[Ventmaster]

One more thank-you, OP(cwebster) and to you TJay- I've already changed the engine oil (X2 now), and got the rear diff while she's up on jack stands (used the GM gear oil called for by the owner's manual with the friction modifier already included).

Gonna support the trans and drop that cross member in the AM and put in 4+ quarts of RP Synchromax. Really appreciate the insight guys!

[DevBlackSS]

Originally Posted by cwebster

Glad to hear it. Yeah, I'm not 100% satisfied with the transmission either. I can't help wishing they'd bring back an updated version of the old Muncie transmissions of the 60's and 70's. They were so smooth and easy to shift. Although I haven't driven one, I've heard that the Corvette C7's Tremec TR-6070 has very smooth shifting.

Hmm! Kind of want to go to my dealership and test drive one to find out now LOL. An updated Muncie, id be a buyer. Really wish I had the 7th gear the vette has for mpg's (i drive a ton of highway).

[Ventmaster]

Just to add a couple details to this procedure if you are removing the cross brace-

Besides the 4 primary 15mm bolts holding the cross brace be aware of the inverted (when lying on your back with car on jack stands) 18mm bolt at the back of the brace and then be ready with a 13mm socket for the 2 last nuts still holding the brace in place.

Now you're ready to remove the last 2 15mm bolts holding the sub-brace in place... and then you can see the drain plug clearly!

O.K., edit and beer break time... I drained out approximately 3.6 quarts with a small amount of spillage (50ml maybe). That's with car up at all 4 corners but the nose looks to be a little higher which I think would benefit the draining. So it looks like you'd be safe with purchasing just 4qts. However, after a couple more sips of brew... I'll go see how much I can pump in and report back. Also just for FYI, for lack of official numbers and just going on what the bolts felt like coming off, I tightened the 15mm bolts to 35 lb/ft, the 13mm to 25 lb/ft, and the 18mm to as tight as I could get it due to the difficulty accessing it. She's tight but not too tight, if you know what I mean.

One more edit (and beer)- she took 3.85 quarts to fill. Also the drain and fill plugs do not require much torque. I began thinking I'd use 24lb/ft like the rear diff plugs call for but quickly saw that would be excessive so I stopped and just gottem snug with fresh lock-tite. Have fun guys!

[Infern0]

So I saw above the trans was supported. I haven't looked under there, but is that necessary? I know it was in the 5th gen when changing the shifter for example.

[Ventmaster]

Originally Posted by Infern0

So I saw above the trans was supported. I haven't looked under there, but is that necessary? I know it was in the 5th gen when changing the shifter for example.

I'd say just precautionary, not sure if it's necessary but I didn't want to find out the hard way!

I just used my floor jack under the trans while the cross member was off.

Also be aware I learned if you just remove the 6 15mm bolts that are easily accessible to you under the car, the brace/sub-brace will come off as one unit and simplify the process. Chevy was kind enough to cut a window in the middle of the brace so you can reach the bolts holding the sub-brace. Now you can leave the 18mm and 2-13mm bolt and nuts alone. Have fun.

[bobby35ny]

Changed my M6 oil today.
Removed the cross member real easy 6 bolts.

My car did NOT have Magnetic plugs on the tranny. Wish it did
ALOT of metal shavings in the oil at 1500 miles.

I must say, I used the GM oil. Tranny shifts ALOT better now.

Guess I'll order one MAG plug and put it in the fill hole.

[vtirocz]

Originally Posted by cwebster

This post is to describe how & why I changed the manual transmission fluid in my 2017 Camaro ZL1 M6 to Royal Purple Synchromax. I did this at 2000 miles, about a week after my last engine/diff oil change.

Why?

1. The "clunky" shifts. One of the few gripes I had with the 6th Gen ZL1 was that shifting between gears was not as smooth as I had expected. I felt like it was having a negative effect on my 1/4 mile ET's. The 4-speed Muncie on my '70 Nova SS 396 had buttery smooth synchros back in 1975 and nothing I've driven since has measured up. In fact, it felt a lot like my 5th Gen SS 1LE. Come to find out it is the same tranny.

