So the haynes manuals says you will get about 4 quarts of fluid out in a filter change, yet I check the level using the dipstick when it's cold and it doesn't even reach the low mark. I've put in over 5 quarts, and have taken out more fluid than I put in during the change. It drove and shifted nicely when it only had 4 quarts in there after I did the change. I know the total capacity is 8.8 quarts, but it's shifting hard and late with what I have in there. I'd like to take a quart out, because then it would shift nicely. I think the dipstick is wrong, what should I do?

This tranny had a clogged filter a few years ago. I apparently put in too much fluid after I fixed that, and it would shift late, hard, and the dipstick wouldn't tell you the right level...

Hm....interesting. Why do you think the dipstick is wrong? How are you checking the fluid? Are you checking with engine running in park on a level surface after shifting through the gears?

 

Running low on fluid is risky because if the pump starts pulling air, it result in transmission slippage which will wear out those precious wet clutches fast. Too much ATF can result in lots of bubbles in the fluid and maybe other issues too. Plus if the AT senses slippage I think it tries to raise line pressure to reduce/eliminate slippage which will result in harder shifts?

Hm....interesting. Why do you think the dipstick is wrong? How are you checking the fluid? Are you checking with engine running in park on a level surface after shifting through the gears?

 

Running low on fluid is risky because if the pump starts pulling air, it result in transmission slippage which will wear out those precious wet clutches fast. Too much ATF can result in lots of bubbles in the fluid and maybe other issues too. Plus if the AT senses slippage I think it tries to raise line pressure to reduce/eliminate slippage which will result in harder shifts?

 

It shifted almost perfectly right after I added only 4 quarts. But the dipstick had no fluid on it. Now that there are 5+ quarts in there it shifts kinda hard and late, like it did before I checked the filter when I had too much fluid in there.

 

The last time I checked it, it was parked on a flat surface and the engine was cold. Didn't shift through any gears, just when cold. I did check it hot once after driving it around, and it was still not even showing up on the dipstick.

After adding 5+ quarts I know I should be seeing at least SOMETHING on the dipstick.

...After adding 5+ quarts I know I should be seeing at least SOMETHING on the dipstick.

Not necessarily. I just had to add 8 quarts when I changed mine. I was doing valvebody work and removed the cooler-line tube and got a lot of drainback from the TC. Some trannies will drainback on their own, causing total change amount to be more than 4-5 quarts.

 

Keep adding until your dipstick registers.

Good point Northwet; I too got the whole 8-9 quarts out when cooler line had to come out while replacing filter. Anyway, you probably really need to measure what you drained out. It seems it would be pretty hard for the dipstick to be off unless you had the wrong dipstick or it wasn't seating all the way or something like that. If you know for a fact by measuring that you only got 4 quarts out, then who knows; maybe it was low to begin with.

Good point Northwet; I too got the whole 8-9 quarts out when cooler line had to come out while replacing filter. Anyway, you probably really need to measure what you drained out. It seems it would be pretty hard for the dipstick to be off unless you had the wrong dipstick or it wasn't seating all the way or something like that. If you know for a fact by measuring that you only got 4 quarts out, then who knows; maybe it was low to begin with.

 

I did take out well over 4 quarts, but I had myself put in well over 4 quarts previously, again, possibly due to the funky dipstick.

 

My contentions are:

It shifts late with more that 4 quarts in there.

It shifts harder with more than 4 quarts in there.

The manual says about 4 quarts after filter change.

The dipstick gives erratic measurements, after the clogged filter change.

At idle there was a lot of vibration, when I had 4 quarts in there the idle was nice and smooth.

 

I have been living with this rough idle and hard shifts for some time, so suddenly when they go away after I put in 4 quarts, and return when I add about 2 more quarts I'm lead to believe the dipstick is wrong.