission case for dents, irregularities or gouges. If any problems exist,
carefully remove the high spots using a
smooth, flat file—be careful not to
round off the flat gasket surface when
filing.
After positioning the new pan, align
the bolt holes and install the cap
screws and tighten them finger tight
before torquing them to 12 to 16 lb-ft
in a cross pattern. Do not forget to
check the drain plug and 1/8-inch pipe
plug for tightness. They need to be
tightened only to 30 lb-in, so don’t
over-tighten them. Finally, remove the
dipstick and fill the transmission with
the proper transmission fluid (refer to
your owner’s manual if you are unsure
which fluid to use). The new pan holds
about 3.3 quarts more fluid than most
stock pans. Be sure to fill the transmission to the line on the dipstick and
then check it with the engine running
and the transmission in park and add
fluid as necessary.
Installing the Mag-Hytec pan is no
more difficult than changing the filter
with the factory pan, and it provides
the benefit of making future transmission service much cleaner and easier. It
also offers improved looks and
enhanced cooling capability, so consider installing a Mag-Hytec pan on your
4x4. 4X4