Honda Element ATF overfill. Problem??

[olddognewtrks]

Did a drain and refill x3 (90% new fluid) service on my '05 Element with the 4 speed auto. Needed to finish quickly and overestimated spill/splash, and now have the level about 3/8 to 1/2 inch high on the dipstick. Guess-timating about 6-12 ounces overfill on a 7.8 quart capacity. Do I need to drain the excess (my wife is driving about 90 highway miles in two days), let it ride for now, or just let it be? Please advise. I don't want to blow it out the vent or blow out any seals.

Thanks ahead of time for any help.

 

[Danh]

Fluid level on this transmission is checked with the engine off, I think? It probably would be OK as-is, but if it were me I'd drain out the excess and avoid the worry.

 

[DBMaster]

You do not need to do anything more with a Honda transmission other than draining once and refilling. The easiest way to get the amount of fluid right, for me, is to pour what you drain out into an empty gallon jug to measure. My Accord tool three quarts. The original transmission last a bit over 300K miles just doing drain and fill with Mobil 1 ATF every 30K. On the reman unit I only used Honda Z1/DW1. There sure seem to be an awful lot of excesses on this forum when it comes to ATF.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Everyone treats their vehicle different. I tow with my Jeep, I off road with my Jeep. I feel better throwing $10 of transmission fluid in on an oil change.

 

[LargeCarManX2]

Check the fluid cold running in park, then check when hot in park....if the fluid is high when hot by 3/8 inch your ok, but 1/2inch is pushing it. Turkey baster hooked up to a tube might pull out some of that fluid. If fluid is within the lower xxxxxmarks when cold your raising up the stick is expansion because of the heat so....it's a toss up.

 

[DBMaster]

$10? The last ATF I bought cost nearly that much per quart. I guess I can acquiesce on this one. Heat is the worst enemy of ATF, not really mechanical wear. If you are doing a significant amount of towing without a towing package or extra ATF cooling you might want to change out more of it, or change it more often.

Just doing drain and fill on my 72 Pontiac Catalina had the TH400 transmission at 212K miles before I sold the rusted out hulk. The transmission shop that rebuilt my brother's TH350 said they had never seen one of those GM transmissions go as far as mine did. Back then the fluid spec was Dexron II and used to do the DAF once a year.