Spike and Long Haul,

Thanks so very much for your input - I am not really looking forward to this job - Especially since the weather guy says it's going to be in the 100's this weekend.

When I do the job I will see what issues I have with the cross-member. I do have a "BIG" hammber but not the hydrolic-ram. Sure hope I don't need it. Since my Rig is stock maybe she will be easier.. Fingers Crossed..

Thanks again,

In Peace and Agape,
Trav...

 

And not in the rust belt like we are...

 

Are there any concerns with tranny failure due to replacing really old fluid with new fluid in these trucks? My recently acquired ’96 Disco with 133K miles looks like the pan has never been dropped and the fluid is more on the brown side than red/pink. Although, no burnt smell in the fluid. The transmission shifts fine, but I want to take care of all of the high-miler maintenance suggested in this forum.

I have always heard that if the fluid is brown then leave it alone. Changing the fluid will only cause more problems.

I have friends, with different vehicles, that performed this maintenance and ended up with blown transmissions just a couple of days/weeks later. The most recent example was on an early 2000’s Mitzu Montero Sport. Fluid was old/brown and my friend took it into Tuffy’s for a trans flush and fill. A couple of days later, 1st gear and reverse went out. Now it needs a complete rebuild.

Thanks - Shawn

 

I don't care who tells you to leave it alone. They are full of BS. Perform the proper maintenance or it will go out. There is no proof that changing brown fluid will result in the tranny failing.

 

What is the filter change interval for the ZF HP-22? I changed my fluid out twice, once intentionally and the second time to replace the cooler hoses. I've got the pan filter and gasket on my tool box, but I'm not looking forward to this job because I've already spent too much time getting greasy and oily under my rover lately. Besides the cooler hoses, I just did the swivel ***** and oil pan, and I've no choice but to do the transfercase fluid next. I'm hoping to procrastinate the tranny filter.

 

Been working on this while motor is gone. Y-pipe was easy since the headers are off, except removing one of the two bolts stripped the threads off. Crossmember bolts were time consuming to remove. Crossmember itself was a pain but after lots of banging on it with a rubber hammer it came out. Just drained fluid. Very brown.

Anyone notice a difference in transmission smoothness/performance afterward?

 

I will be tackling this next weekend. I found some time at a friends garage where I can lift it on a 2 post and go to town. I'll let you know what I find.

 

Hi Guys,

Just wanted to give an update -
I dropped the pan last weekend - My recommended order of dismantle
1. unbolt Exhaust Y assembly - I left it in place hanging with a secure strap
2. Unbolt and Hammber back (toward rear of truck) Crossmember
3. Unbolt and remove pan (don't forget the dipstick tube it is attached to the pan)

I could not get the crossmember to move out of the way enough to clear the tranmission pan - unbolting the Exhaust Y assembly gave me the room I needed to get the crossmember out of the way to pull the pan.

Thanks,
Trav...

 

I've lost that battle twice because everytime i try to unbolt my exhaust i just end up shearing bolts. So i can't do it. I've wasted two whole days and liek 10 qts of tranny fluid trying....fml

 

Looking at my new trans filter I'm a bit confused. It did not come with the large o-ring. Instead, it came with a sort of plastic cap over it. In the image below you can see the cap. I took the filter back to the store, but none of other packages had the o-ring either. Confused, he then asked the managers and they both insisted the plastic cap IS the o-ring. Strangely this photo shows both the cap and large o-ring, but not the small one. What do you guys think?