2010 Sierra trans filter change - my experience

bgbdwlf2500 · February 19, 2016

So following the advice on the site I bought the filter, got it from autozone in store for 28 bucks, no need to order one. bought the 6 quarts of fluid from autozone as well. I think all in all about 80 in materials. Going in I knew that the exhaust y pipe was in the way but there was 2 options that I had read about. first is drop the exhaust at the manifold, second was take the transmission loose from the crossmember. looking at the 2 there is only 1 very accessible nut that holds the trans to the crossmember. I tried the exhaust bolts first but they would not break free so went to the crossmember bolt, damn that was easy so I figure I'm in good shape. dropped the pan little by little which still made a mess but figured that was coming. so little by little removed the bolts catching as much fluid as I could. finally when all the bolts were out I tried getting the pan out. tried pushing up the trans with my hands, couldn't get the pan out. tried and tried but no go. borrow a neighbors floor jack to lift up the trans. now I'm getting somewhere (so I thought). raised it little by little trying to get the pan out. finally have the trans jacked as high as I can get it and still wont come out. tried going back to the exhaust bolts and they wont budge even with a breaker bar so at this point I'm stranded because the filter has dropped. finally made the call to CUT the y pipe and finish the job. So I cut it where I knew it would be easy to put back. Finished the job and took the truck to the shop to have it welded back in. 109 bucks later at the shop its back to the way it was.

From my experience:

Don't attempt it if you cant get the exhaust bolts loose because taking the bolt loose for the trans wasn't enough for me. Could it have been just me or my truck? maybe

The good news is, the truck does shift better.

There was a lot of metal in the trans pan and a lot came down with the drained oil.

Truck is a 2010 gmc sierra crew 103500k 2wd with 5.3 afm 6l80 trans. pan gasket was reusable