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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- This video shows the standard maintenance process to change the transmission fluid and filter on a Dodge Caravan. We remove the transmission pan, drain the fluid, install a new filter, put it all back together and add the new fluid. There are a few tips and tricks to make the job easier and it's all condensed into a short video to make it easy to review before you start on your own vehicle.
The parts used in the video cost about $40 at the local Autozone as of January 2013 and the job doesn't take very long at all (an hour or so total time). People sometimes fear working on an automatic transmission, but you can see in the video that this is a simple job and there is no need to let this job go undone or to overpay for something you can do yourself.
Tools needed are:
10mm socket with a 3" or 6" extension
1" putty knife (optional)
deadblow hammer (optional)
Some sort of catch pan (to collect the old fluid)
jack stands, ramps, a vehicle lift, or some other way to lift the vehicle up a bit helps out a lot. You can also pull one wheel of the vehicle up on a curb to give some extra space in a real pinch.
a gasket scraper (in the video, we use a glass scraping razor-blade)
a funnel with a very narrow spout
shop towels for cleanup
torque wrench (that measures in inch-pounds) if you don't have a torque wrench, this job is still doable, but you may have a harder time getting the pan to be leak free and you run the risk of stripping bolts or warping the pan
Parts to get from the parts store:
(1) new filter/gasket set (as low as $9.99)
(5) quarts of ATF+4 transmission fluid (as low as $5.99 each)
(1) roll of shop towels or (1) bag of rags (as needed)
(1) drain pan (as needed)
(1) narrow funnel (as needed)
Good luck, and have fun!
My mechanic wanted $400 to do this job. It's rather messy work, but now I think I can do this myself. Thanks!
Changed the fuel pump on my van last week end . Now I feel I can do anything, can’t wait to change the transmission and oil filter this weekend !!
How did it go? I just changed the fuel pump on my caravan and got the same feeling! 😂 About to change to fluid soon
@@jdub5981did you watch any videos on TH-cam what links?
You explained it clearly and I am pretty confident I could do this. I do not find many videos on TH-cam that are done this well. Great job.
Thanks for a concise explanation of the simple procedure. I've been changing my filters for years and my adult children think dad will always be able to do it, so why learn? I am glad you tube and people like you who take the time to share will be around for future "Do it yourselfers" . Keep up the good work
Thanks for the feedback!
Thank you so so much, I have been searching in you tube for a long time to find the correct type of transmission fluid to use for my dodge caravan and you are the first person out there in you tube ville who actually straight forward and to the point gave me what I was looking for. A great big hooray and thank you 🙏! I have subscribed and liked and I wish you much success with your channel 🎉!!
Thanks a lot. job done. Removal is fairly easy. Found the bolts very easy to remove not high torqued. Putting new filter up gave me a hard time (bought it from Amazon, pins were too small, filter kept falling, o-ring broke, crappy product, etc; Bought it again from Autoparts store and it worked fine), gasket on, no sealer used, no torque wrenched but followed the sequence and common sense while tightening, refill it up, no leaks, ran it, checked, good to go. You can do it !!! Be safe. Use Floor cover, Gloves, glasses, light, highly recommended.
This was awesome, thank you. Nice steady camera work, good lighting. Instructions and explanations are clear and concise. Narration is in sync with action on screen.
When removing the pan, better to remove all of the bolts except for the four at the front of the van. Just barely loosen those 4. Alternate striking the back corners with a 2lb. blow hammer and the pan will loosen, letting the fluid drain. Go have a 15 minute lunch. When you come back, the fluid will be drained enough that it wont gush out like it did to you.
This is a most excellent video. Thank you. It helped out tremendously. I just did this service today. The longest part is to scrape the gasket material off the body of the casting. Even though the Dodge service manual says 165 inch pounds, I agree with you when you say 120 inch pounds. I heard about these 40TE, 41TE transmissions sometime having weak castings that are easily stripped. Also someone wondered if the trans fluid could be sucked out the trans fill tube by sticking a tube down the fill tube and using one of those vacuum pumps. I tried this and was only able to get a quart out. This is because the van was on ramps and the fluid went to the back of the pan. the dipstick tube is in front of the pan. Thumbs up and Subbed!
