If you don’t check it warmed up & idling you’ll never know if it has the correct amount of fluid in it or not .
Hi Guys I took your advice and did a warmed up trans fluid check
3.28 pm Cold start. Checked fluid level at cold: Was approx 3/4 inch below the lower Hatch Mark on the dipstick. Started Car… idling…
3.36 pm: Coolant temp on dash Gauge readout 230 F
3.40 pm: The 2 Radiator Fans came on… Temp 240
3.46 pm : Temp 241
3.47 pm: Temp 228 Drove around grounds…in drive, tested reverse… 1,2,3 gears etc kept engine running at all times…as I was concerned when i saw the oil stick mark 3/4 inch below lower hatch mark which I believe is the lowest hot temp mark for the fluid… the higher corss hatch makr being the max hot temp fluid mark… I thought it was over filled …seems not. to be the case? If I am under not sure why I am sure the mechanic put in 7 qts? pus 1oz odf Suaplube (1 oz per qrt - to try clean up any gummed/ sticking solenoids) . Would underfilling affect a lot of things?: Heat up the fluid quicker.? Causing th car not ot engage drive / gears hot ?.Does it give less pressure to change the gears etc ?. I dont know…
I continued the test…
4.05 pm: Temp 230
4.16 pm: Temp 234
Checked Fluid Level Hot: Engine still on idling…went through all gears with brake on… reverse, 1,2,3,D… BTW: Oil was semi black…(orig oil in oi change was thick jet black) Oil was now about 1/2 inch from lower hatch mark…Did not go any higher during test… .Checked under car for any leaks… none.
4.30 pm: Temp 230. Turned car off
Took a few pictures hope they help…I
The fluid should be between the two round holes. If this was taken on a level surface, engine warm and idling, you are about a quart low. I would add a pint, then check again with engine warm, and if still below the holes, add another pint.
Since this is a COLOR shot, I’m concerned about the fluid color; it should be red like raspberry juice. This stuff looks like dirty motor oil.
The fluid level is low, add fluid. If you gave the mechanic 7 quarts of fluid for the service he should have given 2 or 3 back, look in the trunk for the remaining fluid.
I doubt adding fluid will help, that transmission failed before you had it serviced, the black fluid and sediment in the pan indicate transmission problems.
Hi Guys… Yes the tranny oil is black even with the new oil that was put in … thats how badly neglected this vehicle was over the years… When I first saw the color I couldn’t believe it … even the mechanic said it was the worst he had seen,. filthy thick jet black… I agree also the tranny has some serious problems due to the neglect and poor maintenence. Strange thing is she drove great for three days after the fluid change… then started playing up… not sure if all the gunk from the rest of the fluid that was still in the tranny mixed in and gummed up / stuck the solenoid again et. As I was driving her around today in the grounds here… she was changing ok… but that was only at slow speeds… It seems when she gets hot when driving in gear on the roads that the problem occurs of no shifting in to gear which is intermittent… As I am unemployed with very little savings I am trying to do waht /i can to get her at least running again… without these problems, I know the tranny is past its best,. but when it works its fine. I guess when I drove it from the shop on the day of the change … all the remaining old oil immediately mixed in with the new oil and at some point some of those particles blocked something up again… Would an underfilled fluid heat up quickly then and affect gear changes ?.. or do you think a solenoid or something is sticking again. ? Would another oil change do it any good? I know I was advised to have it flushed as well. How mcuh on average would that cost please?
Sloepoke: I have owned mostly manual transmissions but as a commercial driver used many automatics. I have always checked the fluid level while warm and idling on a level surface.
@sgtrock21
Yep , that’s the way it’s supposed to be done . I think every automatic I ever pulled the stick out of cold & not running showed overfull if it had the correct amount in it when checked hot & idling .
I had my truck’s transmission rebuilt one time and the shop returned it to me with the transmission over-filled. I just took it back and had them drain some out is all. The shop manager begged my forgiveness and said that shouldn’t have occurred. No harm done.
In the case of the OP’s vehicle, since maintenance had been deferred for a long time, I would have recommended – well, guessed – that the fluid and filter should be changed out, then the vehicle driven for 2 or 3 days, then the fluid and filter changed out again. Maybe even a third time if the second time the fluid still didn’t appear new. Auto transmissions hold a lot of fluid in them in various niches like the torque converter. This is fluid you can’t hope to drain out by a pan drop and filter change alone.
OP should be aware despite best efforts at this point the transmission may fail at any time and need a complete rebuild. It’s living on borrowed time.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen automatic transmission fluid as black as the op’s appears to be . He’s going to be mighty lucky if his transmission isn’t dead .
Some Hondas, the automatic transmission fluid is checked with warmed up fluid, but the engine is OFF
But getting back to OP’S car . . . it’s checked warmed up fluid, engine idling
I would have the fluid changed again then drive it a few days,then change it again then drive it a few days, keep doing that until the fluid stays red and doesnt turn black,that way youll know you got all the old fluid and gunk out.
low fluid will stop it from shifting, my old chevy truck won`t shift at all if the transmission fluid is even just a quart low.
@ tardrex
I tend to agree with what you said . Since the OP says it works properly part of the time there’s a chance it might be salvageable . I have also known of transmissions that wouldn’t work properly if somewhat low on fluid .
suck some tyranny fluid out of th dip stick Tube until its the riight level .
Lesabre, I would hope after 2 years they have solved the problem.
Oh Gee thanks I never checked the Date 