I had planned it since last week, had everything ready--tools, 14 qts atf, new atf funnel, empty bottles, napkins, rags, ipd kit, aluminum baking pan. today the sun is shining, the sky is blue, not hot, not cold--the weather is pleasant. yesterday I meticulously measured 2 milk jugs, 2 2-litre soda bottles, and 2 juice jugs for quart measurements. so just earlier, after coming home from work I let the car cool for about an hour and some minutes. then it was time. first thing I was gonna do was to drain the pan, add the necessary quarts via the filler tube, and then start doing the flush with my ipd kit.

grrrrrrr!

this will be really stupid, but I just could not loosen the drain plug! and what's even more stupid is that I for some reason wasn't sure which way to turn the 14mm rachet. righty tighty/lefty loosey--got that, but for some reason I lost sense of direction laying prone under the car. I initially turned the rachet toward me. bolt would not budge. the thought of applying gorilla force got me concered. what if I'm turning the wrong way! I stopped, mentally thought about the times I screwed and unscrewed nuts and bolts--lefty loosey/righty tighty. went back under and tried it once more. the bolt still would not move. then the thought of contorting the metal around the bolt area or possibly stripping threads scared me. and I decided to even out what I had done by turning the rachet the other way. this time I wasn't trying to loosen the bolt but just wanted to "even out" the pressure I had initially applied when I turned the bolt toward me.

I am a bit disappointed, frustrated, discouraged. the whole loosening the drain plug made me reconsider. I just didn't have enough confidence. I know it's easy, read the faq and ipd's manual, and tips and pointers from many of you brick nuts here. but somehow in the back of my head I was afraid of running into this sort of problem: not being able to loosen a nut, screw, or whatever. many years ago this sort of thing happened when I embarked on my first oil change. I could not loosen the drain plug. I posted an sos on brickboard asking which way do I turn the bolt. quick reply from don foster and I was on my merry way to completing my oil change.

okay, so I have a case plus two qts of atf. I have all the stuff ready. I might need some time to gather more confidence before I undertake this job again. so, for the most silliest question of the week: WHICH WAY DO I TURN THE 14mm BOLT? toward me or away from me? either way, both seemed pretty tight! I don't want to guess anymore! thank you for having read this far! and thanks for all those who gave exceelent tips and advice a few backs. special thanks for the brick nut who e-mailed me offering his help! I have yer number, so I might need to bug you (at yer convenience :P).

sigh

it's friday, maybe I'll just chill, relax, and get something good to eat. at least I tried :|

I made one very ignorant mistake in the first post. It's getting late! You should be standing at the passenger's fender. The proper post should read like this: See, we all make stupid mistakes!



Don't fret. If I can do it, you can do it. In your case, get out from under the car and forget about dumping the two quarts in the tranny sump. Leave that drain plug alone.

If you plan on working on your car, you must find some way to remember the meaning of righty-tighty, lefty-loosey. If you have to, take a loose large nut and bolt and in your hand physically screw the nut on (or off) to better focus on which way a nut must turn.

After a good nights sleep, you should be ready to tackle the radiator nut. Now tomorrow:

You should be standing at the passenger's front fender looking down at the upper transmission cooling line. Use the proper size open end wrench, I think 15 mm. and just install the wrench on the nut. It should fit tight. You will be pushing the end of the wrench forward, but not yet. To ensure you don't break the nipple flange right off the radiator when you push, there should be a larger nut built onto the circumference of the flange. You must restrain that nut by using the proper size open end wrench or, if you must, a large but tightly adjusted adjustable wrench. As you begin to push forward on the 15mm nut, you need to hold and slightly pull back (to counter the torque) on the restraining nut. You'll see. The nut will loosen and you'll be off to the races!

If you should have any doubts as to which way to turn the 15mm nut and by now you shouldn't, imagine you're in the engine compartment facing that nut. Now take your example nut and bolt and with the threads and nut facing you screw the nut on and then off a few times; it will then be apparent as to which way the nut should turn - to the left, or counterclockwise, to remove.

