Tranny fluid level? (1 Viewer)

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These may be dumb questions...

Exactly where should my tranny fluid level read on that big ol' dipstick?

When is my tranny "hot?"

Why does a good "hot" read on the dipstick show overfull when "cold?"


I drained and refilled (no flush, just drained from plug and filled through dipstick hole) my tranny, and I'm having a bear of a time deciding if I've overfilled it or not.

I heard that the "hot" reading is more important, so I drove eight or ten miles, added some, drove a mile or so, added some, and so on until it read full at the "hot" reading.

Now it typically reads overfull when "cold," and the other day I checked after a long drive and it read overfull of the "hot" mark as well.

Have I overfilled my tranny?
Should I drain and try again?
When will my transmission explode?

Thankyou.

Hayes
 
Well, on level ground after having driven around for a while go by the hot range marked on the dipstick.

If possible check after having run on highway if weather is cool. If weather is hot out than after running 30 minutes around town it will be plenty warm enough to check.
 
This has bugged me for awhile on my 80. If I fill so that it's in the cold range when cold, then it's not full enough to get into the hot range when hot. However, if I put in enough so that it's in the hot range when hot, it reads above the cold range when cold. I decided that the cold level isn't too important, since I don't drive it cold for long...(!!!) I fill it so that it's in the hot range when hot, and figure that makes sense.

I think the dip stick is fawked up. I know I'm not...
 
lovetoski said:
This has bugged me for awhile on my 80. If I fill so that it's in the cold range when cold, then it's not full enough to get into the hot range when hot. However, if I put in enough so that it's in the hot range when hot, it reads above the cold range when cold. I decided that the cold level isn't too important, since I don't drive it cold for long...(!!!) I fill it so that it's in the hot range when hot, and figure that makes sense.

I think the dip stick is fawked up. I know I'm not...

Not sure on the 80 but on a previous vehicle I had the cold range read purposely low, the cold range was just for maintenance not for routine checking of the fluid level,

After draining or work where you don’t know where the level is, you fill it to the cold range wile cold, that gets enough fluid in there so you can safely drive it to warm it up and then get a true reading when the transmission is hot on the hot range.

For routine checks just look at it when hot. Don’t bother looking at it when cold unless you think you may have lost fluid for some reason, and then all you know is you have enough to warm it up.
 
RavenTai said:
Not sure on the 80 but on a previous vehicle I had the cold range read purposely low, the cold range was just for maintenance not for routine checking of the fluid level,

After draining or work where you don’t know where the level is, you fill it to the cold range wile cold, that gets enough fluid in there so you can safely drive it to warm it up and then get a true reading when the transmission is hot on the hot range.

For routine checks just look at it when hot. Don’t bother looking at it when cold unless you think you may have lost fluid for some reason, and then all you know is you have enough to warm it up.

That makes sense - thanks.
 

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