Search "9HP48 pan bolt torque" and you get a pile of guesses: 8 Nm, 10 Nm, 12 Nm, "snug plus a quarter turn." Most come from rear-drive ZF units with a bottom sump. The 9HP48 is a transverse front-drive unit. On the Chrysler-built 948TE (Cherokee, Renegade, Compass, 200, Pacifica, Fiat 500X) the "pan" is the valve body cover bolted to the side of the case, and on the Honda/Acura 9-speed the part you unbolt is an end cover held by Torx bolts. Each has a factory torque in a published bulletin. Below are the numbers straight from those bulletins, plus the fasteners you will touch on the same job, and the level check that decides whether the job holds.
The short version: On the 948TE, the valve body oil pan (fluid cover) uses 7 bolts torqued to 11 Nm (8 ft-lb, about 97 in-lb), the same value as the valve body retaining bolts, per FCA bulletin 21-008-15 REV. A. On the Honda 9-speed (2016 Pilot Touring/Elite), the transmission end cover uses 11 T-30 Torx bolts at 10.0 Nm (7 lb-ft) in sequence, with new bolts from kit 06233-5J4-000, per Honda bulletin 16-087. There's no serviceable filter behind either cover: on the 948TE the filter mounts to the pump housing and the bellhousing has to come off to reach it. Set the level afterward with the dipstick tool at a known fluid temperature, never by counting quarts.
What "the Pan" Actually Is on a 9HP48
On a rear-drive ZF the pan hangs under the case, holds the filter, and drains the unit when it comes off. The 9HP48 doesn't work that way. ATRA's 948TE introduction notes that the filter mounts directly to the oil pump housing inside the case and is only replaced during a major repair, because the bellhousing has to come off to get to it. The cover on the side of the case does three jobs:
- It closes off the valve body, which bolts to the case beneath it.
- It carries the transmission's electrical connector, which passes through the cover and is held by a retaining clip. FCA's bulletin has you pull that clip and push the connector slightly into the pan before the cover can come off.
- It seals with a gasket against a machined face. Because it's a sealing cover and not a load-bearing joint, the torque is low.
So when someone asks for "9HP48 pan bolt torque," they almost always want one of two numbers: the 948TE valve body cover, or the Honda end cover. They are different parts with different fasteners, and ATRA's training notes warn that the Chrysler 948TE and the German-built ZF 9HP48 look nearly identical but don't share parts. Look parts up by VIN.
948TE Valve Body Cover: 11 Nm, 7 Bolts
FCA Technical Service Bulletin 21-008-15 REV. A (February 7, 2015, covering 2014-2015 KL Cherokee and 2015 UF Chrysler 200 with the 948TE, sales codes DFH/DFJ) is the C-clutch snap ring repair. It's a full teardown, so it lists the factory torque for every fastener in the valve body area. The cover steps are:
- Remove the retaining clip from the electrical connector on the valve body oil pan and push the connector slightly into the pan.
- Remove the 7 valve cover oil pan retaining bolts and lift the pan off.
- On reassembly, put the cover over the valve body and press the harness connector into the cover until the retainer clip groove shows, then install the clip. The bulletin allows a light coat of assembly lube on the connector O-rings to help it seat.
- Install the valve body fluid cover and torque the retaining bolts to 11 Nm (8 ft-lb).
A few things from the bench. At 11 Nm you need an inch-pound wrench (11 Nm is about 97 in-lb). A 3/8-inch click wrench that starts at 10 ft-lb is already past spec at its lowest setting, and that's how covers get bowed. Run the bolts down by hand, then tighten in a crossing pattern from the center out, in two passes. If the connector isn't fully seated and clipped before the bolts are torqued, the cover can sit cocked on its gasket, and you get a weep at the connector that looks just like a pan leak.
If the valve body comes out too
A cover job often turns into a valve body job, either for a solenoid or because you're chasing shift complaints. Bulletin 21-008-15 gives the rest of that stack:
- Valve body retaining bolts: only 9 bolts are removed to free the valve body (the rest hold the valve body together; leave them alone). Reinstall and torque them in the factory sequence to 11 Nm (8 ft-lb).
- Transmission range sensor and speed sensor retainers: 6.5 Nm (5 ft-lb). Don't let the valve body hang from that harness.
- Fluid adapter tubes: the 6 valve body fluid adapter tubes go back in with new O-rings (part numbers 04753043AA, qty 2, and 04753042AA, qty 10), with the 2 oblong tubes oriented as shown in the bulletin. The 2 larger fluid transfer tubes go into the valve body. A reused, rolled O-ring here bleeds off apply pressure.
- Bellhousing to case: if you go deep enough to reach the filter, the inner bellhousing bolts and then the perimeter bolts (17 of them) go to 29 Nm (21 ft-lb), in sequence.