Hi. I am about to do this procedure. Will I need to add rtv sealer to the provided gasket? Or just the gasket by itself?
@@lromeroyt I found out something from the dealer. Chrysler does NOT use the gasket anymore. They just use a special rtv sealer when they put the pan back on. The special rtv they use does not break down from transmission fluid. I would go to the dealer and get this special rtv sealer and just use that. They can tell you how thick to put the bead around the pan surface. I forgot how thick the bead should be.
I have another tip. Make sure you use the torque sequence when tightening the bolts. I used a torque wrench that could do inch pounds and I took my time. Don't over tighten or a bolt can strip out. If a bolt happens to strip, do what I did and go to Lowes or an ACE hardware and get a slightly longer bolt that has a couple of more threads on it. It might be able thread into extra unstripped threads of the transmission body. BTW my Dodge Grand Caravan has 187K on it now and I'm not gonna change the transmission fluid anymore. The clutch particles in the fluid might actually be the thing that's making the transmission still work!. No kidding!
Nice Vid. Breaking the seal to remove the pan was tough on my car as RTV had been used. Had to carefully use a hammer and a sharpened screwdriver to pop it. I used a gasket and some Permatex sealer to reassemble. When replacing the filter make sure the old O ring has come out properly (mine hung up inside the hole ) and O ring is in place on the new filter.
You did a really good job on this video, and was easy on the ears to listen to! thank you!
I'm a big fan of Permatex's "Hi Tack" gasket sealant. It never hardens, is impervious to oil, gas, etc. and seals up any small nicks in the aluminum sealing surfaces. It's not RTV, it's more of a very sticky liquid, but it's amazing for sealing when using gaskets. Also, Hi-Tack won't shed booger balls like over applicated RTV and clog up small oil passages.
Great video. Doing this service today on wife’s van then on my Porsche Cayenne. Unfortunately this one is way easier than the Porsche is. Purchased a Mityvac fluid extractor/dispenser so can pull all the fluid out of the pan before I drop it. Hoping it eliminates the mess.
July 22 2024 Still a very useful info.2001 Dodge Caravan 3.3 l still running just fine 400.000 km.
Excellent tutorial. Thoroughly done! Thank you kindly for sharing!
Thanks, this looks a lot easier then I thought.... you saved me lots of money.
Great video , you made it very easy with their step by step instructions. I will always go to you for other projects that I am doing on my van , thanks again
Decent instructional vid.
I've a question, if anyone's still haunting around here. ...
My friends '96 caravan's transmission is low, not reging on dipstick. Was having difficulty understanding what it means on the stick, on how to fill/ not to fill, depending on where the level is on dipstik, plus temperature is pending as well,-.. as there's instructions stamped on it. Do I just fill it cold like you did in vid? or do I warm it and fill? Fill with eng running or??... also, if it's not showing on stick, is that a qt or two low?? The trans does go into gear and drives, but she says it slips a tad once it's warm & driven..
Thanks if anyone can add some light
Thanks a lot, I think I'm gonna do that next week, very instructive and clear, love it!
Awesome video. I did mine today, and it went smoothly. Thanks to your video
Thanks for the video , I followed your instruction I tried at 40Lbs stripping the tread of the engine, I think it was too much torque, 2 out 14 got spoiled, next day i Pulled out the pan again , It drain even more fluid, and then applied Permatex excellent product
my torque was very light 14 pounds only, I would strongly recommend this sealant , when i disassemble was with sealant originally , it was very hard to get it out after i took off all bolts, I had to hammer and use a crow bar to break the sealant,
Anyhow I got the job done, I let it dry for 72 hours before i refill with fluid, my engine it aluminum very soft for 140 pounds, I might be wrong, but it better be safe than sorry, I used a gasket first after taking it off it was all wet and broken at 40 pound only
Thanks again for sharing
Are you familiar with the difference between inch-pounds and foot-pounds? Just want to make sure we're not talking apples and oranges here....
