About four months ago I started to change the transmission fluid in my 2002 Suburban (4L60 transmission). I had just bought the 'burb with 90K miles and it looked like the previous owner was a little negligent in the maintenance category.
To gain clearance for the removal of the transmisison pan, you have to remove the bracket which holds the shift cable. The bracket is held on by two T40 TORX bolts. The back bolt, which you can see, came off easily. The front bolt had to be located by feel. On my first attempt, my TORX socket snapped in two. I tried another T40 bit in a 1/4" socket and felt the sickening slide as the bolt rounded out. I decided to put this project on hold until the weather got warmer.
Fast forward to this weekend. I tried a new T40 TORX socket and used a big C-clamp to hold the socket in the bolt. Still no go even after liberal applications of PB Blaster. I then removed the Park Interlock switch off the side of the transmission so that I had better access to this bolt. I tried Vice-Grips on the bolt head. Still no go - the Vice-Grips just slid on the bolt head no matter how hard I clamped down on it. I was just about ready to reach for the Dermel Mototool to cut the bolt head off, when I got the idea to see if I could just swing the bracket to one side. Sure enough I could move it enough to remove the pan.
I had run out of time for the day so I started putting everything back together. When I pushed the bracket back into the correct position, I felt the rounded-out front bolt start to loosen. I removed it easily now with Vice-Grips.
I replaced both TORX bolts with conventional hex head bolts. Next weekend, I'll change the fluid and filter.
One final note. When I replaced the lever on the transmission range selector shaft, I installed it in the orientation that looked correct. When I tried to go throught he gears, I found out that I could barely get it into Park and I could not get it into 2 or 1. I installed the lever the other way and it was easy to get it into all of the gears.
I wouldn't wish this problem on anyone, but if you do encounter it, I hope this information helps.
To gain clearance for the removal of the transmisison pan, you have to remove the bracket which holds the shift cable. The bracket is held on by two T40 TORX bolts. The back bolt, which you can see, came off easily. The front bolt had to be located by feel. On my first attempt, my TORX socket snapped in two. I tried another T40 bit in a 1/4" socket and felt the sickening slide as the bolt rounded out. I decided to put this project on hold until the weather got warmer.
Fast forward to this weekend. I tried a new T40 TORX socket and used a big C-clamp to hold the socket in the bolt. Still no go even after liberal applications of PB Blaster. I then removed the Park Interlock switch off the side of the transmission so that I had better access to this bolt. I tried Vice-Grips on the bolt head. Still no go - the Vice-Grips just slid on the bolt head no matter how hard I clamped down on it. I was just about ready to reach for the Dermel Mototool to cut the bolt head off, when I got the idea to see if I could just swing the bracket to one side. Sure enough I could move it enough to remove the pan.
I had run out of time for the day so I started putting everything back together. When I pushed the bracket back into the correct position, I felt the rounded-out front bolt start to loosen. I removed it easily now with Vice-Grips.
I replaced both TORX bolts with conventional hex head bolts. Next weekend, I'll change the fluid and filter.
One final note. When I replaced the lever on the transmission range selector shaft, I installed it in the orientation that looked correct. When I tried to go throught he gears, I found out that I could barely get it into Park and I could not get it into 2 or 1. I installed the lever the other way and it was easy to get it into all of the gears.
I wouldn't wish this problem on anyone, but if you do encounter it, I hope this information helps.
