TH400 pan depth??

[Mastiff]

I spent a decent chunk of cash on a B&M aluminum pan with a drain plug in it. Everything is apart and drained and I'm trying to install it, but the thing is too shallow to clear the filter bolt. WTF? I got the standard depth pan. Do truck trannies have a deeper pan to begin with than car pans or something? This is for an M1008 CUCV by the way, maybe they have deeper pans?

This is a super huge annoyance now that I'm stuck here with an immobilized truck, a rusted old steel pan and a shiny $100 aluminum pan that won't fit. I doubt Summit will take it back since I tried to install it and put RTV on all the bolts.

 

[4X4HIGH]

There are 2 different depth pans and most all trucks used the deeper pan.

 

[Mastiff]

There are 2 different depth pans and most all trucks used the deeper pan.

Hmm. Woulda been nice if Summit's site had mentioned this.

 

[Mastiff]

By the way, can anyone tell me if it's normal for the filter bolt to be kinda loose? There's a bolt, the filter and a sleeve that the bolt goes through. It appears that the bolt is bottoming out with 1/4" or so to go before it would contact the sleeve, so everything is kinda sloppy. I assume it's normal tolerances to give play for the filter grommet?

I've never had a TH400 open before.

 

[4X4HIGH]

There should not be any play. The bolt should tighten down and not allow the sleeve or filter to move at all.

 

[Mastiff]

There should not be any play. The bolt should tighten down and not allow the sleeve or filter to move at all.

Is there a spacer or something too? I'm certain the bolt is bottoming. Seems like the previous owner must have used either the wrong bolt or wrong sleeve if it's supposed to be tight.

 

[hack500]

I heard (from a few mechanics, counterjockeys, and a GM tech) that the filter is supposed to be loose like that.... however... personally I didn't want mine like that so I made some kind of spacer to hold it firmly in place when the bolt was tightened. I haven't had any noticeable problems with the transmission since I've done that. but then againI didn't have any problems with it beforehand, either.

 

[Smitty]

By the way, can anyone tell me if it's normal for the filter bolt to be kinda loose? There's a bolt, the filter and a sleeve that the bolt goes through. It appears that the bolt is bottoming out with 1/4" or so to go before it would contact the sleeve, so everything is kinda sloppy. I assume it's normal tolerances to give play for the filter grommet?

I've never had a TH400 open before.

I've pulled a few th400's apart and each one was as you described. The first time I ran into this, I dropped the pan on another th400 to compare the filter slop. They were both loose so I figured they were designed this way.

 

[Mastiff]

Thanks, that makes me feel better. Can't say I understand why it's like that.