FogoFox I know so, when I disassemble it was light torque I just applied what I found , I did not want to strip more treads , so far I did an excellent job, review your torque when you are using sealant and when you are using gasket , is different, my procedure worked excellent after few weeks nothing drips absolutely nothing.
Very good, succinct description with excellent camera work, well done.
If i may suggest a few things:
Do not base how much fluid you need to replace from how much you drained, this is because you could be missing some. The 41TE that you drained has a total of 9.1 quarts, when you do a pan drop 4 quarts SHOULD come out. So regardless of how much you drain, you should add 4 quarts of ATF +4.
The torque on the pan bolts is 19Nm (165 in. lbs) according to the service manual, make sure you leave a note not to confuse anyone.
Cheers.
Great tip - you are correct. Looking at how much fluid you took out is only a rough guide. You should always check the fluid using the dipstick once the vehicle is warmed up to make sure that the fluid level is correct.
wait- my old fluid is bad (tan colored). I want to replace ALL of it. Are you saying I can only drain 4 qts?
@@baconmaster1023 Yes, if you want to replace it all you have to flush it. Or do multiple replacements
Wow! Incredibly simple instructions! Awesome job and thank you sir!
Great tutorial, thanks for thanking the time sharing it 🙏🏻
Thanks for the tip Pete! As you mentioned, High Tack works great WITH a gasket whereas I've mostly seen RTV used AS the gasket. One quick note about RTV (since you mentioned it) is that normal RTV is not compatible with ATF and should not be used to seal transmission pans. Thanks for watching!
you speak very clear, good video and lighting which many diy videos don't demonstrate. thnaks. i did this on my van 30000 miles ago but forgot if i poured fluid out of filter as part of my total amount in the bottle where i put old fluid. my hardest part was breaking loose the pan after removing the bolts.
you mentioned 4 qts drained. did that include pouring out the fluid from the filter?
+scooter12368 I didn't get precise enough to measure the fluid that was in the filter. The idea is to get a general idea of the fluid lost so you can get it filled properly faster, but you still need to follow the appropriate measures to get it filled back up to the right level (regardless of how much fluid you measured coming out). A quick example is that if you had somehow lost some fluid on the road, you wouldn't want to just fill back up to the level you were at before, you would fill it to the level it was at, then take readings and add more as appropriate to get it up the the right level.
FogoFox...Amazing video...Thanks for the simple, step by step, well narrated and well shot production. We own a 2003 Chrysler T&C w/a 3.8 w/85k. Recently, put it in reverse and "nothing" for about 30 seconds. Then the "hard downshift" thing started. After looking at a pile of blogs and watching your video, I decided to change my tranny fluid. Although you stated this several times in your video, I tightened my bolts to 80 ft/lbs NOT 80 in/lbs. Stripped a bolt...my bad. BTW, no change in tranny.
Thanks for well made video... I just replaced a radiator on my 1999 caravan and for some strange reason I now have a leaking AT sump pan gasket.. All is good on oil cooler end and fluid is flowing.... So will need to remove and change fluid.. And filter while I'm at it.! Thanks..!
Thanks! You can see the catch pan at 6:18 in the video. It's just a plastic rectangular pan from Autozone ($2 or $3). The torque wrench I used is a Performance Tool M197 and I think it is a good low-end wrench. Do NOT buy the Harbor Freight ones! I also have two other larger Performance Tool torque wrenches to cover the range of torques up to 300 ft-lbs. You can definitely buy nicer ones than mine, but I think you'd be hard-pressed to find one that works for cheaper.
Thank you Pete, nice video ! I will do it with my 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan.
Best video quality, best instructional video. Thank you.
Exactly, High-Tack is for use WITH gaskets, it is not a gasket replacement.
Great vid, and good discussion on cycling new fluid through the rest of the system.
thanks for the video! so ATF+4 is the best atf for this vehicle?
Thnx! Same for 3.8?
Nice job explaining everything clearly. Many thanks.
It's right on the front of the transmission, above the pan, below the two hoses that run to the transmission cooler. You can almost see at 1:17 in my video right in front of, and below the transmission dipstick. Then again you can see the bottom of it at 1:50 right above the pan on the left side.
thanks for the Great video, I will pump out all the trans fluid first before I attempt to open the tray like that....that should make it clean and safe.
