2008 Santa Fe transmission drain bolt..

[JTK]

Whelp.. So much for my easy to service Hyundai F4A51-3 AT. I picked up 6qts of Valvoline Maxlife ATF ($4.79/qt) from my local NAPA with the intentions of doing a NICE easy drain/fill of my Santa Fe trans seeing as I got her used w/ ~40Kmi. Pulled the belly pan and found the trans drain plug, but Hyundai tucked it up above the frame in such a way there's not enough room for a regular socket! On top of that, there's some strategically placed tabs cast into the case that prevents you from getting a conventional open end wrench on there. Am I missing something? A trick? Special tool?

Joel

 

[StevieC]

Joel,

I do mine with a short socket and a rachet. It will fit on the bolt Cockeyed and will loosen/tighten it up. I have also done it with the closed end of a wrench.

It's not easy and they made it that way so you take it to the dealer.

PM me if you need help.


I have a spare transmission plug I bought from the dealer for $15 and I'm going to weld a smaller nut on top of the bigger bolt head so that I can use a smaller socket to tighten/loosen it up much easier. Gotta be careful though because the magnet on the end of the plug is plastic and will melt. Still trying to figure out how to do it.

 

[JTK]

Steve it looks like a lot of room in the pic, but there's literally an inch of room between that bolt and the subframe rail. Where did you find a 22mm socket and ratchet handle short enough?? I don't have a open/box end wrench this size unfortunately.

 

[StevieC]

I know I have the same problem as you. Although our Santa Fe's look different the guts is pretty much the same...

I use a very short 22mm socket that I bought from a local parts place (cheapie) and then a regular ratchet.

Go to a cheapie tool store and get a boxed end wrench and 22mm socket. You will thank me!

 

[JTK]

It turned out to be a ridiculously simple solution Fellas. Grab hold of the aluminum 'anti-tamper' tab with pliers and yank it out like a loose toof! Very clever indeed. This is surely Hyundai's way of knowing if a drain/fill had ever been done. Once that tab is off I was able to simply use an adjustable wrench on it. It came off real easy. Man is that SP-III brown and ugly looking. Pic of that to follow. It's still draining. Nasty metallic paste on the magnetic drain plug as well.

 

[Sayjac]

Very nice pics and congrats on figuring out the "secret". Not that it helps you but one thing nice about a Honda is that the only thing you need to drain it is a 3/8 ratchet, no socket required. FYI, same black stuff on the magnetic drain plug though, normal. Last one I did was an 01 Civic with 130k.

 

[ryland]

was there a crush washer or anything? are you planning on useing one? I noticed the first time I changed the motor oil on my sonata it dident have a crush washer and it started leaking as soon as I loosened the drain bolt a bit. There is no way that car wouldent leak without a crush washer.

 

[JTK]

Here's the nastiness I drained out. Factory Hyundai SP-III, 2008 w/ 40800mi on it. Left alone, I highly doubt this trans would have made it to 100Km. There in an aluminum crush washer that looked good yet. My plan is to drive for a few days and do another 5qt drain/fill. I'd forgotten what I joy this job is. You have to fill REAL slow through the dipstick tube or it burps extremely stinky Maxlife all over. Amazing how it scatters.

Joel

 

[ryland]

I know that hyundai says that the color of the fluid dosent matter but my gosh!!! Thats horrible! I'm going to get my spIII out when I hit 10k because that just looks bad! I mean that looks like it going to start laying down sediment and varnish soon!

Looks like a very thin fluid, is it? Dosent seem to coat the sides of your containers.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: JTK
Here's the nastiness I drained out. Factory Hyundai SP-III, 2008 w/ 40800mi on it. Left alone, I highly doubt this trans would have made it to 100Km.


The fluid was probably fine. Besides, a lot of used ATF looks like used motor oil when you put it into a jar. But when you actually wipe the dipstick with a towel, the fluid looks light brown.

From Hyundai TSB 6-40-016:

NOTE: SPIII has a red color when new; however, the ATF may change color to a dark red or brown after 10,000 to 25,000 miles in service. This change is normal for this type of ATF and does not indicate an internal transaxle condition.

MAINTENANCE INTERVAL:
Refer to the maintenance schedule in the owner’s manuals for maintenance requirements:

SERVICE CHANGE ATF COMMENT
NORMAL 105,000 miles/84 months
SEVERE 30,000 miles/30 months See definition below

SEVERE DRIVING CONDITIONS:
• Repeated short distance driving
• Extensive idling or low speed operation
• More than 50% driving in heavy city traffic during hot weather above 90°F (32°C)
• Driving in very cold weather below 0°F (-18°C)
• Towing a trailer
• Driving in mountainous areas

 

[StevieC]

I will have to see if my "tab" is removable... Thanks for the tip.

 

[JTK]

You barely bend it and it pops off, leaving a little behind. I realize this probably screws me out of the remainder of my 5/60 powertrain warranty I've got (10/100 is gone since I'm a subsequent owner), but in true BOTOG fashion, it had to get done. FWIW, the old stuff didn't stink as bad as the Maxlife. Oh.. and sorry for the brutal blurry pics. My skills and camera are lacking.

Joel

 

[ryland]

let us know how the maxlife compares to the spIII! That will be intristing.

 

[caravanmike]

Originally Posted By: ryland
let us know how the maxlife compares to the spIII! That will be intristing.

i am interested in shift quality also!!!! we all know suitable for spIII fluids work (suck as Stevec's amsoil). just interested if any work better than sp III?

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: JTK
You barely bend it and it pops off, leaving a little behind. I realize this probably screws me out of the remainder of my 5/60 powertrain warranty I've got (10/100 is gone since I'm a subsequent owner), but in true BOTOG fashion, it had to get done. FWIW, the old stuff didn't stink as bad as the Maxlife. Oh.. and sorry for the brutal blurry pics. My skills and camera are lacking.

Joel
No it doesn't... Tell them that it was like that when you bought it. Weren't you also missing an air-box clip?

 

[StevieC]

The Maxlife also shifts well (used it first), but it's hard to come by up here and I find the Amsoil is slightly better, plus I'm an Amsoil user now so its just easier for me to use that.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: caravanmike
Originally Posted By: ryland
let us know how the maxlife compares to the spIII! That will be intristing.

i am interested in shift quality also!!!! we all know suitable for spIII fluids work (suck as Stevec's amsoil). just interested if any work better than sp III?


Mike, I've only done maybe ~25mi of running around w/ it after the drain/fill today. It shifted very smooth and precise before and after. Actually I'd be concerned if I felt a difference.

Joel

 

[StevieC]

Joel,

You may notice a difference as you accumulate 500-1K miles as these transmission use an adaptive software that improves the shift quality based on fluid pressure properties and driving style.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
... Tell them that it was like that when you bought it. Weren't you also missing an air-box clip?



Yes! I still have to drop by my local Hyundai parts counter to see if they have them. I've sourced them online, but w/ shipping/handling you're looking at ~$15 for a lousy clip. So far that zip-tie is still holding that corner of the engine air cleaner box!

Joel

 

[crinkles]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
I will have to see if my "tab" is removable... Thanks for the tip.

please take some photo's i couldn't identify it in the photos above. interesting concept. are you sure you didn't break something?