There are videos around and stories. None seem to answer the home-garage problems you will run into. This ZF transmission is hideous for both checking and changing. Bad design and here's why.
First you will need fluid and some way to get it in. You need to make this:
IMG_5956 by
Larry Malinoski, on Flickr
Not the fluid pump, the 3/8" brass tube with 90 degree fixture on the end. I went to a local hardware store, bought the pieces, ground the plastic angle to fit and glued it into one end of the tube. The other end fit right into the fluid transfer pump line. Now I have an angled wand to insert in the tiny space between the DPF exhaust system and the fill hole. Without something like this - forget it.
For a fill I would dump the drain plug first. 10mm hex socket is fine. Pull the plug and dump. Never touch the fill plug cold. NEVER, The proper fluid level is inches ABOVE that fill plug cold. Pull the fill plug and you get a mess. I know. I did that yesterday.
The fill plug is 8mm hex. You cannot use a socket as there's no clearance. You must get a conventional 8mm hex to fit between the DPF and transmission fill plug. Now add about 3 quarts through the fill plug after draining the whole pan. Then, put that plug back in loosely. Now comes the real pain. Dress in long-sleeved shirt and gloves. Practice screwing out and in the fill plug with those gloves on. You need the sleeves and gloves because you are soon to be touching one hot mama of a DPF, no matter how hard you try not to.
For both fill and check you now need a second person to make sure all brakes are on and stay on. Start the truck. Show that person how to read the temperature on the transmission fluid in the EVIC. Today I started at 89 degrees and was done when the fluid hit 110. If you mess around and get to 120 degrees, button up and quit. That's the top temperature. Your helper, or you, must take 5 seconds in reverse, shift to Drive for 5 seconds, shift to Neutral for 5 more and repeat that shift/5 second timing a second cycle. After the second cycle, shift to Park and leave the engine on.
Now, for checking or filling, open the fill plug. If checking, a teeny bit should flow out. If none, use that fill wand and pump some in till it does. Now screw the plug back in by hand (gloves mandatory) and once started, your helper can shut off the truck for you to tighten up.
Yesterday I filled to overfill cold and buttoned up. Only took 3 quarts. Today after the shift cycle, I opened the fill plug and was shocked when nothing came out. Started to fill and another full quart went in, then another and then after 2/3ds of the third, it started to dribble out. The transmission did take about 5 2/3 qts. total. My cold fill yesterday was at least 2 1/2 quarts low, even though it looked full.
Enough comments on the hideous design and fill/check technique. You have to do it this way and it's a real .... Having things level and not on a lift compounds the issue as you cannot raise the front on ramps as the truck will not be level. You need that angled hard wand I made as any plastic hose will flop around and burn through on the hot exhaust. I also thing it's best to have a full gallon container new fluid ready if hand pumping like I did. Put a couple quarts in cold, do the start and immediately pump from a gallon container so you are not stopping, dripping everywhere connecting another bottle, knocking apart the pump, dropping oil on the floor and dragging your hair through that oil. I made a mess changing bottles and missing my drip pan while crawling through things in a panic while the engine was running inches from my face. Wife had a summary comment when I came inside.
"You stink! Go take a shower and what's all over your hair and back?"
That fill plug is less than 2" above the drain plug. Look at the orange measure I stuck in the picture. The real full level is inches above the fill plug and must be checked with the transmission procedure above so that a few quarts are up in the transmission workings and not drained into the pan. Already said it was a hideous design. This is something I do not want to get into again.
One of our members is taking some of my old oil and sending it for analysis. That will be informative when all is done and I hope to get or see a report. Would sure be burned up if the old, hot oil was still good. But, better me burned up than the transmission.