Joe thank you for making this excellent video.
I liked your video but my question is did you use a sealant on the gasket? If you didn't why not and did you have a leak later and be honest. I had many leaks on my ford f150 pan leaks due to over tightening. But finally not leaking after countless times of using different sealants (blue RTV black RTV and even the yellow sticky hi tack). I finally just used the black rtv sealant and spread it with my finger all over the pan and the transmission surface and it finally stopped leaking.ChryslerNext
Very well explained.I have a 2007 Caravan and everyttime I turn the AC on it starts leaking water inside How can I fix that ?Thanx
I have 06 I got the same thing happen to my van I just change my cabin air filter
You did a great job. Another video went on and on with opinions. Not that much to it.
Glad you liked it!
Do you think by doing this process that it won't slip any more
Very nice and to the point video!
Well done.
Thank you.
Awesome video! Very well done. Now I have confidence in doing this in a few days. Do you have any videos on replacing the transmission solenoid as well? Thanks!
P.S. Permatex does now have a specific product for transmissions. Search: Permatex Automatic Transmission RTV Gasket Maker.
Hey Great video by the way but question,
I didn't see you put any Gasket Glue or Sealer?
Awesome tutorial, thanks!
I cannot find a video on how to change or even find the neutral safety switch on a 2000 grand caravan. Can you help?
Thank you for this video. I have a Dodge Grand Caravan 2007 with 145k km on it. I purchased it with 66k km 5 years ago. I do not know if the transmission fluid was ever changed. Do I need to change it ? It looks pretty clean on the dipstick.
Yes I would it is simple enough with proper tools and parts available on hand. Follow your vehicle owners manual if you do not know ask the local dealership for what type is being used.
thank you,your my van's life saver
I called the auto parts store to find out how much a 10 mm and a torque wrench or ratchet whatever it is and he wanted to know if it was a deep well 10 mm or whatever the other one is it is there anyway you can let me know thank you
Is it the same for the 4 cylinder for materials needed??
Awesome video 🎉
Professional video instruction
Great explanation and amazing execution. I am going to try it on my '96 Caravan. But if I don't have and can't currently afford a torque wrench, can I use a normal wrench to tighten the screws? How can it affect the deposit?
Not sure if you've already done the job but you don't really need a torque wrench. There is a proper torque spec for the bolts but this isn't a technical procedure. You just want to snug the bolts. The gasket does the sealing so you just need to be sure they're snug. Just be careful not to over-tighten or you could strip out the threads on the transmission.
Nicely explained 👌
thanks , i didnt see any glue put on as you had to scrape the old glue off. do i need glue then or does the new gasket hold fluid without glue? thanks this was just what i needed to see. i couldnt find a drain plug so i have never changed the tranny fluid, its time.lol
Is that for a 2018 dodge caravan two
Excellent video. We work in Nm here and please correct me if I am wrong but the first pass is about 9Nm and the second would be about 13.5 Nm. If I am wrong I will not be surprised as I only just found out how to convert Inch-Pounds by using You Tube five minutes ago How to Convert Inch-Pounds to Newton-Meters : Conversions & Other Math Tips PS Is that ice on the car?!!
Is this the same way for a 96 plymouth voyager except its best to doit with machine?
Thankyou, this is very helpful and clear information!
Do you have any videos showing how to tighten flexplate bolts?
Excellent video. Have you ever done this job using an oil extractor through the transmission dip stick tube? Might make it a cleaner job when you go to drop the pan. At the same time could lead to problems. ie torque converter gets drained and then is runs dry on start up?. Any thoughts? I would rather do it the messy way knowing I won't screw anything up. My 2005 Caravan owner's manual says you never have to change the fluid in the transmission. Right now it has 81,000 miles and trans fluid is bright pink. I bought it used at 79,000 miles so I'm not sure if previous owner flushed it. Regardless of what the manual says I think I will do what you show in this video as soon as the fluid starts to darken. Also I notice the snow in the video. Have you had blown power steering hoses during winter? I live in Saskatchewan. Very cold winters. I changed my power steering fluid to BG Universal Synthetic Power Steering fluid. I hope it solves the problem. Any experience with this? I know someone in Saskatchewan would works at an automotive garage as a service writer. Last winter he said around 15 customers came in with blown power steering hoses on there Caravans and there was only one with a GM.
