I just completed the 700R4 to T5 conversion on my 86 IROC. Thanks for all of the advice/help TGO! I'm running a 1352-175 T5 (Out of an 88 IROC, world class yada yada 2nd design.) The fill plug on my newly installed trans is stuck, stripped, painted over, and makin me upset! It is not coming off without heat (it was like this when I bought it.) After the install I just added the ATF thru the shifter hole, but without draining and refilling, how would I check the level of ATF? Is there another method of guaranteeing that its full w/o all of the work (console/shifter removal, drain pan, etc...)?

 

Drain pan?? You installed it before the fill plug was stripped - or after? (and if after - why?)

Really no way to tell an accurate level since you can't fill it level with the bottom of the fill hole plug - and since you can't remove the fill plug in the first place.

I guess you can only keep track of how much you put in it. I know it takes about 3 3/4 quarts from bone dry, which you'll have to put in through the shifter. I mean, I guess the only way to check it after that is to drain it all out and see how much drained....

You need to fix that fill plug - bottom line.

 

thanks confuzed for the quick reply,

I didn't know if there were some other way to monitor the fluid level (ya know how creative gear heads get, thought maybe something easy was an option...)

I'm headed to my Dad's house this weekend, he has a torch that should ease the situation tremendously.

Nuff said.

 

Might be a dumb question but WHY didn't you remove the plug while the trans was out???? It would have been easy to then.

 

Thats a good question. I tried to get the freakin thing out when the trans was apart, but without the trans being mounted to something it was hard to get any leverage. I didn't have a vice, and the plug was already rounded, so I said screw it. I figured the used tranny would have to come out sometime soon for some other unknown crazy reason, and that I'd fix it later... Anyway this weekend my brother and I got the sucker out. He cracked out the torch, threw on a heating tip, and barely warmed the case. It came right out, like BUTTA. I stole another plug from *ack* a blue oval 8 inch rear, end of story. Why do I always do things my (the hard) way??? LOL

 

Glad to hear ya got it fixed!! - Even though it was done the "hard" way.

Been there done that myself on other things.....