Okay, thinking ahead several weeks I need to get under the Disco 2 Td5 again and do an auto transmission service - I have a new transmission filter and a new seal, and I will go out and buy Penrite ATF FS MULTI VEHICLE FULL SYNTHETIC AUTO TRANS FLUID to keep the ZF Tranny happy.

Now, I only have a jack and two heavy duty axle stands for lifting, I also have the big runner boards at the sides of the Disco so it's impossible to slide underneath from the side, especially with a pot belly! I guess I could look at removing one of the runner boards for side access if necessary.

[The main thing here is I don't want to be underneath the car when the engine is running!]

Anyway, jack her up, axle stands on frame behind front wheels, rear wheels chocked (handbrake on and in Park), long piece of cardboard slid underneath, I slide under from the front, take off transmission filler plug, take off drain plug, drain the old fluid into a basin, carefully remove the transmission pan, remove and replace the filter and drain plug, clean and replace pan with its new seal and then carefully secure.

Then place a plastic tube into the open transmission fill hole and take the other end of the plastic tube up through the engine bay and attach it to a funnel for transmission fluid filling. Now, lower the vehicle back to level ground by removing the axle stands and then start to fill the transmission with fluid through the funnel, get my teenage son to lie on the ground at the side of the car (not underneath) with a torch and tell me when fluid just starts to overflow out of the fill hole. Then, get in vehicle (wheels chocked) with foot on the footbrake, start the engine and sequence through the gears 3 or 4 times stopping for a few seconds each time. Whilst this is happening I get (ask!) my wife to slowly top up with fluid through the funnel in the engine bay while my son lies down at the side of the vehicle with a torch and tells me when it has started to drip again. Then, stop engine, jack up, install jack stands and put the fill plug in and job done!

Is that good enough?

Sounds all good except at the end when level is correct,I've done a few and found if you stop the engine the fluid will pour out as it's no longer circulating so you have to get the plug in whilst it running.

Put the transfer case in neutral then it's 100% no danger for the vehicle to move and the really good practice is to cahnge only the oil once, go for a harsh drive as the box to go through all the gears several times then change the oil again and the filter... changing only once you'll refresh only around 50% of the worn oil, even twice you get to aprox 80% new oil but that's good enough

+1 safest way, and change twice, with the filter change on the second change as Fery says.

Tony

Now, problem is I can't fit under the vehicle when the engine is running and it is on flat ground. I can only secure the fill plug when the vehicle is up on axle stands at the front.

So, are we saying, fill transmission using hose and funnel whilst engine running (move through gears with footbrake on and transfer box in neutral) and the vehicle is on flat ground until the fluid is observed to start dripping out of the fill plug, then, jack up vehicle and put it on axle stands at the front while the engine continues to run and then crawl under from the front and secure the fill plug. Then turn off engine and let vehicle down to level ground and all should be okay?

Will put transfer box in neutral and chock back wheels during the whole process. Having a lift would make things a lot easier.

How I overcame it was do the filling proceedure,when level correct pull out tube whilst engine running,got mate to quickly jack it up drivers side and got in there at full arm stretch and got plug started,then drove up ramps and tightened properly. AS THE OP said then give it some for at least 100 miles and repeat except this time change filter and seal ,then should be good to go.Its good to use every gear so put in low and thrash through them then high and sport and really get it excited before re draining

Joemac434 said:

How I overcame it was do the filling proceedure,when level correct pull out tube whilst engine running,got mate to quickly jack it up drivers side and got in there at full arm stretch and got plug started,then drove up ramps and tightened properly. AS THE OP said then give it some for at least 100 miles and repeat except this time change filter and seal ,then should be good to go.Its good to use every gear so put in low and thrash through them then high and sport and really get it excited before re draining

Click to expand...

Geez, mental picture of you getting that plug in reminds me of a F1 pit crew!

Heehee!I suppose it would've been amusing to anyone watching,I was in and out like a rat up a pipe!