Does anyone know where I can find step by step instructions for changing the transmission fluid on a 2005? Thanks.

Are we discussing an automatic or a stick shift? Its a fair question.

With the stick shift the biggest problem is getting the correct oil. There's a drain plug and you just unscrew the top fill first (it drains a little better and you probably won't get your arm in the mess if you do that one first. Then when you take out the bottom one, it just runs all over unless you've go the catch pan in the right place.

Refilling it is much harder, best done with a helper. He crawls around underneath in the mini-exxon valdez oil spill. You use the long plastic tube and a funnel from up above and pour the new stuff in.

Automatics are more problematic. If you haven't done it before, just get a 2nd mortgage and take it to the dealer. They want big bucks for the new ATF GL4+ or whatever it is. Some even charge you more to dispose of the old stuff. But they drop the pan, clean out any mud or crud clogging the screen.

Most of that depends on why you're changing it. If its excessive mileage, just have the dealer do it. If its one of our anal demands to always change every drop of fluid, you can pump the old stuff out thru the dipstick sleeve. You've got to go to an auto parts store or a boat dealer to get the pump and tubing. The easy ones just chuck into a drill and you pump it into an old milk jug or 2, or a 2 1/2 gallon kitty litter jug. Always buy enough replacement stuff before you start. Keep the extras for spares on trail rides.

A couple of years ago one of my buddies rolled his TJ down Moab Rim. He was dumb and listened to the sissys that told him to wait and think about it. He leaked a bunch of ATF out on the ground (you can still see the slick at the Z-turn.) All of us with newer TJs donated our spare quarts to the cause.

Yes, Dennis, that was Mark.

Thanks for getting back to me. It is a stick. When I am replacing the fluid I can't I just use a bottle pump to refill it? Also, I guess I don't follow what you said here:

If its one of our anal demands to always change every drop of fluid, you can pump the old stuff out thru the dipstick sleeve. You've got to go to an auto parts store or a boat dealer to get the pump and tubing. The easy ones just chuck into a drill and you pump it into an old milk jug or 2, or a 2 1/2 gallon kitty litter jug. Always buy enough replacement stuff before you start. Keep the extras for spares on trail rides.

Are you only referring to the ATF or for the manual as well? Thanks.

Only the Automatic's have dipsticks, so yes.

You can use a pump if you prefer. I've done that in the past. I've also done the routine with the bottles, squeezing them until they're 1/3rd full, then pouring a couple together and squeezing again.

You didn't put your state of residence in when you registered. Its winter here, and gear oil doesn't flow very well when cold. I just prefer gravity flow if I can use it. If you can find a section of clear hose (any bigbox hardware sells it) that will fit into the fill hole, that works great. Just tape the top end up by the battery and jam a funnel into it. Then insert the lower end into the hole where the fill plug came out.

If its cold where you live, heat the oil up over night. On a register in the house works well. The idea is to have the stuff at 80 or 90 degrees and it just flows down the tube and into the fill hole. when it starts to run out, pull out the hose and quick screw in the plug.

Some of us go to the extent (anal again) of even looking at the oil that comes out. We're interested in the pretty metal flake or hopefully, the lack of it. It gives you some idea that wear is taking place. If you've got a magnet that you're not attached to, try sticking it in some of the oil and watch. If almost all the flakes move toward it, you've got some normal gear wear. The bigger pieces may already be stuck to the magnetic drain plug. What you may also see are brass flakes that ignore the magnet. Thats synchronizer wear. Hopefully not too much.

Using the wrong fluid may cause the tranny to break. Synthetic's like Mobil 1 or Amsoil sometimes make the synchronizers not work and you get some grinding on downshifts. Its too slick. The design requires some friction to make the brass rings spin on the curved surfaces. Thats why I just surrender and use factory recommended stuff. Its changed over the years, too.

I believe the 05 tranny fill plugs are metric, here's a good source for the hex key sockets to open it up...Harbor Freight metric hex sockets! These work great, I use 'em on my 03 tranny which may or may not have different plug sizes.