[brosmar1]

I consider myself fairly mechanically competent, but this was my first time ever servicing a transmission and I was surprised at the lack of information out there on how to do this job, especially for SS’s. So, I am writing up my experience for anyone out there looking to do the same, and also so I can come back to it when I have to do this job again.

According to the manual, the A10 tranny needs new fluid and filter every 45k miles, or after 15 track hours. But, all Chevy gives you is: "There is a special procedure for checking and changing the transmission fluid. Because this procedure is difficult, this should be done at the dealer." Cool, thanks. Not gonna do that.

Parts needed are as follows:

ACDelco DEXRON ULV Automatic Transmission Fluid, Part no. 19352619
I got 8qts just to be safe but you could probably get it done with 7 if you are careful.

ACDelco Gold Automatic Transmission Fluid Filters, Part no. 24294355
I have seen other part numbers for the filter, they all look to be the same.

ACDelco GM Genuine Parts Transmission Pan Gaskets, Part no. 24297886
This can be reused if it is still in good condition, but $47 for some extra peace of mind is well worth it to me. It appears some older part nos. are black, the one I got is green.

ACDelco Valve Body Replacement Components, Part no. 24050764
This comes as a kit with 6 bolts, but we only need the two 85mm aluminum bolts for the filter, more on this below.

First things first, if you have access to a lift, this job gets 100x easier. I did it in my driveway on jackstands, and while not terrible, it would have taken far less time and made far less mess if it were on a lift. Plan accordingly.

Get the car as level as possible. If doing it on the ground try to account for driveway slope as best you can. The tranny does not need to be warm, and it will be more enjoyable when you are not getting showered with hot oil.

Start by removing the 10mm level check plug. You will only get a bit of fluid out of this hole. Once it stops dripping, move onto the 10mm pan bolts. Remove in any way you see fit. No matter how you do this, be prepared for a mess. Once the pan comes off take care in preserving the gasket if reusing. Then you will see the filter and the two E10 torx bolts that hold it in. Remove them and the filter should fall right out with another splash of oil.

Clean the pan with brake clean and a rag and inspect the gasket if reusing. For some reason, there are two different types of pan magnets in use. One is a solid disk that is glued or taped on (my example) and the other looks like a donut that apparently can be removed and reinstalled. Do not try to remove the disk ones, just clean around the best you can with a small brush. Also take some time to clean around the mating surface on both parts.

For reinstallation, first make sure you install the (new) cylindrical orange seal on the new filter the same way it is on the old part. Slide the filter into place and bolt it up. In the Haynes repair manual I was using, it said to reuse the bolts and torque one to 93in-lb, and the other to 80in-lb. I was skeptical about this as the bolts are exactly the same. One bolt went in fine, the other broke before it got to 93in-lb (thankfully it left behind a nice valley that I was able to get a flathead screwdriver into to turn it out). After investigating a bit, another user posted something from GM (supposedly) that said these bolts must be replaced once removed and shall be torqued to 44in-lb + 128deg for reinstallation. I bought the bolt kit mentioned earlier and ended up just going hand tight plus about a half turn. Next time, I will be buying new bolts from the start.

A word of caution about the bolts: they are aluminum and very fragile, as I learned. Make sure there is no residual oil or dirt on the threads as this will produce an inaccurate torque reading. The uncertainty about what value to torque the bolts to is not very confidence inspiring. When it comes down to it, trust your gut, not the torque wrench.

Once the filter is in place seat the new or reused gasket on the pan, there are 2 alignment holes in opposite corners that match up to protrusions on the gasket. Get the pan in place and hand snug the bolts. Haynes says to torque the bolts to 89in-lb, the thread from before says 93in-lb. The bolts are steel and the female threads are aluminum, so no matter what you torque them to, be very careful. I set my wrench to 80in-lb and was fine. Refer to the picture for proper tightening sequence, it is for a ZL1 but should be the same for us. Just make sure you are going in a somewhat star pattern.

