Alright, so here's the deal. I'm going to flush out my transmission fluid in a couple k miles, and I was thinking about putting an aftermarket transmission pan on the vehicle that will increase cooling and fluid capacity.

I found the following, and I was wondering what you guys think, and if any of you are using it:

http://www.jegs.com/i/B&M/130/70260/10002/-1

It's made by B&M transmissions. The fins in the pan allow for better cooling, and since it's made of aluminum, it will dissipate heat quicker than steel. It also increases the fluid capcity by a 2 or 3 quarts.

Oh.....one more thing. What kind of gasket does the stock transmission pan have ? Is it one of those disposable things you have to replace each time you drop the pan, or is it a rubber gasket that is reusable ? Just wondering.

 

Ok, I know as well as I'm sitting here that there has to be at least one member on this board who has done a transmission fluid change in their H3.

Am I the only one who has thought of putting a deeper aftermarket pan on their tranny ? LOL

 

Just bought this one form Summit Racing.

http://www.compperformancegroupstore...Category_Code=

A deep pan is a deep pan however the one I got is also pre-drilled for a temp. sender which is what made me choose it. Planning on installing it before the end of the month whenever the new filters come in. Just make sure that you have the deep pan filter. The reg. filter won't be able to draw oil up properly from the deep pan and the pump might run dry. GM Part # for the deep pan filter is 24208813. TCI makes one as well (TCI Part # 378516) You can ask Summit for a filter extension and use a new stock filter with that as well. I ordered all 3 and will see which application will be best. As for the gasket holding the stock pan on. I am not 100% sure if it is reusable. Most new cars use a putty like material that gets scraped off with a gasket scraper when you drop the pan. Even if it turns out to be reusable I would chuck it anyway. Better to install a new gasket for that piece of mind and your new pan seems to come with one anyways.
Will update with pics if possible when I go through with it.

 

UPDATE:

This modification did not go according to plan at all. The transmission pan for the H3 is uniquely designed for the H3/Colorado/Canyon application. An aftermarket 4L60E pan that would work on any standrad 4L60E like say a Tahoe or a Corvette will not work for the H3. The drive shaft to the front wheels runs directly underneith the pan. This caused GM to design a special pan that contours around the driveshaft. A standard 4L60E deep pan will be too big and will physically not be able to fit inbetween the transmission and the driveshaft.
I found this out the hard way after dropping the old pan. I ended up just cleaning out the old pan and the magnet inside, replacing the filter with a stock GM, replaced the gasket with a stock GM (it is not putty but a replaceable standard gasket), and refilled with AMSOIL low viscosity ATF which subs out for the GM DEXRON VI. No noticable shifting difference but I am noticing a little better fuel economy.

 

I used the B&M deep tranny oil pan , extra 2 quarts, on my Corvette which had a temperature guage for the tranny temp and noticed NO, ZERO drop in transmission temperature. I was really disappointed. I suggest your best bet by far is to going with a transmission cooler. You will really see at least a 20 to 30 degree drop if not more. I also think and maybe others here could correct me but I think the H3's come with factory synthetic ATF in which case you really need to replace the fluid with synthetic. I hope you are doing a full flush and not just draining the pan? Most of the fluid will not be changed if you just drop the pan.

 

Hi skeet,
I'm surprised about noticing negative drop in temp. with a deep pan. All the aftermarket manf. have claims how it will lower the temp by 20 or 30 degrees. After hearing that I don't feel that dissapointed that I wasn't able to install mine. The tran. cooler will prolly be my next project. I've been looking at specs for those this past winter in planning a new project for this spring.
I heard also that the DEXRON VI being full synthetic. Never looked into it too deeply to have evidence to back that up but it seems about right judging from GM's scheduled maintainence interval for the first tranny flush. I would of put that in if I had it but at the time it worked out to be cheaper to get the AMSOIL in the quantity I was looking for than what the dealer wanted for the GM stuff. I did a full flush as well. After the intial fill which was about a little more than a gallon, I flushed the whole tran. I described it in a recent post along with other guys who serviced their trannies already.

https://www.hummerforums.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=18967

But you bring up a valid point about making sure to do the full flush. Anything worth doing is worth doing right.... especially if it's on my truck.

 

I bought that deep pan because of the manufacturers claims. The only difference it made was that it took longer to get to the high temperatures. I know that a tranny cooler is the only way to keep the temperature down and the vehicles that I had lasted with heavy duty use well into the 130,000 mile range (and the transmissions were still working perfectly- that is why when ever I can i order the trailer towing package just to get tranny cooler as well as HD rad. and HD alternator).
I know there are a lot of people who are great believers in Amsoil but I think Mobil 1 is a better ATF and oil. There are no manufacturers that use Amsoil as factory fill yet AMG, Aston Martin, Porsche, Corvette,Viper, McLaren and Ferrari ( and many others) use Mobil 1 when cost is no object. It is kind of like the big following that K&N has among people who believe the manufacturers claim. K&N air filters are great when they are dirty and nothing compares to them when they are dirty. They actually filter better when dirty than when new. I think common sense would dictate that when you look through a clean filter and can see daylight that dirt can also pass through the same voids. If I was an engine builder I would use them because they especially breath great at high rpm and when dirty.