2. Good reviews for RP Synchromax. Most Camaro/Corvette owners who use RP Synchromax experience noticeable improvement. Forum searches turned up several positive reviews on replacing stock oil with RP Synchromax. $18.25 on Amazon

3. Just to be on the safe side. After changing the engine oil and differential gear oil 3 times, I felt like I should change the tranny fluid too. Even though there's no mention of accelerating the change interval for competitive driving events, I reasoned that the transmission must be experiencing some of the same torque and stresses as other drive train components. Can't hurt to err on the safe side...

How?

You'll need 4 qts oil, a suction gun or siphon pump, rags, 3/8" ratchet, 3/8" drive 1" extention, and 3/8" drive swivel. The suction gun is so much faster and easier. See bottom for the one I use.

Attachment 868117

1. Put the car up on a lift (you can do this on jack stands too).

2. Loosen and remove fill plug. It's located about mid-way on the left side near the top. See the red thread-lock coating in the photo? It uses plugs similar to the differential. You'll need a 3/8" drive ratchet and a short (1-3") extension.

Attachment 868115

3. Loosen drain plug. This is on the right side near the rear of the transmission, just above the mount cross-member. See the same red thread-lock compound? You'll need a 3/8" drive ratchet and swivel for this one.

Attachment 868114

4. Position a large drain pan just below and centered on the transmission mount cross-member.

5. Remove the plug and stand back. This will be messy - no way around it without jacking the tranny and removing the cross-member. Position a Mason jar under the main flow if you want to catch a sample.

6. Reposition drain pan as necessary

Attachment 868116

7. Examine magnetic drain plug for metal filings/chips. Check the sample for suspended or settled debris.
- A small amount of fine particles is normal.
- First fluid change may have more fine particles but no flakes or chunks.
- Color should be clear, bright red, not much darker than new fluid.

8. Allow to fully drain until there's a slow drip. Thoroughly clean the plug - especially the threads.

9. Wipe out the drain hole with a lint-free cloth. Then place thread-lock compound on the first half of threads of the drain plug. Finally, replace and tighten.
- Not sure of torque. I try to match what I felt coming off - 15-25 ft lbs should do it.

10. Fill a suction gun with new oil and position the tube inside the fill hole.

11. Refill until fluid starts coming back out.
- You'll have to fill the gun several times. Capacity is 3.5L (3.65 qts) so should take under 4 qts if your gun doesn't leak.

12. Wipe out the fill hole with a lint-free cloth. Then place thread-lock compound on the first half of threads of the fill plug. Finally, replace and tighten - same as drain plug.

13. Thoroughly clean and wipe-down the transmission and mount. There's going to be oil in hard-to-reach places. I stuffed a rag underneath and pulled it through the tight spots several times.

Suction Gun:

I bought one of these. It works great and doesn't leak. I use it mostly for differential gear oil but it works great for transmission fluid changes too. I like it because it's body is clear so I can see how much fluid is in there. wipe it clean inside and out with a lint-free cloth after each use.

Plews 30-740 UltraView Suction Gun with Red Tube Ends $24.62

--Cal

FYI: The service manual stresses not to overfill the MM6. Here's a quote from the manual:

"IMPORTANT:
Transmission fluid level setting must be followed exactly as written or the
transmission may be overfilled or under filled. For fluid recommendations, Refer to Adhesives, Fluids, Lubricants, and Sealers (MM6)

Transmission fluid level MUST be 3.2 mm (1/8 inch) below (1) the fill plug. This can be done by one of the following methods:

1. Bend mechanics wire to 3.2 mm (1/8 inch) to check fluid level. Add or remove fluid as necessary.
2. Fill transmission until level with the bottom of the fill plug hole, then remove 240 ml (8 ounces) of fluid."

[vtirocz]

One other thing I noticed is that the service manual specifies to use the temp sensor to drain the trans fluid. This is much more accessible, but it's hard to tell from the pictures if it's as low as the actual drain plug.

Does anyone with an SS actually have a magnetic drain plug on the trans?

