ZF 45 IV fluid change/Filter

[hawaiianstyln]

How do you drain the Vdrive and Tranny exactly?  Reading manual now and not sure if I was suppose to drain it by unscrewing the "filter element".  In the picture it looks like the filter is at the bottom which would almost be impossible to get access to?  I extracted the fluid from both dipsticks the other night with my mityvac.  Was that the wrong way to do this.  I've never had to change the Vdrive/Tranny fluids in any of my boats but I just hit 500 hours on my VLX and since I bought the boat used this summer I can't trust that this fluid is new.

Looks like 1 liter goes back in the V and 2 liters goes back in the Tranny (ATF III), but the filter thing has me confused.

[boardjnky4]

You can't get to the filter unless you remove the trans from the boat. It doesn't need to be serviced.

To remove the fluid, you need to extract it with a pump through the fill hole.

[hawaiianstyln]

okay then I'm on the correct path.  Thanks!

 

[hawaiianstyln]

so I just filled the V back up with 1 liter like the manual says and it's at the proper max line and then filled the Transmission up (2 liters) like the manual says.  I let the Trans oil settle, and the fluid dipstick level is way over the dipstick max line.  It's actually half way up the dipstick.  When I sucked out the fluid, the tube seemed to go down in there but maybe it didn't go all the way down, maybe there was a ledge/gear I hit with my tube and thought I was at the bottom.  OR, maybe the transmission has to run to disburse the trans oil and it will settle to the right level?  Suppose I can suck it back out of the transmission and re-use it and figure out why I can't get it all out if that is the issue.

 

[boardjnky4]

Yeah the hose sometimes gets caught up. You might have to jiggle it a bit to get it all the way down.

[oldjeep]

I always measure what I get out and just put that much back in. 

[hawaiianstyln]

took it all back out and apparently the slightest amount can make it go past the dipstick.  I realized I must have not sucked out all of it the first time.