Keep the car in the air for the rest of the filling and level setting. You will need a transfer pump, and something to get the fluid into the pan through the plug hole. I have seen people fuss with syringes and other makeshift solutions, but the CTA Tools 7431 ATF Filler Adapter I bought a while ago in anticipation of doing this job works very well. I pumped all 8 quarts, maybe you can get it done with only 7, but with the amount I lost from moving between bottles and having to unscrew the adapter I am satisfied with the 8. Once it is filled, put the level setting plug back in the pan. If the car is not already level with the ground, do this now.

Turn on the engine and give it a minute to saturate the new filter. While holding down the brake, start shifting through reverse, neutral, and drive. Do this for a while, GM says the transmission needs to be at full operating temperature to correctly set the level. Realistically this would take forever, the cooling system is just too efficient. I did this job in 40 degree weather and after about 30 mins of shifting through gears the gauge cluster was still showing <100deg when I decided enough was enough. If it is overfilled it will blow out the PRV anyway.

WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING get back under the car and remove the level setting plug. Keep it open until the stream turns into a slow drip. It is a small hole, be patient. Bolt it back up and congratulations! You just performed a “special procedure” that Chevy says is “difficult and should be done at the dealer”! Hopefully this saves you some of the headaches I went through.

[cdb95z28]

The fluid level procedure needs to be done correctly or you risk shifting issues once the fluid gets to higher temps, like on a road course. There's a few posts here on the forums on other owner's experiences when it is not set correctly, mine included. If you over fill you risk funky shifting issues on track. Like most other lubricants, ATF fluid expands when hot. The service manual does have a thorough procedure on how to get the fluid temp up to the checking threshold. I had no issue getting my temps to the proper setpoint by using GM's method (brake torque). Also, Weber Auto has a very good video on this.

https://youtu.be/dPrP4NQZg6w?si=A929CV_Upp0UPWUH

And yes, the filter to valve body aluminum bolts are one time use per GM.

TRANSMISSION AUTOMATIC FLUID LEVEL CHECK.pdf


Use this link to find more posts via google:
https://www.google.com/search?q=a10+...ih=758&dpr=0.8

[Roddrz]

Originally Posted by brosmar1

I consider myself fairly mechanically competent, but this was my first time ever servicing a transmission and I was surprised at the lack of information out there on how to do this job, especially for SS’s. So, I am writing up my experience for anyone out there looking to do the same, and also so I can come back to it when I have to do this job again.

Here is the link to a valve body repair followed by a full fluid tranny flush.

I didn't mention in the post that the pan was lowered by 1/2" and a tube inserted to pump out the fluid. No mess while dropping the pan.

Some fluid does drip when pulling out the valve body.

Regards to fluid levels:

The coefficient of thermal expansion for oils and transmission fluids is around 0.0007 per degree C (0.07%/C).
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/th...h-heat.316726/

For example: If ambient ambient air temperature is 68F (20C) during tranny fill and the fluid heats to 180F (82C) then the difference is 62C = 82 - 20.

Therefore, during the summertime, the fluid could be expected to expand 0.0007 x 62C = 0.0434 (4.3%).

10.8 L expands 464 mL

Therefore fill until fill tube over flows, then remove approximately 400 ml from the cooler or from the drain plug.

[Kamero6]

Thanks for making the post with so much info!

Question, has anybody used the side plug/s?


I was thinking of using it to suck most of the fluid, before dropping the pan. But I could use it to fill it also, but I read the level will not be the same.

[Spaceme1117]

So I just dropped the pan in my 2017 SS with the 8-speed transmission. I had been needing to drop the pan because I needed to change the wiring harness that had the common faulty temperature sensor (was getting a P0711 code).

Before I dropped the pan, I used a hand transfer pump to pump out the majority of the fluid. I removed the fill plug completely, and was able to insert the hose of the transfer pump. Pumped out 95% of the fluid or about 7 quarts. When I dropped the pan, there was less than half a quart so manipulating the pan was much easier.