+Niko Lehocky No experience with that blown PS hose issue.
One downside to doing the oil extractor is no chance to inspect the pan magnet or to replace the filter, but it would be a nice clean way to get the fluid changed I bet.
where would i find the transmission solenoid on a 2003 dodge caravan
Can low fluid cause slip?? Can anyone assure this please??
So you changed the fluid in the pan. - What about the other 4-5quarts of fluid in the converter ? ? You just going to leave that in to contaminate the new fluid ? ?
chuchyboy Yes. If your transmission has totally roasted out the fluid, then you should probably go ahead and remove it all. For a regular filter change and service, this is sufficient.
Thanks a million! I will be doing my van next week.
What brand and size torque wrench are you using and is it reliable? Great video
He says the one he used is a Performance Tool M197.
Tnx joe for this tutorial video. can u also post a video replacing oil pan gasket for 2007 3.3L dodge carava
You know, we've been thinking about getting that done here pretty soon. It's going to take a bit of time to get the video and editing done though. Standby...
tnx. by the way. to close the pan cover of the ATF. then in using the torque wrench how much psi are you going to set? is it in metric or imperial? tnx once more!
The torque on the transmission pan bolts was 120 inch-pounds (which is not a metric measurement). If you don't have a torque wrench, be very careful. 120 inch-pounds is not too much and it would really stink to strip out the threads on the transmission.
Well done how-to video! thanks a lot for sharing!
where can i get those parts because the dealer recommends only silicone and i like this way better than the silicone.
There are a lot of online auto parts retailers if you don't have local generic auto parts stores. Dealership parts always cost more, but are usually high quality.
That's what I figured, I wonder why they never thought of putting a drain plug on transmissions ??¿
This past weekend my wife told me that her van ( 2001 T&C ) w/ 130k was acting up. I took it for a test drive and noticed that it would quickly surge at times for a quick second when driving. At one point the transmission would not shift into a higher gear making the engine rev at 3000rpm at 50mph. I am not familiar with these vehicles and fear that a rebuild may be in order. Any suggestions from those who have experienced this would greatly be appreciated.
You did a fabulous job explaining and showing how to change the tranny fluid. Your camera work and lighting is especially clear. Am I correct in assuming it's not too different changing the fluid with an 07 Town & Country? Are there any special pointers that pertain to this model & year?
Maggie Thanks for the compliments. Everything should be very similar if not exactly the same.
nice video buddy will be doing mines in the morning.
So you've changed the pan gasket and filter but what about the other 70% of fluid left in the transmission cooler lines and torque converter? Do you just not service the rest or do you have another video out describing how to remove and replace that fluid?
Well Devin, as you may know, the rest of the fluid can be changed by hooking up lines into the transmission system and running fresh fluid through by means of the vehicle's own pump, or by hooking into a service station's auxilliary pump. I'm not comfortable with the second method (using an external pump could lead to other issues). Using the vehicle's own pump is a bit more complicated than shown in this video.
For me, it comes down to what you are trying to accomplish. If you've burnt up your fluid to the point of potential damage, then yes, all the fluid should be changed (and you should probably replace internal transmission components too). If you are simply servicing your transmission; ie. dropping the pan to replace the filter, clean the magnet, and inspect for damage, then I think the procedure shown is sufficient...even though some of the old fluid is not replaced in the process.
Maybe someday we'll do a video on how to run 100% new fluid through the system.
Thank you so much. I'm gonna use this as a guide. Then I will post the video on my channel. Wish me luck!😁
EXECELLENT VIDEO, VERY WELL EXPLAINED VERY INSTRUCTIONAL.
I am a very new driver and owner of a 1999 Caravan, I plan to change motor oil but accidentally drained transmission fluid instead, I am here to check if I put transmission fluid back correctly. hahahaha
Well done.. straight to work.. No blah blah blah..
what would happen if you dont have the torque tool? do you really need it ?
