When drain & refill of tranny fluid, is there an easy way to get the fluid inside the torque converter? Would breaking the connection between radiator and transmission allow you to add two lengths of drain hose, into a catch bucket? At idle shouldn't the transmission circulate fluid and pump out? I have used this method on a Kia minivan, which has a terrible drain location. Every time two quarts is pumped out, added two more to the fill spout. Repeat until clean fluid comes out. I understand that on some transmissions fluid does not move in the torque converter except when it is in gear. Any thoughts or other ideas?

 

You might try taking it to a well equipped transmission shop and have them do it with the machine made to do it.

Or rig one bucket for it to pump into and a second one to keep the supply up.

The downside is if you do run into a problem trying to do it yourself, you are risking ruining your own tranny. I remember Disco Mike saying you can just do repeated drain and fill operation to eventually get the old stuff out.

I would think the transmission shop would be the least risk and maybe even lower overall cost, why don't you contact a few and get some prices, maybe even pay a visit to the one you choose beforehand and see how well maintained their shop is and what equipment they have. You don't want some Goober doing it just because his price is the lowest if he ain't equipped to do it.

 

Lets just say I "know" that a drain and fill 5 times will
Still have ALOT of old left. I'd say 10fills and drains would be CLOSE. but at 4q a drain/fill a shop job ain't too bad

 

Dont worry about it, just do your drain and fill and be done.
If it makes you fell better change it again in a month or so, then do a drain and fill as part of your spring maintenance.
Thats what I do, fuel filter and trans fluid drain and fill every spring.
As well as both diffs and t-case, under $100 for everything and I spread it out over 2-3 weekends.

 

Sorry to bring back a thread from the dead but I'd like to check my logic here... It sounds like fluid does pass between the torque converter and the transmission?

I just reinstalled the torque converter in my D2 while it was removed from the transmission during my engine swap.
I topped off my torque converter and reinstalled it.
Unfortunately I didn't have my trans. cooler connected at the time so a good amount of transmission fluid started leaking out of the hole that the bottom transmission cooler hose threads into.
I'm honestly not sure if the fluid that came out was from the transmission or from the torque converter. Can anyone help me understand where the fluid came from?

If the fluid came out of the torque converter then can I just refill the transmission to get fluid back into the TQ? Would really love to not have to pull my engine back out to have to refill the TQ again.