The Other 948TE Torque People Confuse With the Pan: Case Split, 35 Nm
A wet lower front corner of the case on a 2019 Cherokee is often the case split line, not the pan. FCA bulletin 21-041-20 (July 2, 2020) covers 2019 KL Cherokees with the 948TE (DFH or DFJ) and a transmission tag showing plant code J or Z inside specific build-date windows. Before you touch anything, read the tag. It sits under the shifter cable bracket, and you may need to pull the PCM and the two shifter cable bolts to see it. Those bolts go back at 8 Nm (71 in-lb) for the M6 x 20 bolt or 10 Nm (88 in-lb) for the M6 x 35 bolt.
If the unit is in range and the leak is truly at the split, the fix is a retorque. With the mount bracket removed to reach bolts 1 and 2, you torque the eight lower case bolts starting at bolt #8 and working to bolt #1, to 35 Nm (26 ft-lb). The bulletin adds a caution: do not rotate the bolts counterclockwise. You're tightening to the new spec, not breaking them loose first. After that, check the fluid level, verify transmission temperature is above 50°C (122°F), and confirm the seam is dry. Putting a new pan gasket on a case-split leak fixes nothing.
Honda 9-Speed End Cover: 10 Nm, 11 Torx Bolts
Honda used ZF's nine-speed in the Pilot, plus Acura models such as the MDX, TLX and RLX listed in ATRA's training material. Honda bulletin 16-087 (October 7, 2016) covers 2016 Pilot Touring and Elite models whose transmission end cover leaks because the sealing gasket was torn during assembly. The procedure:
- Raise the vehicle and loosen the front of the inner fender to reach the end cover.
- Remove the 11 T-30 Torx bolts.
- Replace the cover, sealing gasket and bolts with the new parts from End Cover Kit 06233-5J4-000 (11 Torx bolts, cover, seal and plugs).
- Torque the bolts to 10.0 Nm (7 lb-ft) in the sequence shown in the bulletin.
The kit includes new bolts, so use them rather than the originals. Honda's flat-rate time for the job, including the ATF level check, is 1.0 hour.
Honda's level check after the cover job
This is where most DIY cover jobs go wrong. Bulletin 16-087 requires Honda Genuine ATF Type 3.1 (P/N 08200-9017) and lays out this check:
- Wheels just off the ground, vehicle ON, VSA maintenance mode on, engine running.
- Shift to S/sequential and run through 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th, holding at least 10 seconds in each. Honda warns not to go past 4th on the lift or damage will occur.
- Idle until ATF temperature reaches 104°F (40°C), within an allowed window of 99 to 113°F (37 to 45°C), read on the scan tool.
- With the engine running, pull the level plug. A drip means the level is correct. If fluid pours out, wait until it drips. If nothing comes out, add ATF until it overflows, then wait for the drip.
- Install a new level plug at 35 Nm (26 lb-ft).
948TE Level Check After the Cover Job
The Chrysler unit has no dipstick tube and no quart number to fill to. ATRA's 948TE material and Gears Magazine describe the same method. Measure from the upper lip of the fluid level check port on top of the housing above the differential down to the fluid, using Mopar dipstick tool 10323A, which is marked in 5 mm increments. The vehicle must be level, the engine idling in Park, and fluid temperature confirmed on a scan tool above 50°C. Read the witness mark and compare it with the factory temperature-versus-level chart. Gears gives one point on that chart: at 140°F, 16 to 23 mm.
Access depends on the engine. On 2.4L models you pull the left front wheel and turn the steering to full left to reach the plug. On 3.2L and 3.6L models you get to it from under the hood after removing the engine cover. The specified fluid is Mopar ZF 8 & 9 Speed ATF, P/N 68157995AB, which is pale green. Gears and ATRA both advise against using leak dye in this transmission, so find leaks by cleaning the case and driving the vehicle.
Why be this careful? FCA bulletin 21-006-23 (February 15, 2023) covers 2022-2023 Jeep Compass and Commander 948TE units that left the plant without the specified amount of fluid. The symptom was no forward gear, and the repair was replacing the transmission. A cover job that leaves the unit a liter low can do the same thing more slowly.
9HP48 Torque Quick Reference
| Fastener | Torque | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 948TE valve body oil pan / fluid cover (7 bolts) | 11 Nm (8 ft-lb) | FCA 21-008-15 |
| 948TE valve body retaining bolts (in sequence) | 11 Nm (8 ft-lb) | FCA 21-008-15 |
| 948TE TRS and speed sensor retainers | 6.5 Nm (5 ft-lb) | FCA 21-008-15 |
| 948TE bellhousing to case (in sequence) | 29 Nm (21 ft-lb) | FCA 21-008-15 |
| 948TE lower case-split bolts, #8 to #1 (2019 KL in range) | 35 Nm (26 ft-lb) | FCA 21-041-20 |
| 948TE shifter cable bracket, M6 x 20 / M6 x 35 | 8 Nm (71 in-lb) / 10 Nm (88 in-lb) | FCA 21-041-20 |
| Honda 9-speed end cover (11 T-30 Torx, in sequence, new bolts) | 10.0 Nm (7 lb-ft) | Honda 16-087 |
| Honda 9-speed ATF level plug (new plug) | 35 Nm (26 lb-ft) | Honda 16-087 |
Numbers I deliberately left out: drain plug, fill plug and level-check plug torque for the 948TE. The bulletins I can cite say to "tighten to the proper torque specifications" in DealerCONNECT without printing a value, and I'm not going to guess at a figure for an aluminum case. Pull it from service information for the VIN.
