While driving today, it felt different... seemed like the gears were being held longer than usual before being downshifted (like in DS mode, but I was driving on D) so I found the dipstick and the bolt and examined the fluid with the car running... umm correct me if I am wrong, but aren't u supposed to check it while the car is running after the fluid gets hot?

To me it seems almost impossible to get an accurate reading, cause after driving for an hour the fluid has been sloshing around and when the dipstick is pulled out, I see the bulk of it coated with tranny fluid. How am I supposed to get an accurate reading at this rate? Am I doing something wrong? Can't find any detailed instructions on here, and I can't even make out what to look for on the stick or between what marks its supposed to be.

 

I would "presume" that its like any other car and check while the car is running. All the cars that I have dealt with I would check cold or hot. I know checking the power steering fluid has a cold/hot readings due to expansion but not the trans.

The marks on the dipstick (I haven't checked on my G so guessing here) the fluid level should be at the TOP mark at most.. usually I like it between the 3/4 and full mark

Rick

 

Actually most power steering fluids are ATFs and which is why they have cold and hot reading cause ATF fluid 'expands' when hot.

proper way is to first warm up the car engine and tranny by shifting through the gears or going for a short drive then wait a couple of minutes and while car is running and in 'P' or 'N" pull the dipstick out and check. then clean it and redo to confirm. iv done t many times and get accurate reading on my FX so im pretty sure it would work the exact same for you. Overfilling the tranny with atf can actually cause problems so be weary of that

THIS video might help, start watching from 53 seconds onwards, before that hes giving general info

 

If thats the case they why not cold/hot on the trans dip stick?? Either way I checked cold or hot and get the same reading every time, power steering has always been different in that respect and like Kool_yaar said.. don't over fill.. thats bad.. mmmKay!

 

Mine has been overfilled before by the idiotic dealer... after driving for 40 miles on DS in "spirited" style, the fluid came out of the blow vent....

So do u think maybe I shouldn't have checked after driving on the highway for an hour? Shouldbi just let the car idle in the drive way next time?

 

because youre only supposed to check it when its warm/hot some cars used to(some still might ) have the cold and hot reading on the dipstick a while back now its just for hot and the procedure to check is listed universally

 

either way is fine, if youre checking after an hour drive then let car idle for a few minutes in P

 

I don't know how much this matters with the G in particular, but I always understood that the proper way to check an automatic was to get the tranny 100% warmed up (like after a good 45 minutes on the road or so. That may be overkill, but a five minute trip to the corner store or idling for 1/2 hour in the driveway will NOT get it warmed up enough), then find a dead level spot, shift into park initially, then while idling there, go through all the possible gear locations slowly while using the brakes to hold the car stationary (this sends fluid through every internal passage supposedly), and then return to the neutral position and set the parking brake to hold the car; and THEN check the fluid level promptly.You'll have to pull the dipstick once to wipe it clean and then re-insert it to get a clean reading on the next pull.

EDIT: Since this post, I looked it up in the FSM (thanks to thescreensavers) and found this info to be inaccurate. The correct temp to check the dipstick for a HOT reading is only 149*F, so a thorough warming up as I stated here is NOT correct! The manual suggest only a 5 minute drive in urban traffic to bring the fluid to a more moderate temp; and NOT to full temp! I'm not sure I understand why they calibrated it to a mid temp level, but apparently they did.

 

^ yup thats the best way of doing it indeed as long as you let it cool down for a while after the drive so fluid gets back down to normal operating temp

 

For the 1st gens, you are suppose to check it at 149F, Driving it will get that fluid to ~170+

I personally like checking it cold 89-122F (use the two notches) because I know if the fluid is at that temperature.

After I start driving the fluid is higher than the hot marks, so its not really accurate.

 

I drove on the highway for an hour, but I only let it idle for a minute or two before checking and I think it was before it drained back into the pan, that's why the dip stick was fully coated.

I understand why it has to be put through all the gears, but keeping it in neutral to check it I don't understand. Ill do it tomorrow eitherway.

 

Hmm . . .That's interesting that they would have spec'd the fluid check to be done at something other than room temp or normal operating temperature. Do you know if they require the same for the V36 5AT ?

EDIT: I just looked it up in the FSM and you're dead on screensaver; they're calling for just 5 minutes of urban driving to bring the temp to a modest 149*F temp for correct calibration on the HOT mark of the dipstick. For anyone who wants to look it up, it's on page TM-217.

 

screensaver is right when he says that if the fluid gets too hot then its not giving the right measurement so best way would be to let the car sit for a little while then check cause if i goes over ~140F then it will read too high/be hard to read imo, but you still want it over 100F for sure so you have to warm it up either by running through all gears for a few minutes or taking a short drive then let the car idle for a few mins in P and then check the level.

Basically to summarize, the fluid needs to be hot(between 100-140F) so no use checking when its cool or too hot. Best way is to drive 5mins normally and let car idle for like 2-3mins and check

 

The dealer has a computer which can check the Trans temp so they can tell exactly when it hits 149.

Google for your service manual, the info I mentioned for the V35 was all listed there.

 

IDK, that may just be some old school residue. When I just checked, the manual did say to put it in park, so I'd say just just go with that.