A Newby Does Some Maintenance

[RUSSELL5000]

School started the last week of August and my sons have something every weekend now so all trips with our camper are done for the year. Seemed like a good time to do some work on the truck; odometer reads just under 10,000 miles. Placed an order for filters from Geno’s Garage – at the door step in no time.



My son and I changed the oil – very easy with the drain valve and proper tools (I have another thread on this).



We also changed the fuel filter – sooner than scheduled, but a good time to do so when doing other stuff and I don’t see how it can hurt to change sooner. I used the revised FleetGuard 3 micron filter and took advantage of the pricing anomaly at Geno’s.



How do you inspect the inside of the fuel filter housing – with a mirror and flashlight? I sure couldn’t

get my body positioned up over the top of it to see down.



Do you clean the inside of the filter housing? How? It would not be good to wipe out with a rag

would it? Do you leave the drain open and rinse with clean fuel?



I notice the cap on the fuel filter housing is plastic. Are there problems rounding off the corners of

the molded-in nut on the top? Should I order a spare for the “boony box”?



Also a good time to install the PML deep capacity transmission pan I had ordered. I don’t know that this was really needed after further reading of the TDR and this website. But, I figure the increase in fluid capacity (adds four quarts) and whatever cooling is offered by the finned aluminum pan cannot hurt. I replaced both filters while I was doing. Geno’s includes directions regarding the extra care that must be taken with the neck gasket on the sump filter as does the TDR article. I used the cooling line drain method as described in the TDR article to change as much transmission fluid as possible.



I don’t think the TDR article does a really good job of describing exactly how to determine whether

the transmission has been refilled properly. I did a web search and found a good article on the 68RFE

that describes really well here: http://www.atraonline.com/gears/2010/2010-05/2010_5_4.pdf.

Note especially Figure 2 that charts where on the dipstick the fluid should be as the fluid

Temperature varies.



Does anyone know how sensitive the transmission is to the proper fluid fill? I messed with this for a

long time and have checked a half dozen times since and It looks right, but I see no way to be precise.

If I understand it correctly then it looks to me like you don’t have to be perfect and there is kind of a

range. Is that correct?



Finally, I tightened everything as I worked. I am thinking that it would be worthwhile to invest in a good torque wrench. Does that make sense?



Thanks!

 

[EDankievitch]

Yes it's a good idea to have a spare filter cap, They are not cheap though. Sounds like you did everything else right. It's really not all that hard just keep your head and if you have questions you'll find the answers here. Lastly nothing is better than a good set of tools. Don't go cheap they'll make your life better in the long run.

 

[transe]

The 68RFE is pretty forgiving on fluid level. In my experience, you won't start running into blatant issues (slipping, loss of line pressure, etc. ) until you get about 4+ quarts low. So don't fret too much about getting the level exact.



Here is a chart showing the min, nominal, and max level (in mm from tip of the dipstick) at each sump temperature. You might find this a little easier to use than the graphic you had referenced:



View attachment 68RFE Oil Level Chart2.pdf

 

[Jim W]

Thanks this will help all of us with the 68RFE transmission who do their own maintenance on their vehicles.


Jim W.