Trouble filling Transmission!!! Advice please.

[Chris B.]

Hi guys,
My transmission was a little low last week so I took it to the dealer and they topped it off. I saw him add less then 1/2 qt. I checked it when I got home and it was still a little low. So I added about another 4oz and then it said it was over filled. So I let a little out and it was right on. Now I checked it a few days later and it was low again!!!! So I added 2oz and that brought it up to full. Checked it today and the dip stick says over full by 1/8inch over the maxfill line. I'm sick and tired of trying to get it right on and want to know if I can leave it like this... just a tad over filled...less then 1/4qt??? It is a 2003 Silverado with the 5.3 and is an auto. It is not leaking at all. Will this cause any damage? How much over filled can this transmission take safely! I'd rather have in a tad to much then a tad to little, right? Thanks for the help!

 

[sbc350gearhead]

My 98 holds 12 quarts, so I don't think that 1/4 quart one way or another is going to hurt anything.

 

[MolaKule]

I agree. One should always check the ATF on a level surface after about a 10 mile warm-up on the highway after the fluid has become hot. You know when you have too much fluid when after a warm-up run you see a lot of bubbles on the dipstick. In my experience the shifting will be somewhat delayed and harsh.

An eigth to a quarter of an inch either way shouldn't cause any problems.

[ October 18, 2003, 12:12 AM: Message edited by: MolaKule ]

 

[Chris B.]

Thanks guys! It seem to longer I drive the truck the higher up on the dipstick the fluid reads. The most it has been over is 3/16 inch.

 

[DJStillman]

I know exactly what you mean! I just did a drain and refill of my Stanza's Transaxle. This thing is next to impossible to get the level right. It has to do with the expansion of the fluid when it warms up, that and how much gets pulled into the transmission cooler and the Torque converter.

Use good fluid, try for as close as you can, and just drive. If you shift funny under any throttle conditions, then try again.

Good luck!

 

[got boost?]

to check it, run the vehicle until warm, park and while idling, shift into each gear for 3-5 seconds then put it into park and check after 1-2 minutes of idling. overfilling will not hurt anything as long as it isn't too much. I currently have a caprice with the same basic transmission and it is 1/2 quart over (275k miles on it).

[ October 19, 2003, 02:22 AM: Message edited by: got boost? ]

 

[Mike_dup1]

I agree, trying to get the trans full to the exact capacity by add 2 oz and removing 3 oz is carrying things a little overboard. As long as you are close to the mark, good enough. The trans can't tell its 2 oz low or overfull.

Also, many will think they are only a level surface like their driveway or garage but they rarely are level. They are sloped to allow drainage.

 

[Chris B.]

 

[Super Chevy]

It is these very situations that a trans temp gauge pays for itself...I put them in all my vehicles.

When I service my trans, I fill to the lower end of the cold mark on dip stick on known level surface, then drive the vehicle around until the trans temp gauge reads 160 to 180 degrees or your vehicles normal operating temp then fill to approx 3/4's into the FULL HOT mark/range on the dip stick.

Never had any problems with over/under fill with this procedure in 25 years. Finding a level surface is the key to success.

 

[Spector]

The easier solution, assuming that the level was proper prior to the change, is to measure how much was extracted and place that exact amount back in.

Works for me.