Getting Hands-On with the FF Transmission
Alright, let’s talk about wrestling with a front-wheel drive transmission. Had this old beater, you know, the kind where the engine and gearbox are all crammed upfront. Started making some real unhappy noises, especially when shifting. Figured it was time to get my hands dirty.
First thing, had to figure out what was actually wrong. Drove it around the block a few times, listening close. Sounded like grinding, maybe? Checked the fluid level first, ’cause that’s the easy stuff. Dipstick looked okay, maybe a bit dark, but not empty.
So, decided a fluid and filter change was the place to start. Couldn’t hurt, right? Safety first, always. Got the car up on jack stands. Make sure it’s solid, don’t want that thing falling on you. Working under a car, especially with the tight space around an FF setup, you gotta be careful.
The Actual Work Bit
Okay, car’s up. Located the transmission pan. Usually a big flat metal thing bolted to the bottom of the transmission. Put a big drain pan underneath – bigger than you think you need, ’cause this stuff gets messy.
- Started loosening the pan bolts. Did the ones at the back first, letting the front tilt down a bit. Helps the fluid drain towards one end, less mess. Maybe.
- Once most of the fluid was out, took off the rest of the bolts. Had to carefully lower the pan. It’s still got fluid in it, and sometimes the filter drops down too.
- Yep, messy. Fluid everywhere. Old fluid smelled burnt, which isn’t great.
- Pulled the old filter off. Sometimes they just pull out, sometimes there’s a bolt or two.
- Cleaned the inside of the pan real good. Scraped off the old gasket material. This part sucks, gotta get it clean or the new gasket won’t seal. Found some metal shavings stuck to the magnet in the pan – not a good sign, but not huge chunks, so maybe okay for now.
- Cleaned the mating surface on the transmission itself too.
- Put the new filter in. Popped the new gasket onto the clean pan (sometimes use a tiny bit of sealant to hold it, depends on the gasket type).
- Carefully bolted the pan back up. Tightened the bolts in a criss-cross pattern, bit by bit, so it seals evenly. Don’t overtighten! Stripped bolts are a nightmare.
Refilling and Testing
Pan’s back on. Now the fun part: refilling. Stuck a funnel in the dipstick tube. Poured in the new transmission fluid – gotta make sure it’s the exact right type for the car, using the wrong stuff will kill it faster than anything.
Added most of the fluid, then started the engine. Let it run for a bit, shifted through all the gears (with my foot on the brake, obviously!), then checked the fluid level again with the engine running, like the manual says. Topped it off carefully to the right mark on the dipstick.
Checked under the car for leaks around the pan gasket. Looked dry. Good.
Lowered the car off the jack stands. Took it for another drive. Shifting felt… better. Smoother, definitely. The nasty grinding noise was gone. Success? For now, yeah. That old fluid was definitely contributing. Still keeping an ear out, though, given those metal shavings.
So yeah, that was my weekend dance with the ff transmission. Messy job, tight space, but saved some money doing it myself. Just gotta take your time, be safe, and clean everything properly.