FAQ
What is the torque spec for the 948TE / 9HP48 transmission pan bolts?
On the Chrysler-built 948TE, the valve body oil pan (fluid cover) uses 7 bolts torqued to 11 Nm (8 ft-lb, about 97 in-lb), per FCA bulletin 21-008-15 REV. A. The valve body retaining bolts under it use the same 11 Nm, tightened in the factory sequence. Use an inch-pound torque wrench, not a ft-lb wrench at the bottom of its range.
What is the torque for the Honda 9-speed transmission end cover bolts?
Honda bulletin 16-087 calls for 11 T-30 Torx bolts torqued to 10.0 Nm (7 lb-ft) in the sequence shown in the bulletin. It specifies replacing the cover, sealing gasket and bolts with End Cover Kit 06233-5J4-000, then checking the ATF level at 104°F (40°C) and installing a new level plug at 35 Nm (26 lb-ft).
Is there a filter behind the 9HP48 pan?
Not on the 948TE. ATRA's 948TE training notes that the filter mounts to the oil pump housing inside the case and can only be reached by removing the bellhousing, so it is replaced only during a major repair. Pulling the side valve body cover gives you access to the valve body, not a filter.
How do I check the fluid level after removing the 948TE pan?
Measure at the fluid level check port above the differential with Mopar dipstick tool 10323A, which is marked in 5 mm increments. The vehicle must be level and idling in Park, with fluid temperature above 50°C on a scan tool. Compare the reading with the factory temperature chart. Gears Magazine gives 16 to 23 mm at 140°F as one point on that chart.
Why is my 948TE still leaking after a new pan gasket?
On 2019 Cherokees, check the case split line. FCA bulletin 21-041-20 covers units with plant code J or Z in certain build-date ranges, and the fix is retorquing the eight lower case bolts from bolt #8 to bolt #1 at 35 Nm (26 ft-lb). Also check the harness connector O-rings in the cover, because a weep there runs down and looks like a gasket leak.
Sources
- FCA US LLC, Technical Service Bulletin 21-008-15 REV. A, “Transmission Shift Quality C-Clutch Snap Ring” (February 7, 2015). Backs: the valve body oil pan's 7 retaining bolts and the 11 Nm (8 ft-lb) fluid cover torque; connector clip removal and installation and the assembly lube note for the connector O-rings; the 9 valve body bolts at 11 Nm in sequence; TRS and speed sensor retainers at 6.5 Nm; fluid adapter tube O-rings 04753043AA/04753042AA; and bellhousing bolts at 29 Nm. static.nhtsa.gov (NHTSA TSB archive, PDF)
- FCA US LLC, Technical Service Bulletin 21-041-20, “Transmission Case Oil Leak” (July 2, 2020). Backs: 2019 KL Cherokee 948TE applicability by plant code J/Z and build date; shifter cable bolt torques of 8 Nm and 10 Nm; the eight case-split bolts at 35 Nm (26 ft-lb) from bolt #8 to #1 without counterclockwise rotation; and the above-50°C fluid temperature check. static.nhtsa.gov (NHTSA TSB archive, PDF)
- American Honda Motor Co., Service Bulletin 16-087, “Transmission End Cover Leaks (9-Speed A/T)” (October 7, 2016). Backs: 2016 Pilot Touring/Elite applicability; the 11 T-30 Torx bolts at 10.0 Nm (7 lb-ft) in sequence; End Cover Kit 06233-5J4-000; ATF Type 3.1 P/N 08200-9017; the level check at 104°F (99 to 113°F) with the no-higher-than-4th warning; and the new level plug at 35 Nm (26 lb-ft). static.nhtsa.gov (NHTSA TSB archive, PDF)
- ATRA, Mike Souza, “ZF9HP48 / 948TE Introduction” technical webinar (2015). Backs: vehicle applications; the 948TE and ZF 9HP48 looking similar but not interchanging parts; the filter mounted to the pump housing and reachable only with the bellhousing removed; the level check port above the differential with tool 10323A in 5 mm increments above 50°C; and Mopar fluid 68157995AB. atracom (ATRA, PDF)
- Gears Magazine (ATRA), “948TE: Checking Fluid Levels.” Backs: Mopar ZF 8 & 9 Speed ATF 68157995AB (pale green); the advice against leak dye; tool 10323A; the 16 to 23 mm example at 140°F; and fill plug access by engine (left front wheel on 2.4L, engine cover on 3.2L/3.6L). gearsmagazine.com
- FCA US LLC (Stellantis), Technical Service Bulletin 21-006-23, “Loss of Forward Gear in Transmission” (February 15, 2023). Backs: 2022-2023 Compass/Commander 948TE units built without the specified fluid amount, the no-forward-gear symptom, and transmission replacement as the repair. static.nhtsa.gov (NHTSA TSB archive, PDF)