Transmission pan gasket

[SVXRide]

Going to drop the pan on my transmission tomorrow and was wondering if I need to use any type of sealant (i.e. Permagasket) on the new gasket when I bolt the pan back up.
Thanks in advance for everyone's help.
-Bill

[michael]

I'd reccomend it I didn't use it the first time and it leaked so I had to drain & refill

[SVXer95]

I've never used sealer and I have never had a problem. I do recommend that you grease the gasket so it stays in place. Make sure you thread in the four corners hand tight to hold it up, then do a criss-cross pattern (like lug nuts) when bolting it on. Make sure you don't go too tight, the bolts break easily.

Note:
Failure to do criss-cross may result in leakage. You can look around after the pan is secured to see that the gasket is crushed evenly.

Or you could eliminate the gasket entirely and seal it with good pink RTV.

[SVXRide]

Thanks for everyone's input. The buddy I did the work with is a seasoned pro and he "schooled" me on the "start with the corners, then to the centers..." process. Funny, actually found half of one of the magnets stuck to the piping, while the other half - along with a full second magnet - were stuck to the pan.
Is full capacity 4 or 5 quarts?
-Bill

The transmission has a lot more than 5 quarts in it, more like 12 if I remember correctly... the pan itself holds I believe 5. That's why a circulatory flush is the proper way to refresh the fluid on a Subaru automatic.

The way to fill the pan after a drain is to put 3.5 quarts in, then fill progressively until you start to see fluid on the end of the dipstick.

Then start the car, leave it in park, and go through a fill/test routine to bring the fluid level up to Max Cold, assuming the vehicle is cold when this is done, if it is not cold then fill to halfway between Low and Full on the Hot scale. Remember the level can only be measured correctly with the car running and the transmission in Park.

Then drive a few miles to warm everything up, then test again and see if the level is proper... it should be just below or right at Max Hot. Top off as needed.

[lee]

I've been reading to much on the SVX automatic transmission lately.

Anyway, the torque converter holds 3 qts when dry and can't be drained (no plug). The transmission holds 7 when dry - for a grand total of 10 qts.

When I just pull the drain plug and wait til it stops dripping, I usually get about 6.5 qts.