Probably my biggest screwup potential is when I get frustrated. When that happens you're just asking for trouble. It's best to just walk away for awhile.
You can post about how easy the job was tomorrow. Just don't make a mess.

Marty Wolfson

90 244 216K, 93 244 167K, 93 244 107K

Don't fret. If I can do it, you can do it. In your case, get out from under the car and forget about dumping the two quarts in the tranny sump. Leave that drain plug alone.

If you plan on working on your car, you must find some way to remember the meaning of righty-tighty, lefty-loosey. If you have to, take a loose large nut and bolt and in your hand physically screw the nut on (or off) to better focus on which way a nut must turn.

After a good nights sleep, you should be ready to tackle the radiator nut. Now tomorrow:

You should be standing at the drivers fender looking down at the upper transmission cooling line. Use the proper size open end wrench, I think 15 mm. and just install the wrench on the nut. It should fit tight. You will be pushing the end of the wrench forward, but not yet. To ensure you don't break the nipple flange right off the radiator when you push, there should be a larger nut built onto the circumference of the flange. You must restrain that nut by using the proper size open end wrench or, if you must, a large but tightly adjusted adjustable wrench. As you begin to push forward on the 15mm nut, you need to hold and slightly pull back (to counter the torque) on the restraining nut. You'll see. The nut will loosen and you'll be off to the races!

If you should have any doubts as to which way to turn the 15mm nut and by now you shouldn't, imagine you're in the engine compartment facing that nut. Now take your example nut and bolt and with the threads and nut facing you screw the nut on and then off a few times; it will then be apparent as to which way the nut should turn - to the left, or counterclockwise, to remove.

Probably my biggest screwup potential is when I get frustrated. When that happens you're just asking for trouble. It's best to just walk away for awhile.
You can post about how easy the job was tomorrow. Just don't make a mess.

Marty Wolfson

90 244 216K, 93 244 167K, 93 244 107K

CounterClockWise. Perhaps you were using too short of a wrench. Maybe try a longer one for more leverage. Assuming you are sucessful in getting plug off do be careful not to overtighten when putting back on. Don't overdue it. Good Luck.

Whether or not you pull or push depends which way the wrench is applied on the bolt, it could be extending out to the right or left so your question cannot be answered. To answer your question another way just imagine looking at the bolt from directly below, it will be turned counter clockwise to loosen it.
--
David Hunter

If you are going to flush it and not just drain and refill why even drain the few quarts that are in the "sump".

If you are going to flush it and not just drain and refill why even drain the few quarts that are in the "sump".

It gets rid of 2+ quarts of old fluid right away, and makes room for 2+ quarts of fresh fluid to begin the flush procedure. To me, it seems like less cross contamination between old/new fluid that way. Flushing out ~5 quarts vs ~7.
--
Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.

Ya know, that makes a lot of sense. But I can flush from the upper radiator line without getting under the car. No tranny fluid running down my arm, no jackstands, no big greasy spot on the driveway. That's worth $20 to me right there so I can buy about 8 more quarts of ATF to make up for the difference!
--
Volvo Farmer:

20 Volvos '58-'91

It's really not as bad as you make it sound, Bob.

No jackstands. I just scooch under the car a little and reach in to remove the plug with ratchet, letting it fall into a low-profile drain pan. Maybe I'll wear a glove, but no fluid down the arm or greasy spots in the driveway (that wouldn't get noticed here anyway). It's not the money, it's more about "starting pure".
--
Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.

"righty tighty/lefty loosey--got that, but for some reason I lost sense of direction laying prone under the car."
Use the "right hand" rule. Most bolts are right-hand threaded. So with your right hand grip bolt. Direction fingers curl is direction to turn wrench to get bolt to move in direction thumb points.

Supposedly even works in Australia where people are upside down.
--
1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb and M46 trans

Looking down into the screw head. Turn counterclockwise to loosen!

look down from under the car? now im confused.-}