S13 Transmission Draining Alternatives

[Cloren10]

Hey guys,

Was lurking but a while after working on my S13 and hours of frustration I finally decided to go ahead and ask this on the forums. I tried using the search function but didn't quite find any real solution (maybe I didn't put in the best search terms or something) to this problem:

'90 S13 with the stock KA24E and the 5 speed transmission, bought it from some guy not terribly long ago. The engine is, if not destroyed, in awful shape because draining the oil pan and all that comes out first is about a pint or two of water is never a good sign, but to the guys credit he did warn me the last time he touched it it overheated and blew a head gasket.

Anyways - 240Kish miles, I go under it to drain the transmission. Like I saw in some other threads/guides, I loosened the fill plug first. That came off with really no issues, but a bit of fluid came out. No biggie.

Then I went to the drain plug. Nope. Just no. I tried first with my 1/2in wrench, what later turned out to be the outside rounding was what I chalked up to the result of there being so much grime on it. Hit it with a mallet. Tried a Snapon impact on it. Then I really rounded that sucker off. Alright, round three - I Dremel a straight line across the top of the bolt pretty deep, put a flathead biton it with the 1/2 drive, just twisted the metal away. No effect. Bought an easy out. Realized it's a joke. No better there either.

I almost got all of the way through it by just drilling through the center of the darn bolt with a Dremel and a cobalt drill bit, but it fried both of the ones I had on the way in. In all likelihood, I probably stopped about 1/4 inch from getting through the bolt. But I haven't given it another go because I feel if I go all the way through, that'll really make it impossible for me to remove the drain bolt once I get the transmission out from under the car short of taking it to a machine shop, where its gonna run me a pretty penny likely.

So in y'alls experience - which is the easiest alternative to drain the transmission short of making a huge mess? I've heard of two things so far - using a manual hand pump via the fill plug or tilting it up and draining it out through where the shaft hooks in. And while I couldn't find really a straight answer online, would unbolting the engine from the transmission without draining it first cause a ton of fluid to leak out everywhere as well?

Any advice is appreciated!

CL

[My!]

you should be able to unbolt the trans from the engine without any fluid coming out that side, but it will leak coming out where the driveshaft connects to the trans. gl man

[anthony_240]

Take the driveshaft apart and leave the input inside the tranny so that it doesn’t leak. You can also do it if you have a 1-piece. And make the necessary repair once it’s out


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[S14rebuild]

Well....

I had a fool proof way of getn it out


Spent 10mins typn it up and the fourm 403 forbidden me...soo guess ur stuck. Sorry

[mechanicalmoron]

Never impact pipe plugs, in or out. You already know why.

If you have enough snap-on to break it, don't you have enough to fix it?

[Thursday7]

Pull driveshaft, loosen crossmember bolts and motor mount bolts. Pour out of the tailshaft.

[cotbu]

Drive shaft, and or speed sensor. After you catch all the fluid and go through all that trouble. Think about doing it next time or tap the original drain plug that you started to drill out. Use the captured fluid to remove any debris. Not a step by step reply.

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[S14rebuild]

Bfh to the drain plug, solid few wacks...then get a map gas torch, heat it up. Then use an air chisel and walk that fucker out. 10mins tops....its never failed me.

[TheRealSy90]

For future reference I always heat up the transmission around the drain plug first with a torch and then it comes right out.

[mechanicalmoron]

You guys are nuts. Start with a big breaker bar, never have to fuck around or fuck your car up.

It's just a tranny plug. It just comes out. It's a single bolt job. Fucking seriously.

[collegekid]

Is this plug steel or aluminum?

If you have a friend with a little 110V welder with some flux core wire, ask if they can come over and lend a hand. Use a 1/2" socket and weld it to the rounded plug. This is based off the assumption that it is a steel plug and not aluminum.

When welding the socket to the plug, it should clear off any oxidation around the plug that's making it stick so it should just come out.

[collegekid]

Is this plug steel or aluminum?

If you have a friend with a little 110V welder with some flux core wire, ask if they can come over and lend a hand. Use a 1/2" socket and weld it to the rounded plug. This is based off the assumption that it is a steel plug and not aluminum.

When welding the socket to the plug, it should clear off any oxidation around the plug that's making it stick so it should just come out.

[S14rebuild]

Originally Posted by mechanicalmoron

You guys are nuts. Start with a big breaker bar, never have to fuck around or fuck your car up.

It's just a tranny plug. It just comes out. It's a single bolt job. Fucking seriously.

Were past that point.....

[S14rebuild]

Originally Posted by Jerometon

If I remember right on the G8 forum a guy did a 6spd swap on his G8 . I think he said the camaro transmission was a little bit longer than the gxp transmission . But I am interested to see what you come up with .

Spam bot....mods where r u?

[Cloren10]

I appreciate the replies, out the back we go!.

[TheRealSy90]

Originally Posted by mechanicalmoron

You guys are nuts. Start with a big breaker bar, never have to fuck around or fuck your car up.

It's just a tranny plug. It just comes out. It's a single bolt job. Fucking seriously.

Except when it doesn't come out and the breaker bar rounds out the inside of the drain plug square provision. The material is too soft when they are overly tightened or seized.

[e1_griego]

BTW, trans drain plug take a 13mm square socket, not just 1/2" ratchet/breaker/impact.

Obv most drain plugs have half been ruined by now, but if you have the right socket it fits tighter and doesn't round.

[TheRealSy90]

That's probably why so many are damaged from using a 1/2" square drive.

[mechanicalmoron]

Originally Posted by TheRealSy90

Except when it doesn't come out and the breaker bar rounds out the inside of the drain plug square provision. The material is too soft when they are overly tightened or seized.

I was going to say, never had a problem on mine, but I do remember it not being so skookum.

The 13mm thing makes sense, both in terms of them rounding and in terms of nissan being garbage. I bet when you have to remove that garbage, you can't just use any plug, because it's probably BSPT threads or some nissan bullshit like that.

[brndck]

def weld a nut to it, then use a socket and a long breaker bar on that.

[s13 @ fullboost]

Originally Posted by TheRealSy90

For future reference I always heat up the transmission around the drain plug first with a torch and then it comes right out.

This right here is golden information ^^^^^^^


I always take map gas and heat the area around the plug and the plug itself. You absolutely do not want to over do it being that its aluminium & will crack if you go overboard. So not glowing red or anything crazy.

Also use a 6" extension do not put the drive directly in. I usually will wrap a bit of PTFE around it.

I have had some that were beyond Fu*ked. I drill them out with a 7/8 drill bit and use a big boy extractor. Mine is made by Matco but all truck brands have them made by the same company & have their brand name slapped on them.

You will need to grab the magnet that is going to stick directly above the drill point & flush the trans a few times with cheap stuff then do your final fill.