btarocks said:
Attempted to tackle the filter seal before trying to fit the filter. Took a small screwdriver to try and pop one side out. All that happened was the rubber tearing and exposing gouged metal. I'm about to fly the white flag. Did I gouge the seal casing or the bore? Am I looking at buying a new tranny soon?
Now I'm more worried about the filter bore than anything else. Fairly certain the seal casing is still up there. Anyone have a way to get this thing out? Any pictures of the bore with it out would be a huge help.
The filter seal is not the easiest thing to remove. Most of the time they can be left alone if not damaged, although I have always changed them as a new one comes in the kit.
The trick is to catch the edge of it with a pick tool or screwdriver or a pointed chisel, anything like that - then, you take a hammer and pound the edge of the seal toward the center of the bore, so that the seal caves in on itself. It would be easier to illustrate this with a picture, but where would I find it?
Anyhow, once it's caved in, the diameter of the seal is now reduced, and it will practically fall out of the transmission bore. You would then simply pluck it out of there with needle nosed pliers. The caved in area gives you the room needed to grab onto it with the pliers.
Hope this makes sense to you.
Just please don't go damaging the bore in any way - that would really suck large. Maybe I can find a picture somewhere.
As far as I know, sometimes there is a filter made for a deeper trans pan, and it looks like you need the regular filter and got the wrong one. Recheck the part# to be sure.
And, above all - Good luck!!
CarMech1969