[JCunningham]

manual also states fill is 1/8" below fill hole. http://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=500494

[cwebster]

Originally Posted by vtirocz

FYI: The service manual stresses not to overfill the MM6. Here's a quote from the manual:

"IMPORTANT:
Transmission fluid level setting must be followed exactly as written or the
transmission may be overfilled or under filled. For fluid recommendations, Refer to Adhesives, Fluids, Lubricants, and Sealers (MM6)

Transmission fluid level MUST be 3.2 mm (1/8 inch) below (1) the fill plug. This can be done by one of the following methods:

1. Bend mechanics wire to 3.2 mm (1/8 inch) to check fluid level. Add or remove fluid as necessary.
2. Fill transmission until level with the bottom of the fill plug hole, then remove 240 ml (8 ounces) of fluid."

Thank you for posting that excerpt. Can you confirm that this came from the GM Camaro service manual? Does it apply to all TR-6060 variants, including the MJK variant in the ZL1? If so, I'll be checking/correcting this before my next track visit.

Do you have a personal copy of the service manual? If so, where did you get it? I'd like to get one for myself.

Originally Posted by vtirocz

One other thing I noticed is that the service manual specifies to use the temp sensor to drain the trans fluid. This is much more accessible, but it's hard to tell from the pictures if it's as low as the actual drain plug.

Does anyone with an SS actually have a magnetic drain plug on the trans?

The drain plug is the lowest opening on the casting.

--Cal

[cwebster]

Originally Posted by Ventmaster

Just to add a couple details to this procedure if you are removing the cross brace-

Besides the 4 primary 15mm bolts holding the cross brace be aware of the inverted (when lying on your back with car on jack stands) 18mm bolt at the back of the brace and then be ready with a 13mm socket for the 2 last nuts still holding the brace in place.

Now you're ready to remove the last 2 15mm bolts holding the sub-brace in place... and then you can see the drain plug clearly!

O.K., edit and beer break time... I drained out approximately 3.6 quarts with a small amount of spillage (50ml maybe). That's with car up at all 4 corners but the nose looks to be a little higher which I think would benefit the draining. So it looks like you'd be safe with purchasing just 4qts. However, after a couple more sips of brew... I'll go see how much I can pump in and report back. Also just for FYI, for lack of official numbers and just going on what the bolts felt like coming off, I tightened the 15mm bolts to 35 lb/ft, the 13mm to 25 lb/ft, and the 18mm to as tight as I could get it due to the difficulty accessing it. She's tight but not too tight, if you know what I mean.

One more edit (and beer)- she took 3.85 quarts to fill. Also the drain and fill plugs do not require much torque. I began thinking I'd use 24lb/ft like the rear diff plugs call for but quickly saw that would be excessive so I stopped and just gottem snug with fresh lock-tite. Have fun guys!

Thanks for adding the details of your work. The torque values seem reasonable but I'd feel more comfortable removing such a critical support beam knowing the specified torque values. It would be nice to have an official ZL1/SS service manual. I'll ask the service manager about getting one or at least a list of torque values for commonly serviced components next time I'm there.

--Cal

[vtirocz]

Originally Posted by cwebster

Thank you for posting that excerpt. Can you confirm that this came from the GM Camaro service manual? Does it apply to all TR-6060 variants, including the MJK variant in the ZL1? If so, I'll be checking/correcting this before my next track visit.

Do you have a personal copy of the service manual? If so, where did you get it? I'd like to get one for myself.



The drain plug is the lowest opening on the casting.

--Cal

A link to the GM manual is posted above (for trans fluid change). As it was a MY16 manual, it only lists the MM6. My assumption is the ZL1's TR6060 is the same, but do not know for sure.

The full Helm's manual is available for $250 (electronic copy), but only the MY16 one is available. Once the MY17 one comes out, I'll be getting it.

[vtirocz]

Originally Posted by cwebster

Thanks for adding the details of your work. The torque values seem reasonable but I'd feel more comfortable removing such a critical support beam knowing the specified torque values. It would be nice to have an official ZL1/SS service manual. I'll ask the service manager about getting one or at least a list of torque values for commonly serviced components next time I'm there.

--Cal

I will check the torque spec on those and report back. I'll be doing the fluid change soon.

[vtirocz]

The transmission support and transmission mount should be removed as an assembly (as mentioned above.

4 bolts for the trans support crossmember. Torque spec = 58 Nm (43 lb ft)
2 bolts for the trans mount. Torque spec = 58 Nm (43 lb ft)