Simple question yes, and I've searched the forum with no luck - does my tranny have a drain or does it share the drain with the transfer case? That's the way I see it so I'm looking for a confirmation. I found the fill hole for the tranny; and as good as the shop manual is, it's lacking in the detail on this simple procedure.

If it does share the drain with the transfer case, do you need to fill each one separately, as opposed to just filling the tranfer case and expecting it to flow over?

Thanks.

If it's the MUA tranny, which I believe it is, then it's got seperate fill and seperate drain plugs for the tranny and the transfer case. The drain for the tranny is on the lower left looking at the back end of the tranny. The fill for the tranny is on the passenger side mid-way up towards the engine. The fill for the transfer case is on the passenger side and the drain is on the bottom of it.

There's a seal between them that is supposed to keep them seperated.

Richard <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

Okay. So I got bored and decided to go out there at 1am and take some pics for you. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />


Here's the transmission fill plug:




Here's the transmission drain plug:




Here's the transfer case drain plug:




I would have taken one of the transfercase fill plug also, but I would have had to of removed the transfercase skid plate. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drunk.gif" alt="" />

Hope that helps,

Richard <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

The drain plug for the transfer case on my Rodeo with a MUA tranny is obvious, right on the bottom of the transfer case, with a nice hole cut in the skid plate for draining through.

The drain for the tranny itself is located on the back SIDE of the tranny, over towards the driver's side of the tranny, NOT on the bottom, but on the side towards the bottom. Though there is also a hole through the skid plate there, this turns out to be poorly placed and a PITA.

BEFORE you drain, make sure you can get the fill plug out. Again, on my rodeo this is a really tight location, between the tunnel and the transmission on the passenger side about halfway up and halfway down the length of the tranny case. In order to get to my fill plug, I have to use two long socket extensions and fish them through the frame and torsion spring, and of course, the last time I had a it done in the shop the sumbitch is really torqued down on there...

I recommend having a very large drain pan, and by large I mean wide. As you drain the transmission, the oil that is supposed to go through the hole in the skid plate actually goes all over the skid plate and frame member and comes dripping down all over.

To refill the transmission, I have a hand pump that fits on gallon oil jugs (or five quart if you buy your oil at Walmart), and a long tube to go up to the fill hole. Again, if you overfill the oil comes out of the fill hole and drains all over the frame and exhaust and makes a real mess. This is almost (almost) one of those very rare jobs that I would pay someone to do, because without a lift it is almost impossible to do. I put the front up on ramps and jack the rear up to match the front height, and this gives me enough room to do the job.

The good news is that it only has to be done every 30K miles... for me if it is mostly all highway I extend this interval out to 45K miles by using synthetic oil.

Don't forget to do the diffs and grease the drivelines while your under there...

I usually just fill through the shifters. That way you don't have to pull the fill plugs. Just put in the correct amount.

A 24mm metric wrench is what I use for the fill plugs.

Saylor,

Is that the splines from your front drive shaft in the first pic? Not sure I would run mine without the boot over it.

I dont remember having much mess from draining the tranny when I did it. Those fill plug were really torqued on there though (was doing pullups with a 24" breaker bar). That was the worst part.

That's how it came when I got it. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />

Richard <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

Thanks guys - can't believe I missed that - I will go at it tonight and see if I can find it. I may have been thinking the tranny drain was a regular bolt like on the front axle diff where its decieving.

Will report back - a great forum as usual, no lack of info!

One more thing for CPOM, what do mean you "fill through the shifters?"

He meant that he takes the shifters out of the transmission and transfercase and fills through the open holes. That's the way I do it too. I just pull the fill plug, then the shifters, the slowly pour the oil in through the shifter opening. Once the oil starts to drip through the fill plug, button everything up. Just make sure to pour slowly. It takes a little bit of time to get down in there. I ended up pouring too much in and it took it a bit to come out the fill plug. Ended up with a huge mess until it quit pouring out.

Richard <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />