A442F transmission fluid overfill?

[duece71]

All,
I did a search and my search fu must be off. I drained and refilled the AT fluid. Drained approximately 5 qts (5.2l) and refilled slowly the same amount. FSM says it should take 6 liters for drain and refill. After about 4.5-5 QTs I stopped, started the engine and checked the fluid level. It appeared that there was still fluid in the fill tube and fluid level didn’t make sense. I stopped filling and went for a short drive. When I got back and checked it, the level was slightly below the 2 “hot” marks. I carefully poured another 0.5 QTs in and kept checking until the fluid level was half way between the 2 hot marking on the dipstick. Today, after driving around locally, engine at operating temp, I checked the level when I got home. The fluid level appeared to be about an inch above the 2 ”hot” markings on the dipstick. I continued to check the fluid after driving 2 more times and have concluded I may have put too much fluid into the transmission.
Any help is appreciated. I might crack the drain plug and drain a tiny amount. Anything wrong with just leaving it at the level that is an inch above the hot marks? Overfilling can caused eventual damage but I am not sure.
Thank you.

 

[BILT4ME]

All,
I did a search and my search fu must be off. I drained and refilled the AT fluid. Drained approximately 5 qts (5.2l) and refilled slowly the same amount. FSM says it should take 6 liters for drain and refill. After about 4.5-5 QTs I stopped, started the engine and checked the fluid level. It appeared that there was still fluid in the fill tube and fluid level didn’t make sense. I stopped filling and went for a short drive. When I got back and checked it, the level was slightly below the 2 “hot” marks. I carefully poured another 0.5 QTs in and kept checking until the fluid level was half way between the 2 hot marking on the dipstick. Today, after driving around locally, engine at operating temp, I checked the level when I got home. The fluid level appeared to be about an inch above the 2 ”hot” markings on the dipstick. I continued to check the fluid after driving 2 more times and have concluded I may have put too much fluid into the transmission.
Any help is appreciated. I might crack the drain plug and drain a tiny amount. Anything wrong with just leaving it at the level that is an inch above the hot marks? Overfilling can caused eventual damage but I am not sure.
Thank you.

The A442F does not like being overfilled either.

Make sure you are properly checking your fluid level.

Drive the truck at least 10 miles at highway speeds.
Stop, leave the engine running, place it in park on a flat, level surface, pull the dipstick, wipe it off, reinsert fully, then pull again to check level. Look on both sides of the stick for the LOWEST reading.

If it is overfull, you need to drain out some.

 

[robnicko]

I have always been of the understanding that the main side effect of overfilling an auto trans or engine is that it may develop foaming of the fluid be it engine oil or transmission fluid.
This results in air bubbles being trapped in the fluid rather than solid fluid only passing through the internals and therefore reduces the fluid/oil's capability of properly protecting and lubricating the surfaces of the engine / transmission and also reduces the fluids pressure

 

[duece71]

Not sure if it’s noticeable in the picture but this is the cold fluid level. Yes, definitely overserviced which is strange considering the amount that was drained. I am going to try to siphon some out of the fill/dipstick port and check again.

 

[ppc]

Not sure if it’s noticeable in the picture but this is the cold fluid level.

Cold level is totally irrelevant. Proper level is measured with fluid at normal operating temperature with engine running.

 

[duece71]

I rigged up a siphon apparatus and got about a quart out. I drove it for 15 mins and just checked it. It’s just slight above the 2 hot marks. I am going to try to siphon so more tonite.

 

[frawstme]

I have always been of the understanding that the main side effect of overfilling an auto trans or engine is that it may develop foaming of the fluid be it engine oil or transmission fluid.
This results in air bubbles being trapped in the fluid rather than solid fluid only passing through the internals and therefore reduces the fluid/oil's capability of properly protecting and lubricating the surfaces of the engine / transmission and also reduces the fluids pressure

Learned yesterday that there's another side effect. Reviving an old thread instead of creating a new one about the same topic.

2000 uzj100 2UZ-FE

I was rebuilding my tcase and lost a unknown amount of ATF fluid. Decided to do a full drain of the remaining fluid as to not just add more and potentially mix brands. My car had its front end lifted and the trans draining for a bit over a week while I worked on headers and the tcase.

Checked FSM for the A442F and added 6 quarts to start, but fluid didnt touch drain stick after driving to warm and going through the P -> L procedure. Added a half a quart at a time but was having trouble with the readings because it kind of looked like ATF was "splashing up" onto the dip stick and there wasn't a hard line of where the fluid actually was. I felt like I had to drive it each time that i added half a quart because I was thinking that I needed the newly added fluid to be up to temp so it was taking some time.

At 8 quarts added I was starting to get anxious about overfilling but the reading was barely on the cold mark (and it still was tough to read). It was also very clunky the way that it was shifting when I was driving. The FSM calls for 6.3q drain and fill but I figured since I lost a bunch while the trans pump was actually running and then had an extended drain, that there was a possibility that I had lost more than 8 quarts.

...once I got to 9 quarts I was right at the bottom of the Hot line. I parked the car overnight after that because I was out of fluid. Yesterday I started the car and had it idling to get ready for a drive and when I came back out to the garage I heard fluid

kind of hard to tell where the fluid is coming but it's running down the fill tube (not from the top of it, though). I can only assume this means that I overfilled it.

next best steps? I don't want to drive it overfilled but also dont want to blindly dump ATF hoping that I empty an acceptable enough amount to drive it

 

[duece71]

Learned yesterday that there's another side effect. Reviving an old thread instead of creating a new one about the same topic.

2000 uzj100 2UZ-FE

I was rebuilding my tcase and lost a unknown amount of ATF fluid. Decided to do a full drain of the remaining fluid as to not just add more and potentially mix brands. My car had its front end lifted and the trans draining for a bit over a week while I worked on headers and the tcase.

Checked FSM for the A442F and added 6 quarts to start, but fluid didnt touch drain stick after driving to warm and going through the P -> L procedure. Added a half a quart at a time but was having trouble with the readings because it kind of looked like ATF was "splashing up" onto the dip stick and there wasn't a hard line of where the fluid actually was. I felt like I had to drive it each time that i added half a quart because I was thinking that I needed the newly added fluid to be up to temp so it was taking some time.

At 8 quarts added I was starting to get anxious about overfilling but the reading was barely on the cold mark (and it still was tough to read). It was also very clunky the way that it was shifting when I was driving. The FSM calls for 6.3q drain and fill but I figured since I lost a bunch while the trans pump was actually running and then had an extended drain, that there was a possibility that I had lost more than 8 quarts.

...once I got to 9 quarts I was right at the bottom of the Hot line. I parked the car overnight after that because I was out of fluid. Yesterday I started the car and had it idling to get ready for a drive and when I came back out to the garage I heard fluid


View attachment 4160492

kind of hard to tell where the fluid is coming but it's running down the fill tube (not from the top of it, though). I can only assume this means that I overfilled it.

next best steps? I don't want to drive it overfilled but also dont want to blindly dump ATF hoping that I empty an acceptable enough amount to drive it

The only way to know is from a known quantity. Doubtful you can accurately estimate what is on the floor. Maybe drain it all, measure what you drain out and start again from there. Adding small amounts, run engine/drive/check fluid and repeat.

 

[frawstme]

I have been working on this all day. My transmission level is reading close to empty but just spits out ATF from the vent when I add more. The line indicator even when hot is reading about 2 inches below the bottom cold line. This is sort of what is happening:

-> right now im up to 8 quarts of fluid in trans, fluid barely touches dipstick when hot
-> add half a quart, cycle gears, drive 15 minutes
-> line is about 3/4" higher but still well below level. motor is idling, in park
-> add half a quart, cycle gears, drive 15 minutes
-> line is where it was before ??
-> fluid starts coming out of my vent, but not a half a quart
-> let everything settle in idle, check again, line is at same place

i bought it to a technician at my shop along with the pages of the FSM to make sure i wasnt going crazy and he referred me to a friend because he was as lost as me. He suggested there may be air pocked in my transmission

edit:
oh also its shifting horribly

 

[duece71]

Is your dipstick original to the truck?