Still pegging away at this car, getting it back to what should be reliable.

At 180,000 miles the tranny fluid needs to be changed. The Haynes manual mentions 'Renewing the Fluid' but I notice Haynes gets a little vague sometimes, like they haven't actually done the job. The problem is getting the fluid out and then back into the transmission. They suggest disconnecting the line from the oil cooler to the tranny. It is good advice, but it simply can not be done.

The advice from VIDA is right but... The connector on top of the transmission is completely inaccessible. If you follow the hose back to the cooler and then locate the cooler from underneath, there is a hose with the same connector on the other side of the cooler. This one you can get both hands on.

Twist the hose a little so it starts to move around and then try pushing it onto the tube going into the cooler. If you look closely you can see the little tabs move as you push the hose on. Push it on as far as you can and pull back on the tabs. With a little fiddling it will pop off and cover you with dirty oil.

Get two pieces of 1/2" ID clear plastic tubing. Stick the first one on the cooler tubing and fish it up to the top of the engine compartment. You will refill using this tube. For the quick connect side on the hose you will need a 3" long piece of 1/2" OD tubing (3/8 soft copper is close) . Use a pipe/tubing cutter to cut the 1/2" OD tubing and roll the edge in so you don't damage the coupler. Stick one end of the cut tubing 1/8 - 1/4" into the quick connect and put the second piece of 1/2" ID tubing on the other. This will be the drain.

Mark two quarts and one gallon on an empty washer solvent jug. Use it to measure the amount of oil ( I got just over a gallon) that drains out of the tranny sump. Refill the sump before cycling the old fluid out, two quarts at a time. I'm three gallons in and the fluid is starting to look a little red. It started out darker than 10,000 mile drain oil. I need to pick up another case of tranny fluid...