I then replaced the harness, cleaned and reused the gasket, installed a new filter, and I also installed a new pan (my old pan had a dent from a previous owner, I had fixed it but I think the lip of the pan was warped).

I pumped into the fill hole about 7 quarts of fluid. Then started the car and ran through each gear setting - P, N, R, D several times with a 3 second pause between each. Then pumped in an additional quart of oil. Re-installed the rubber fill plug.

I then let the car run until the temp was at least 131F (correct temp for the 8-speed) using the in-dash temp gauge. Removed the level plug and about 1/2 quart came out. Re-installed the plug and that was it.

Because I have 8-speed, I used the Mobil 1 Synthetic LV ATF HP.

I did the fluid and filter change once before when I purchased the car so was already familiar with the process. But I did follow the WeberAuto video as a refresher:

[cdb95z28]

Originally Posted by Kamero6

Thanks for making the post with so much info!

Question, has anybody used the side plug/s?


I was thinking of using it to suck most of the fluid, before dropping the pan. But I could use it to fill it also, but I read the level will not be the same.

Yep! That's how I removed most of my fluid for the first drain. For my subsequent drains I had installed a pan with a drain. The plug is an 8mm Allen hex shortened to about 16mm long. Install the Allen and use a wrench to remove. The shift cable assembly is in the way on the Camaros so it's tight. That plug needs sealant and GM specs blue Loctitie.

I bought one of these to suck the fluid out of the pan thru that now open hole:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0967G79FL...n_title_1&th=1

And yes, the hole is not a recommended reference for level. The pan's level plug is the correct way, once the ATF temp is correct.

[brosmar1]

Originally Posted by cdb95z28

The fluid level procedure needs to be done correctly or you risk shifting issues once the fluid gets to higher temps, like on a road course. There's a few posts here on the forums on other owner's experiences when it is not set correctly, mine included. If you over fill you risk funky shifting issues on track. Like most other lubricants, ATF fluid expands when hot. The service manual does have a thorough procedure on how to get the fluid temp up to the checking threshold. I had no issue getting my temps to the proper setpoint by using GM's method (brake torque). Also, Weber Auto has a very good video on this.

https://youtu.be/dPrP4NQZg6w?si=A929CV_Upp0UPWUH

And yes, the filter to valve body aluminum bolts are one time use per GM.

Attachment 1162851


Use this link to find more posts via google:
https://www.google.com/search?q=a10+...ih=758&dpr=0.8

There are pressure relief valves for a reason, I would much rather be over filled than under filled. You mentioned the Weber Auto video, did you catch the part where he said brake torquing will increase torque converter temps 10F per second? I personally would not want to risk damaging the TC or anything else in the transmission to evacuate an extra couple ozs of fluid. But obviously GM knows what’s best

[brosmar1]

Originally Posted by Roddrz

Here is the link to a valve body repair followed by a full fluid tranny flush.

I didn't mention in the post that the pan was lowered by 1/2" and a tube inserted to pump out the fluid. No mess while dropping the pan.

Some fluid does drip when pulling out the valve body.

Regards to fluid levels:

The coefficient of thermal expansion for oils and transmission fluids is around 0.0007 per degree C (0.07%/C).
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/th...h-heat.316726/

For example: If ambient ambient air temperature is 68F (20C) during tranny fill and the fluid heats to 180F (82C) then the difference is 62C = 82 - 20.

Therefore, during the summertime, the fluid could be expected to expand 0.0007 x 62C = 0.0434 (4.3%).

10.8 L expands 464 mL

Therefore fill until fill tube over flows, then remove approximately 400 ml from the cooler or from the drain plug.

Nice thread. Good idea, turn the bolts out far enough so the pan is still hanging but have room to get a hose in and pump it out. I will definitely be doing it that way next time.

As for the extra fluid, I’m going to leave it how it is for now. Maybe one day if I am under the car I will get to it, but I’ve been driving it pretty hard now that NY finally has some warm weather and it hasn’t given me any reason to suspect there is a problem with the level.