Buy one, they are cheap.
Thanks four your video. God bless you
When removing the pan bolts, you should really start at the bolts towards the rear of the vehicle since gravity is forcing more fluid at that end. Start at the rear and work your way towards the front loosening or removing only a couple(one on either side) at a time., If this is meant as a 'how to' video then you have to assume that your audience are unfamiliar around a transmission and you need to be very wary about warning them of what NOT to do such as using a metal blade to scrape off remaining gasket material from the mating surface that the pan attaches to since it is very easily damaged and to get a proper seal, you need it to be clean and ding free. Using a nylon scraper to get that material off is the best thing to use. I've also used caulk scrapers from home depot. You may be comfortable and careful enough to use a metal blade but you're not your target audience, people that are possibly doing this for the first time are and it was a big deal to me when I dropped my pan for the first time.. Also, when installing the new filter, I broke the rubber band that held it in place because I wasn't careful enough when I was seating it. Ultimately, I had to drop the pan and do everything over a second time because the filter wasn't in place and was barely hanging on by the corner. Degreasing the mating surfaces is essential, just wiping them with a towel isn't going to do it. One other thing, that transmission looks a lot like my 41TE and the torque specs are 165IN LBS and not 120FT LBS of torque. 120lbs of torque on those bolts will cause them to possibly snap the bolt head off leaving the remaining threads buried in their holes and then there's a whole new set of problems with trying to remove them. Not everyone knows that torque specs vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and knowing the difference between 'IN LBS' and 'FT LBS' is incredibly important. I know that you're not a mechanic but after reading these comments where everyone is saying how helpful and clear and concise you were, I'm going to say that the people watching this video aren't experienced in car repairs and I'm sure at least one or two of them ran into a situation that they might not have been able to get through. Causing damage to these areas leads to spending a lot of money to repair. One last thing, Chrysler has always suggested that a gasket NOT used but Mopar RTV or equivalent instead. Preformed gaskets pinch up or get stretched causing premature breakage. The only advantage is that you can immediately refill the fluid back into the car whereas you have to wait with gasket maker...
amazing video
I'm actually doing this right now. I'm thinking it's a lost cause but I'm taking the chance anyway. I've noticed that the filter is loose (kinda wiggles) when I put it back up on the transaxle. It looked like it was still kind of loose when you put it back up there too for this video. Is that normal?
Louis Cypher It's hard to say what yours looks like over the internet to tell you if it is ok or not, but yes, the filter does not fit back on super firmly and is somewhat loose - once the pan is installed, it actually helps to hold it in place so it won't fall off.
i see other people made this comment too....
do not use the rubber gasket provided. it came from the factory with black silicone for a reason.
i made the mistake and used the gasket. 6 months later it was leaking fluid. it will dry up and crack.
Good info! I am now a subscriber!
Good video, trans fluid change for dummies. K.I.S.S. Thanks.
wow nice video very explic
Thank you very much, that was of extreme help !!
My grandad is pissed with me right now I poured half of a 3.78 transmission fluid bottle into the van. I filled it up to the top of the checking tube. Is there anything I can do.
They sell some pumps at the parts store used to drain many different types of fluid. I bought one that has a pump and two hoses( one sucking in, the other blowing out. You might be able to stick it through the dipstick tube and suck some of it out, onto a pan. It's either that, or pulling down the transmission pan like in the video. My pump was between $15-20. Don't worry it's no biggie. Just don't use the pump when it's dirty. You have to clean it up after each use, and dry it before using it for anything, or you could contaminate the different fluids.
u2bed91 Thank you! My granddad and I ended up doing that anyway lol.
u2bed91 yeea this was completely different from my civic, but at least you can change the filters on these
Good video
how did you catch all the transmission fluid when it looks like you spilled ALOT.
+Azn Driver There was a catch pan under there...
+FogoFox Also, you use the caught fluid only as a starting point on how much to add back in. Once you add that back in, you need to verify with the dipstick that you have enough fluid in there...and add more as needed to make up for any spilled/lost fluid.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing.
great video
Great video. Thanks!
very informative thank you
Hello joe.
nice video thanks!