Reuse transmission fluid??

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About a month ago I did a transmission pan drop and filter change on my 2002 Dakota. Used about 7 quarts of Supertech ATF +4. Now the pan is leaking pretty good. I used a aftermarket rubber gasket and I think that's the problem. I have torqued the pan bolts and they are good. I'm thinking of getting a original Mopar reusable gasket and draining the fluid to a clean container to reuse. Is this a good idea? I hate to waste good fluid. This truck has been well maintained. I have done annual fluid drians on the transmission with the drain plug. This was the first pan drop in about 5 years. Truck also has a remote filter with a Fram ph977a filter currently. Advice would be appreciated.
 
Sure, as long as you take measures to keep it clean as possible.

All of my used ATF gets run through a regular 20 micron oil filter, then gets dumped into various tractors and other equipment as needed.
 
Originally Posted by FFeng7
Truck also has a remote filter with a Fram PH977A filter currently.


What a monster.

Isn't that good to only 30 microns?
No matter - that filter has enough capacity to last 500,000 miles in a Dakota
 
Personally, unless it was a remote repair, or I absolutely couldn't afford new fluid, I wouldn't reuse. I'd chalk it up as a loss and just replace again, not worth potentially contaminating the unit. But that's just me.
 
Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by FFeng7
Truck also has a remote filter with a Fram PH977A filter currently.


What a monster.

Isn't that good to only 30 microns?
No matter - that filter has enough capacity to last 500,000 miles in a Dakota



Yes I know it doesn't filter as good as a XG8A but I figured I'd give it try. It certainly is a big filter. It has had all sort of filters such as Wix, Motorcraft, Fram XG, TG, and EG. No difference in any of them I can tell.
 
Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by FFeng7
Truck also has a remote filter with a Fram PH977A filter currently.


What a monster.

Isn't that good to only 30 microns?

ya a ph8a would be a better choice.
 
Originally Posted by FlyNavyP3
Personally, unless it was a remote repair, or I absolutely couldn't afford new fluid, I wouldn't reuse. I'd chalk it up as a loss and just replace again, not worth potentially contaminating the unit. But that's just me.


+ 1. Not worth the risk for a few dollars in oil.
 
Go for it. Get a new dish pan from dollar tree and count on having 1 quart "unusable"-- either the sludge at the bottom of this pan or the splash-out. Be sure and run a straight edge on the pan to check for dimpling by the bolt holes.
 
Originally Posted by FFeng7
Originally Posted by Linctex

No matter - that filter has enough capacity to last 500,000 miles in a Dakota
Yes I know it doesn't filter as good as a XG8A but I figured I'd give it try. It certainly is a big filter. It has had all sort of filters such as Wix, Motorcraft, Fram XG, TG, and EG. No difference in any of them I can tell.


You never ever will see anything in them.

I run a Baldwin BT839-10 on my trans cooler line, and I'll never change it -

because there will never be enough of anything in it, to require changing.
 
FFeng7:

Since you just dropped the pan recently, I would reuse the ATF, I have in the past, here's what I did:

1 - Before dropping pan second time, wipe down real good the pan and sides of tranny and frame where dirt and grease may fall into
collection pan.

2 - clean the pan real good too.

3 - get some new paper paint strainer filters, they're cone shaped.

4 - cut the top of a plastic jug and use as a funnel if you don't have a funnel to fill clean jugs with used fluid.

5 - Put 2 stacked paper paint strainer filters into the funnel, pour your ATF in the pan into clean, water-free jugs.

6 - replace your pan gasket, etc, ( see if you can add extra magnets into the tranny pan while you can) Button it up.

7 - use a clean long funnel as needed to return ATF into tranny. Use another paper filter if you want!

ATF does not wear out like eng oil but it does load up with microscopic wear metals and clutch plate material, so either change on time or use a ton
of tranny magnets inside. I got some interesting Pics from my last pan drop after some mods, I'll post in Jan/19.
 
Mostly with the 4HP22 in the 526e, I did a pan drop and filter to establish a baseline. Supertech Dex Merc for the top off. The dumb version was bullet proof.
 
I wouldn't reuse the fluid because of the possibility of intoducing dirt into the mix. Put in new fluid and you have strengthened the additive package. The rubber gasket should have done the job. Put a straight edge on the pan and make sure it is flat. Often a ball peen hammer has to be used to flatten the bulge where the bolt holes are on the pan.
 
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I wouldn't reuse it, especially if all you did was a pan drop and not a fluid exchange as well. Consider it as after you do the proper repair you did a fairly decent fluid exchange as well.
 
+1

Mixed blessing. More work, but you got some of the extra fluid out that was in the torque convertor when you dropped the pan in the first place. If fact, you would purposely want to dump that fluid.
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted by FlyNavyP3
Personally, unless it was a remote repair, or I absolutely couldn't afford new fluid, I wouldn't reuse. I'd chalk it up as a loss and just replace again, not worth potentially contaminating the unit. But that's just me.


I agree .
 
Originally Posted by FFeng7
About a month ago I did a transmission pan drop and filter change on my 2002 Dakota. Used about 7 quarts of Supertech ATF +4. Now the pan is leaking pretty good. I used a aftermarket rubber gasket and I think that's the problem. I have torqued the pan bolts and they are good. I'm thinking of getting a original Mopar reusable gasket and draining the fluid to a clean container to reuse. Is this a good idea? I hate to waste good fluid. This truck has been well maintained. I have done annual fluid drians on the transmission with the drain plug. This was the first pan drop in about 5 years. Truck also has a remote filter with a Fram ph977a filter currently. Advice would be appreciated.

You don't say how the fluid looked on your first drain before changing the gasket.
Because you were doing yearly drain & fills, I'd guess it didn't look to bad.
If that's the case, I would reuse the fluid.
Drain thru the Drain Plug into a white pail, immediately cover.
Take the Pan OFF and as others have said; check for flatness and add some magnets (I use rare-earth magnets)

Here is a link to my question about Transmission Gaskets
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...on-pan-gasket-silicon-or-not#Post4850598
 
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