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Home > Jeep Articles > General - Product Reviews > Skyjacker Performance Transmission Oil Pan |
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Skyjacker Performance Transmission Oil PanArticle written by Jeepin? JoeDate Added: 08/06/2006 Here?s the scenario: You are out rock crawling with your Jeep TJ with the stock 3-speed transmission. You?re attempting to go up a steep wall. You stop; you hesitate. Next thing you know, the transmission seems to slip into neutral and you can?t go. |
You give your Jeep a little gas, the transmission suddenly grabs, and you feel like you are going to go over backwards. It can be unnerving to say the least. Has this happened to you? It did to me, and it made me feel very uneasy. I felt like I was no longer in control of my vehicle. Not to mention it was rather embarrassing when I had to back off the obstacle in front of all my friends. |
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When it happened to me, I thought for sure my transmission was either going bad or was low on fluid. The fluid level was right on the mark and it didn?t smell burnt. I checked it all out again when I got home and everything seemed fine. I had no clue as to what was going on, so I asked around. | |
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I found out that the stock transmission oil pan is very shallow. When you get your vehicle on a steep angle, the oil sloshes to the rear of the pan exposing the filter and oil pickup. Sitting at a steep angle for too long will starve the transmission of fluid, causing the transmission to disengage |
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I searched the internet for a product to hopefully cure my dilemma and found the Skyjacker Performance Transmission Oil Pan. I also ordered the Lube Locker transmission oil pan gasket and went to my local Jeep dealership to purchase the correct transmission oil. |
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The Skyjacker transmission pan is a lot deeper than stock. It adds approximately two more quarts of oil capacity and it keeps the filter and oil pickup submerged at steeper angles. The oil pan also has a built-in drain plug to make future oil changes easier. Installing the filter and pan is as simple as any regular transmission oil change. |
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With the pan installed, the fluid level correct, and no leaks thanks to the Lube Locker gasket; it was time to test the pan?s performance. | |
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Of course, no modification is worth doing if it does not perform and is measurable. For this reason, I headed back to the same obstacle on a local trail that had defeated me previously. This time I intentionally parked the vehicle at the same angle and waited to allow the transmission to pump itself dry. To my delight the transmission didn?t even notice the angle, and I drove right through.
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Feeling that this product needed further testing, I headed to Easter Jeep Safari 2006 to run the Metal Masher trail, specifically the Widow Maker obstacle. To give you an impression of the rather vertical angle of this obstacle, my spare tire was hitting the dirt. The whole time I was sitting there at that really steep angle waiting for the strap to be attached (yeah I didn?t make it on my own), the transmission never disengaged or hesitated. | |
 Final ThoughtsIn my opinion, the Skyjacker Performance Transmission Oil Pan lives up to its claims. It is an inexpensive way to keep your transmission from starving at steep angles. Additionally, the extra two quarts of fluid allow your trans to run cooler and reduce transmission fluid breakdown. |
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