[Rich292]

Originally Posted by cdb95z28

The fluid level procedure needs to be done correctly or you risk shifting issues once the fluid gets to higher temps, like on a road course. There's a few posts here on the forums on other owner's experiences when it is not set correctly, mine included. If you over fill you risk funky shifting issues on track. Like most other lubricants, ATF fluid expands when hot. The service manual does have a thorough procedure on how to get the fluid temp up to the checking threshold. I had no issue getting my temps to the proper setpoint by using GM's method (brake torque). Also, Weber Auto has a very good video on this.

https://youtu.be/dPrP4NQZg6w?si=A929CV_Upp0UPWUH

And yes, the filter to valve body aluminum bolts are one time use per GM.

Attachment 1162851


Use this link to find more posts via google:
https://www.google.com/search?q=a10+...ih=758&dpr=0.8

One thing I am confused on, what is the correct temperature for setting the fluid level on the 10 speed? I specifically have a 2023 10 speed SS 1LE.

Weber Auto, which is a very reliable source generally, says 203-212*F. But the attached PDF in your post says 167-176*F. Do you know which one is correct?

The Weber video is older, and I've also seen threads of ZL1 owners opening the level check port at over 200*F and getting a bunch of fluid out to relieve overheating issues on track. But the PDF you provided seems to be newer. Did they change the level? Is that because they changed the internal level set tube height? Is it related to the model or specific year of the car?

Any help would be appreciated.

[SpeZ]

Originally Posted by Rich292

One thing I am confused on, what is the correct temperature for setting the fluid level on the 10 speed? I specifically have a 2023 10 speed SS 1LE.

Weber Auto, which is a very reliable source generally, says 203-212*F. But the attached PDF in your post says 167-176*F. Do you know which one is correct?

The Weber video is older, and I've also seen threads of ZL1 owners opening the level check port at over 200*F and getting a bunch of fluid out to relieve overheating issues on track. But the PDF you provided seems to be newer. Did they change the level? Is that because they changed the internal level set tube height? Is it related to the model or specific year of the car?

Any help would be appreciated.

Pre-facelift used a 203°F thermostat in the transmission.
2019 and newer uses a 167°F thermostat, so you will have to check it between 167 and 176°F.

Reaching 167°F takes about 50 minutes and you will probably never be able to get 203°F with a 2019+ trans unless you drive on track.

I changed the fluid in my transmission three times already, it is really annoying. I usually keep it idling for 40 minutes. (engine automatically turns off after around 15-20 minutes in park, switching gear resets the timer)
After that I start to brake torque carefully, braking hard and reving in drive to like 1000-1300 rpm for 2-4 seconds and waiting 30 seconds after each time. Without brake torque the temperature increase is extremly slow after like 150°F.

[Rich292]

Originally Posted by SpeZ

Pre-facelift used a 203°F thermostat in the transmission.
2019 and newer uses a 167°F thermostat, so you will have to check it between 167 and 176°F.

Reaching 167°F takes about 50 minutes and you will probably never be able to get 203°F with a 2019+ trans unless you drive on track.

I changed the fluid in my transmission three times already, it is really annoying. I usually keep it idling for 40 minutes. (engine automatically turns off after around 15-20 minutes in park, switching gear resets the timer)
After that I start to brake torque carefully, braking hard and reving in drive to like 1000-1300 rpm for 2-4 seconds and waiting 30 seconds after each time. Without brake torque the temperature increase is extremly slow after like 150°F.

Thank you for this. Even researching the forum posts, it's unclear what you're really supposed to do.

This also makes sense based on my driving. I've never had a pre-facelift car, but I can say for sure that the transmission in mine almost never gets even to 150, let alone much above it.

Now, I do drive mine in the manual mode all the time, which tends to greatly reduce torque converter slip. Even so, you'd think these would run a little hotter. I have a friend who bought a 2023 SS 1LE in manual, and his manual runs about the same trans temp as my automatic.