🔧 Challenger - Manual Transmission Fluid Change

This service drains the old fluid from your Challenger’s 6-speed manual transmission and refills it with the correct factory-spec fluid. Fresh fluid helps shifting feel, synchro life, and reduces wear inside the transmission.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.0-2.0 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on a level surface and support the car with jack stands (never rely on a jack).
• 🛑 Let the transmission cool before starting; hot fluid can burn you.
• 🛑 Keep the car level while filling, or the fluid level will be wrong.
• 🛑 No battery disconnect is required for this service.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Drain pan (at least 8-quart)
• Ratchet (3/8" drive)
• 8mm Allen hex bit socket
• Torque wrench (10–100 ft-lbs range)
• Fluid transfer pump (specialty)
• Trim clip tool
• Flathead screwdriver
• Shop rags
• Brake cleaner spray

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Manual transmission fluid (Mopar-spec for Challenger 6-speed) - Qty: 4 quarts
• Drain/fill plug sealing washers - Qty: 2

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, leave the transmission in neutral, and chock the rear wheels.
• Lift the front of the car with a floor jack and support it on jack stands. For best accuracy, keep the car level (raise the rear too if needed).
• If your Challenger has an underbody splash shield, be ready to remove it for access.
• Pro tip: Crack the fill plug loose first.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Remove the splash shield (if equipped)

• Use a trim clip tool and flathead screwdriver to remove the clips/screws holding the shield.
• Set the shield and fasteners aside where they won’t get lost.

Step 2: Locate the fill and drain plugs

• Slide under the transmission and identify the two recessed hex plugs (they take an Allen/hex bit): the fill plug is higher on the side of the case, and the drain plug is on the bottom.
• Use brake cleaner spray and shop rags to clean dirt around both plugs so nothing falls inside.

Step 3: Loosen the fill plug first

• Place the 8mm Allen hex bit socket on a 3/8" ratchet and loosen the fill plug.
• Do not remove it yet—just confirm it will come out. This prevents getting stuck with an empty transmission you can’t refill.

Step 4: Drain the old fluid

• Position the drain pan under the drain plug.
• Use the 8mm Allen hex bit socket and ratchet to remove the drain plug and let the fluid fully drain.
• Wipe the drain plug clean with shop rags. If the plug has a magnet, clean off any metal fuzz (a light paste is normal; chunks are not).

Step 5: Reinstall the drain plug

• Install a new drain plug sealing washer (if your plugs use washers).
• Thread the drain plug in by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Use a torque wrench with the 8mm Allen hex bit socket to tighten the drain plug: Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs).

Step 6: Fill the transmission

• Remove the fill plug using the 8mm Allen hex bit socket and ratchet.
• Add new fluid using a fluid transfer pump (specialty). (A fluid transfer pump is a hand pump that pushes fluid up into a side fill hole.)
• Fill until fluid just begins to trickle out of the fill hole with the car level.
• Wait 1–2 minutes for the level to stabilize, then top off again until it barely dribbles out.

Step 7: Reinstall the fill plug

• Install a new fill plug sealing washer (if your plugs use washers).
• Thread the plug in by hand, then tighten with a torque wrench and 8mm Allen hex bit socket: Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs).
• Clean any spilled fluid using brake cleaner spray and shop rags.

Step 8: Reinstall the splash shield (if removed)

• Reinstall the shield using the original fasteners with the trim clip tool and flathead screwdriver.

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✅ After Repair

• Start the engine and, with the clutch pressed, shift through all gears while parked to circulate fluid.
• Take a short drive, then recheck underneath for any seepage at the fill/drain plugs.
• Dispose of used fluid properly at a local recycling center/parts store that accepts waste oil/fluids.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $200-$350 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $60-$130 (parts only)

You Save: $140-$220 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.0-1.5 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.