In planning on changing my JXI's ATF oil and filter, I decided to do my other car ('05 Hyundai XG350) that has a drain plug (no pan to drop or filter to chg). I found this YouTube from a Honda (also with drain plug, not pan). I decide to try this flush method (below) and wonder how I might revise it to do my Sebring.
I interpolated from this 7 min. video and did this:
1) Drained oil w/ plug, cleaned & replaced plug.
2) Removed supply line to trans. cooler. Attached clear hose to trans side, routed to drain pan.
3) Ran engine ≈ 10-20 seconds or so until old fluid flow stopped. Shut off engine.
4) Refilled trans with ATF4.
5) Ran engine until drain container full, shut off engine, refill fluid. Repeated until clean red fluid came out.
.... now to cooler/tank
6) Attached clear drain hose to line coming out of cooler/tank return (routed to drain pan).
7) Applied low pressure compressed air to cooler inlet. (not much oil came out)
8) Re-attached cooler 'supply' line to it's pipe to trans.
9) With fluid level full & clear hose from cooler/tank 'return' line routed to drain pan, I started engine, when drain container full, stopped engine, refilled oil. I repeated until fluid came out clean and red (I had put in about 10 qrts new fluid).

My questions:
a) Would this procedure be Ok on the 2.5L '00 Sebring? (don't know if it's cooler lines are accessible or not)
b) If so, I wonder how to deal with the filter replacement.
c) Can I just leave the filter out after 'first' pan drop/oil drain? (hmmn, this means I lose ≈4 qts of fresh oil at second pan drop... I guess I could just put this oil back in if it is clean, and drain pan was clean)
d) Maybe I just leave the original (165,000 mile) filter in, either not dropping pan at all before pumping old oil out thru drain tube. All new oil will be passing thru the 165k mi filter though. (
e) Maybe buy a second $10 filter kit if I am unable to run engine to pump fluid out with no filter.

Any comments on this procedure would be appreciated.

 

I have not had the car up on ramps yet to see accessibility from below. From above (and in manual) I see the cooler lines mounted to opposites sides of the radiator. The passenger side (cooler to tank) line looks easier to remove than the other side.

1)Anyone know where the normal place to tap into the system is for flushing? As I have read more I see Quickie lube shops don't drop the pan/ remove the old filter. So maybe I should attempt to flush clean fluid thru the old filter until clean clean fluid comes out (with engine running). I still think, at 165k miles, I should drop the pan and pull the (very) old filter before doing the flush.

2) If oil will circulate without a filter installed (?), I'll reinstall the pan w/o a filter, just for the flush. Then, when fluid runs out clean red, stop, drop pan (saving clean oil in clean drain pan if possible), install new filter, seal pan back up, reconnect lines and top off fluid. Or, I could get a second $10 filter to have o/h just to use for the flushing process.

Thanks for any insights.

 

ATF fluid leaks (slow) from area above & and forward of transmission pan. Where the solenoid pack is located. One person mentioned a gasket is not sold separately for the sol. pack, so he replaced it to fix the leak. There have been no shifting irregularities, but it would be nice to fix the leak minor seepage. Do people replace the sol. pack just to repair leak?

Glad I looked for gasket on RockAuto. I found this good warning to check for other leaks before assuming it is the solenoid block assy.
http://www.rockauto.com/info/ATP/TE-...n%20Notice.pdf
Also has a clear picture of the area involved.

Thanks ( sorry to be so wordy)
PS. $105 for ATP brand sol. pack

 

remove the pan replace the filter use RTV seal it back up install pan add fluid 4-6 quarts then check.

 

And yes, replacing the solenoid pack is a standard fix for that leak.

 

If so, I will hold off on the fluid flush & filter change I am planning for Tuesday until I can get the new solenoid pack shipped to me. Is there a DIY procedure to let trans relearn it's stuff (so I don't have to go to a dealer to get a 'quick learn' done on it)?

I cleaned the area around the solenoid pack thoroughly today at the self serve coin-op car wash. After a commute trip Monday, I'm planning to get under there Tuesday to confirm leak IS from the sol. pack. At that time I will flush the old ATF fluid/ change filter. The solenoid pack swap would be done after I received part from RockAuto.

 

The "relearn" procedure is to drive the car as you normally drive. I suppose you could get one or two rough shifts but I have replaced two solenoid packs on two cars of mine and never got a bump. I assume you pulled the air filter housing to get in there real well for the cleaning. With a bit of a drive to dry things off real well you should be fine. You can swap the solenoid pack either before or after the filter/fluid change. You might lose a few drops of fluid during the work on the solenoid pack but not enough to worry about.
Make sure you have a big pan/basin to catch the fluid when you drop the pan for the filter change. You'll get a gusher. You can buy a filter kit with a gasket if you don't want to go the RTV route.
Don't panic if you see a few drips on the floor after the filter or solenoid pack change. ATF is very clingy and drips can take days to fall off the car. If it's still dripping after a week or two then you've got a problem.

 

dcotter,
I did not pull the air box when I pressure washed from the top. Inspecting with flash light from top after driving home and all was dry, it looks like I got it very clean. When I do the filter change flush Tuesday, I'll be sure to pull the air box and make sure all is very clean and re-clean as required.

I'll see better when I pull the air box and have car raised for the flush service. Is the solenoid pack accessed and removed from above and pulled thru the (removed) air box opening? It seems that might be the case from this picture.

http://www.rockauto.com/info/ATP/TE-...n%20Notice.pdf

Is there anything to watch out for when removing sol. pack (springs flying, etc. ), or is it just a clean pull and replace part.

Thanks for the tip that normal driving is fine while the tranny relearns it's process.

 

Oh, dcotter, I just noticed you have an '02. Another recent thread asking about which years to look at buying, I told the guy that IMO, the brakes on my 2000 were sub standard as far as stopping ability. How is the braking on yours? I assumed they would have beefed up the brakes some with the '01 style change.

 

I posted a piece about my '01's brakes here:

https://www.chryslerforum.com/forum/...sebring-19528/

As for installing the solenoid pack, you must come in from the top. It's actually pretty easy. There are three long bolts that bolt straight down from above. Remove them and you can easily pop off the pack. It leaves an opening from above once it's off. That's why you want to get the area as clean as you can so stuff doesn't fall in there. There are no springs flying or other surprises. You read the note about installing and the "pins" that guide it into place. They require that you pop it up, not sideways to get it off.