Alright, I went out today to change my manual tranny fluid. I've got a Chilton manual, never let me down yet, anyway I'm looking all over for a drain plug and a filler plug. In the manual it says to torque both to 22Lbs, so I'm looking for 2 BOLTS, instead I find a rubber plug with a stub on the end, and a bolt about 2 inches long.

So before I pull the rubber thing I'm wondering if that's even it, it's in the right spot based on the crappy diagram, so I pull it, it makes this hissing sound and a few ounces of fluid come out. I figure since it's the filler plug not too much would come out anyway, then I pull the bolt I think (99.999% sure), and NOTHING comes out. BTW I raised the car, removed the plugs, then lowered the car to normal/level ride height. Now there's no way that I don't have any fluid right? It's been a little hard lately to put the thing in REVERSE, and sometimes in first and shit, like I try and put it in, it won't go all the way so I put in neutral and then it slips in; but the gears don't grind or make any kind of noise at all.

Anyone have any pics of the FILLER PLUG, and is it a BOLT or a RUBBER PLUG that just pulls out? And any pics of the DRAIN PLUG, and is it about 2 inches long? If anyone has the Chilton manual, can you check and see if I'm looking at the right picture, I'm using Fig 196; Fig 199 and 200 are for the Turbo models right? Also when looking at Fig 196 it says "1995-98 non-turbo engine", so I'm assuming that I'm right unless Chilton beefed. And if I remove the driver side wheel I should be able to see both plugs without getting under the car right, I mean they aren't on the other side of the tranny are they?

Please help me, I don't know what I'm doing wrong.


Coo'
alex_ries@hotmail.com

in the service manual, on pages 00-44 thru 00-45, there is diagrams that might help u. 00 is the general maintenance section. i dont know how to do it, but that is what i printed for when i do mine.

let us know how it turns out, i am interested.

tia

it is the rubber plug. took me forever to find the filler plug also. the diagram sucks.

The fuckin' diagram is wrong. Fig 196 shows this little bolt on the same side as the tranny to be the drain plug when in fact it's NOT!!! The filler plug I learned is in fact a rubber cap which you cannot torque (error #1) and the drain plug is on the other side of the flange (error #2), and there's no real point in leveling the car to drain all the fluid, it will drain completely when lifted from driver side. Anyway I figured it all out myself, thanks for the help guys.

Coo'
alex_ries@hotmail.com