General Motors recommends changing your transmission oil and filter at 10,0000 miles. Small pieces of metal, friction material, water, rust and other particles contaminate the oil over time and help accelerate internal components wear. Thus, you can help increase your Monte Carlo transmission service life by replacing the oil and filter, a procedure you can perform easily. Before you begin, make sure you have the correct amount and type of oil for your particular Monte Carlo model.
Drive your Monte Carlo for about 20 minutes to bring the automatic transmission up to operating temperature.
Park on a level surface. Apply the parking brake.
Raise the front of your vehicle using a floor jack and support it on 2 jack stands.
Chock the rear wheels.
Put on your goggles. Place a large catch pan under the transmission pan and remove the front and side mounting bolts from the oil pan, leaving the rear bolts in place. Use a ratchet, ratchet extension and socket.
Loosen the rear bolts four turns to allow the oil to start draining onto the pan. If necessary, tap the oil pan lightly with a rubber mallet to separate the oil pan from the transmission.
Hold the oil pan with one hand using a shop rag and finish removing the rear mounting bolts using the ratchet extension and socket.
Lower the oil pan carefully to a level position over the catch pan and tilt the pan to finish draining the remaining oil.
Remove the oil pan and gasket from the car.
Note the position of the transmission filter and pry it off using a large screwdriver.
Clean the oil pan thoroughly using solvent and a clean, lint-free towel. Scrape old gasket material from the oil pan and transmission mating surfaces using a plastic scraper and soft wire brush.
Press the new transmission filter in place by hand.
Set the oil pan in place along with a new oil pan gasket under the transmission.
Install the pan mounting bolts using the ratchet extension and socket only.
Torque the oil pan mounting bolts evenly, using a crisscross pattern to 10-foot lbs (14 Nm). Use a torque wrench, ratchet extension and socket.
Lower the vehicle.
Fill the transmission with oil through the transmission dipstick tube using a funnel.
Start the engine and shift the transmission through all the gears and back to Park. Turn off the engine and check for oil leaks around the transmission oil pan.
