URGENT, INFO NEEDED: does the Chrysler 62TE trans

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have a factory drain plug? i.e. can it be drained and filled for maintenance or is it "sealed for life"? 2011 200 with Pentastar is the car in question
 
I think its like the majority of auto transmissions from the 70s onward: no drain plug (there are exceptions), so you remove the pan to drain it. Filter inside the pan. I believe it DOES have a dipstick for maintenance, rather than a tool insertion port like the Chrysler NAG1 and 8HP (both rear-drive).



Did some googling: it has a test port (ie, a dipstick TUBE where a level test tool can be inserted and fluid can be added) but doesn't come with a conventional dipstick. In other words, its exactly like the NAG-1 and 8HP. I wouldnt' call them "sealed for life," but they are designed so that you measure and add fluid using a test tool and the OBD-II transmission temperature readout, rather than "check when warm, idling in neutral" like the old days.
 
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Can a dipstick be added after the fact? I understand that some transmissions of this type can accept a dipstick that's not factory-installed.
 
Probably not, I am thankful that my car does have one, makes atf changes super easy. You could check out the aftermarket pans, they may offer or with a drain plug.
 
I use this dipstick on my Chrysler to take transmission levels: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Transmission-Flu...n-/230997706613

On mine with the 42RLE transmission there's no drain plug. I use a fluid evacuator to pull fluid out of the pan. You need to check the temperature when you measure fluid level and match it to a line on a chart. I just point one of those infrared temperature guns at my transmission fluid pan to get that.
 
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that sux. I love that feature on the Aisin trans that our Fusion has. ATF+4 is long-life isn't it?
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: dwcopple
that sux. I love that feature on the Aisin trans that our Fusion has. ATF+4 is long-life isn't it?
wink.gif



ATF+4 may be long life ... but the Chrysler transmission in which you pour it is definitely not long life! haha


Edit: I opened myself up to it. Que posts of Chrysler's bulletproof 41TE transmissions and 42RE/RLE transmissions that run 300,000,000 miles without a single fluid change or rebuild.
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88

Edit: I opened myself up to it. Que posts of Chrysler's bulletproof 41TE transmissions and 42RE/RLE transmissions that run 300,000,000 miles without a single fluid change or rebuild.


No, the 41TE was a heap. The 42RE is average. But the 545RFE, 68RFE, NAG1, and 8HP are as good or better than any other manufacturer's competing transmission.

The 62TE that started this is turning out quite good. If you dig deep enough, you'll find that its doing as well or maybe even a little out in the real world than either of its two biggest competitors in minivans (Odyssey and Sienna).
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Can a dipstick be added after the fact? I understand that some transmissions of this type can accept a dipstick that's not factory-installed.


Yes, you can easily google it up. But as others have said, you need to know the actual temperature of the fluid to get a really precise measurement. A lot of people get it checked/filled at the dealer, then go directly home and put their aftermarket dipstick in. Then they check the fluid at a reasonably normal operating tem and grind a line on the stick at that point, knowing that it may vary a good bit and still be in the OK range. But that at least lets you know if it goes way out of range.
 
I can easily service my NAG1 with an infra red thermometer and a giant zip tie. Eventually I bought a miller tool online and use it since it is precisely calibrated in mm like most specs.

Works on almost any car with a dipstick tube....
 
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Probably not, I am thankful that my car does have one, makes atf changes super easy. You could check out the aftermarket pans, they may offer or with a drain plug.

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

With most of these newer transmissions, the dipstick is a terrible joke because the fluid level will vary significantly depending on the temperature of the fluid.

Without a scan tool that tells you the actual fluid temp, the dipstick is pretty much useless and has a tendency to cause major issues.

For instance, many tranny dipsticks have a hot and cold section. What's hot? What's cold? Each OEM has a definition of hot - but in order to verify that you are in the specified range, you need to have a scan tool to verify.
 
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