Hello all, its my first post and i hope to get some result...I have a 2001 vrx limited edition, 5 speed tippy..i would like to change my transmission fluid and i have been under the car twice and both occation i failed to locate the plug, i could see theres 3 bolts of same size underneath. Am i looking for a bolt?what does the plug look like?Mite be on the side?thanks.

If you can locate the "Workshop Manual" thread, it has links to pdf files of the genuine Mitsubishi Workshop manuals for your car. These are hosted elsewhere to the AMC site - hopefully the links are still current.

Changing Tranny fluid in a 3rd Gen is not a simple case of dropping the fluid from the tranny oil pan and then topping-up. Only a very small amount of fluid drains to the oil pan, much more remains in the torque convertor and (to lesser extent) the galleries and valve-body of the transmission.

The recommended procedure involves disconnecting the tranny fluid cooler line as it comes out of the radiator (where a tranny fluid cooler is at bottom of radiator), draining the oil pan as you plan, refitting the drain plug and then doing a SERIES of careful "top-up, flush (by running car briefly), top-up, flush - catching the fluid as it is pumped out of the cooler line. You flush until the fluid becomes clear/new. Also helps to have an accomplice select every gear in-turn while you are doing this - so all oil lines in the tranny and all bits of the valve body get new fluid.

It is recommended that you buy 3 bottles (15 litres) of Mitsi Trans fluid, and expect to use 10-12 litres getting a complete flush of fluid. Also, you need a fluid that meets Mitsi "SP3" specification - and dealer spare-part fluid is as cheap as any other option meeting this requirement. Use of other standards of fluids seems certain to cause poor performance and probably damage to the transmission.

As a side-benefit, the workshop manual will show you the location of the oil pan and drain plug for the transmission.

Oh, I forgot to mention - WELCOME to AMC! YOu will find lots of advice and information in here, and maybe inspiration from what other members have done to/with their cars.

Lots of very good information is buried in the Forums. Have a quick read of the Rules, too. Tech Forums are fairly strictly "info only" comments and esp jokes etc are not welcomed in that area, trying to make it easier to find useful information (rather than a wisecrack!).

Seach can find a lot of good info - but it can be tedious sorting thru pages and pages of search results. Look for "DIY" titles, Sticky Threads (they have been 'stickied' due to their perceived value), and concentrate on the Tech Forums. Also, be aware of the First Gen (TM, TN, TP models), Second Gen (TR, TS), and 3rd Gen (TE, TF, TH, TJ, TL, TW) distinctions........ and disregard search results for the "other" models/generations than your own car.

To be honest, I haven't drained my own oil in Auto model - I had a major transmission failure and was steered towards a well-regarded family-run business who I now trust.... so am happy to pay them for this servicing. Most I have done is assisted family (dad, brother, nephew) to re-fit an auto trans in dad's car after it was reco'ed - it had the same catastrophe that mine did (Search for "wave spring").

Hope you find the info you need. Post back if you have hasles. Welcome again.

http://www.lisho.net/?page_id=3 workshop manual thread :D

call it a welcome present :D

Thanks guys for the advise and i have a confession to make lol..well i didnt wana look like an idiot but who cares..anyways i did attempt the flushing procedures 4 months ago through the bottom of radiator, car in neutral and ran for 1 minute draining fluid, bout 4 litres or so came out after 1 minute then i stop engine, however i could not find the plug as i went underneath the car so i just repeat the flushing process twice as i had 15 litres of mits oil, the line didnt run out as the colour it should have been but it was much cleaner colour than before(kinda very dark brown).Ive just tried to download the workshop manual via link above but i have problems with downloads, it freezes during the process as usual. To sum it up, I know how to do the flushing but can someone point out where the drain plug is as iam having trouble trying to download, oh by the way ive only had this car for 6 months.thanks again

All I can add is that on my TL with the 4speed auto, the drain plug was not where the workshop manual said it was - the drawing in the manual is for an earlier model. Mine is located at the bottom most point of the transmission and faces down...is a 23mm plug (bolt) and has a half-circle raided casting in front of it to protect it from impact (I think). The 3 bolts you mention are for the solenoids I think. The actual plug also has a magnetic tip which fortunately I only found 'mud' on...no slivers. I'd reckon it's best if you can locate this plug as you can then stick you finger in the hole and move it around to check if the is more 'mud' there. Then when you refill and repeat the flushing you can also remove the plug again to flush some more. I don't think you can hope for the fluid to be 'pink as new' as really, all you are doing is diluting the old stuff, more or less.
Hope this helps.

if you have a spare few dollars and that manual doesnt work you you then maybe pop into your local autobarn / supercheap and grab a maunal from them for around the 40.00 dollar mark. i prefer haynes over gregories but their both pretty much the same thing

EDIT: the reason i prefer haynes is in my opion they provide more pics and just word it a little better

thanks fellas, i now have some ideas, and the half- circle raided casting?I can see that, but is the bold underneath it or is it suppose to be next to it?

Wow this is great, i need to do mine.

thanks fellas, i now have some ideas, and the half- circle raided casting?I can see that, but is the bold underneath it or is it suppose to be next to it?

Check this link which has 2 pictures of it's location. http://picasaweb.google.com/oldhako/TLAutoSumpPlug?authkey=Gv1sRgCLDt6cbqota1Og&feat=email#

I have finally located the plug lol, its sitting on the side at the bottom of the transmission facing the left front wheel, i had to push guard out of the way for it to be visible, and before i go ahead with flushing, i also need to change my left cv shaft as the inner boot is stuffed and joint making the "clunk" noise, ive read different threads on this and i have the picture of how to do it but can someone confirm that i have to drain the trans fluid?does Vrx 2001 need bigger cv shaft from other 3rd gen?