Location of oil filter

Greetings,

If you elevate the front end of your truck (either with a floor jack and jack stands or with drive-up ramps) and slide underneath you will see a black metal pan roughly the size of a shoebox bolted to the bottom of the motor. This is the oil pan. There will also be a shallower silver/gray pan bolted to the bottom of the transmission to the rear of the oil pan - this is the transmission fluid pan.

The oil pan has a single bolt-head plug in the bottom near the rear - this is the oil plug. If you have a stepped oil pan, the plug will be at the lowest point. When you change your oil and remove the plug, thoroughly clean the plug's threads and washer (or replace the washer with a new one) to help prevent leaking. Do not overtighten the plug when you put it back in or you could strip the threads.

Immediately next to the oil pan is the oil filter - it is about the 3/4 the size of a beer can and simply screws off and on the mount. You will need either an oil filter wrench or a strap wrench to remove the old one and reinstall the new one. When you take the old filter off (oil will flow out when you loosen it by the way, so be prepared), clean off the mounting surface with a rag and take a drop of new oil and lubricate the rubber O-ring seal on the new filter before you install it. This helps with a good seal so the filter won't drip. When you thread the new filter onto the mount, tighten it 1/2- to 3/4-turn after the seal makes contact with the mounting surface. Any tighter and you may have a lot of trouble getting the filter off for the next oil change.

Cheers - Jonathan

Mr. Race had some good advice, but, in addition, I'd really invest the $15.00 at the auto parts store where you get your oil/filter on a Haynes or Chilton's manual for your truck.

Thanks for the info - I've not owned a 4wd S-10 so I'm glad you chimed in!

Cheers - Jonathan

I thought I was unscrewing the oil plug.. but I think I mistakenly drained the trans fluid instead (pink and smells like fish). Now my question is, do I need to go buy some new trans fluid and refill, or should I have somebody more knowledgeable look at it?

You need to clarify something for us - do you have an automatic transmission? If so then do yourself a big, big favor and do not drive this truck without any ATF in the tranny - as if I really needed to say that! Things must be different on your truck somewhat because of all the automatic transmissions I've seen on GM trucks the only one that I've seen that had a factory installed drain plug in the pan was my Allison tranny on my current

2500HD. Perhaps GM started putting them in to make maintenance a little easier, but the last 4L60E I worked on was a '95 and you had to drop the pan to drain the fluid.

It's just as easy to go buy new ATF and fill your tranny as it is to try to pour the old stuff back in, plus you won't have to worry about getting any contaminants in it. You fill the tranny through the transmission fluid dipstick tube so get a funnel with a long neck and an appropriately sized spout.

Truthfully however, if you are mistakenly draining the transmission instead of the engine and don't know if you should add back the fluid or buy new, then I think that Yes it is time to consider having a lube place do your next oil and filter change.

Cheers - Jonathan

Yes, it's automatic. I thought I had drained the trans fluid, but it was actually just the coolant. Anyway, I still am lost on finding the oil plug. Is it right next to the oil filter? I have loosened two bolts near that, and neither of them are it. Is the plug close to the ground, or do I have to reach up more into the underside of the truck to get to it? Thanks again for all your help.

It is usually near the oil filter and yes, It is at the lowest point on the oil pan.

Doing a Oil change is SIMPLE, if he's having this much of a problem, maybe he should just NOT do it himself. Bring it to a quick change oil shop and have them do it. It's not that much more money anyway.

Ever heard of a TROLL?

Ben,

I suggest that you don't do anything further on your truck... You sound like you don't have enough experience to know that if you're simply changing your oil, that wont cut it. You need to at least have someone show you the process before you go into it blind and make a mistake as you have allready. There are also other things that should be maintaine like checking the rubber boots for the proper amount of grease. I'm not a mechanic either, and I don't do anything that I know is out of my realm.

-Kory

I have a 2002 silverado, 4l60e tranny, it has a tranny plug for draining. It leaves about 3/4 quart in pan because the drain plug sits up slightly above the bottom. An interesting thing I found out today was, my style truck comes with 3 different pans on the tranny from the factory. Shallow and two deep pans. One is 2 1/4 and the other is 2 7/8", mine turned out to be 2 7/8" I had to call Chevy dealer and furnish vin to find out which filter to get when I changed the fluid/filter today. Found a small 1 1/2 x

1" black magnetic pad stuck to the bottom inside to collect debris. Pan drops off pretty easy once you get the shift cable out of the way.

Alright.. the plug is where I originally thought it was. The only problem is that I can't get the darn thing off. I've already started to strip the heads trying to unscrew it. Is this normal?

I appreciate your concern in not wanting me to damage my truck due to inexperience. The experience of others is exactly what I'm trying to obtain, and that's why I'm here asking questions instead of going into it blind.

I think you "have been going into it blind". I've followed this thread, and frankly, you are scaring me. Who knows what "bolts" you are loosening and tightening. I'd echo some other responses and advise you to cut your losses and take the vehicle to some knowledgable people.

How much does an oil change cost anyway? A whole lot less then something expensive like a motor or trans that you blow up thru inexperience.

Ian

Ian's recommendation based on his point re: going blind should be heeded. At least get a Chilton/Haynes manual for the vehicle before you try anything else. If you wish to gain experience, make sure you're heading in the right direction first or else it won't be any good experiences.

Regards, Franko

here

I wish I could say this is the first time I've gotten flak from somebody for asking simple questions. If you are not interested in answering the questions or pointing me to a good resource, you're serving no purpose by responding. Now if you want to engage in childish banter back and forth, find somebody else. I'm here to get answers, not lectures on the obvious.

Okay, lets say for instance you're not a troll. Why would anyone want to give you more information if you can't find a simple oil drain plug? Why would anyone continue with this method of giving you blind information? You've been told where to go and what to look for and you still are asking questions because you screwed up?

These people on this newserver are not belittling you, they are concerned about your ability to get this job done correctly without doing harm to your vehicle. Now with that said, why would you ask any Tom, Dick or Harry how to effect repairs on your automobile and not find someone in your neighborhood, a family member, or close friend? Surely you've got to know someone that can help you with the simple task of changing the oil in your truck?

Now if you have another reason for your asking, say to troll this newserver trying to bait people into needless banter, then I think you've accomplished your goal.

If you are sincere, please find someone locally that can teach you how to properly complete this task. Many of us are hundreds if not thousands of miles away and we can't help you blindly. We can't see what you're explaining and at best, we are taking an educated guess to your meanings. Good luck!

Jim Smith

Ben,

Take it from someone who has made mistake to learn... Don't start with a car. Franko's suggestion to buy a Chilton/Haynes manual was a good one... It's a usefull tool for begginners as yourself.

Thought Ian is a bit harsh, he's damn right! We're saving you a lot of trouble and money! It will cost you around $1400 to have your trans rebuilt if you end up frying that out!