Changing transmission oil

brianp · Post by **brianp** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 5:20 pm

Well, I've been changing my transmission oil today, used 50/50 regular and synthetic, things have been going pretty smoothly, but as I was pumping the last quart into the transmission, about halfway through, oil began coming back out of the fill hole! The manual says that it holds 4.1 quarts of oil, but it was filling up at only 3.5 quarts!

I'm pretty sure I drained it all, I opened both drain plugs and the side plug. Should I be worried about this, is there possibly an air pocket somewhere? As soon as it started coming out the side, I put the plug back in, so It wouldn't come back out. Any suggestions?
Thanks!

Gasoline Fumes · Post by **Gasoline Fumes** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 8:58 pm

I've never had much luck fitting the full amount of oil into any transmission or engine. It always seems to take less than the book says. :huh:

takza · Post by **takza** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 4:19 am

I got the full 4.1 qts in mine. You should fill it from the rear fill ONLY and have the rear drain plug backed out 7-8 turns.

Also depends on how fast you are putting it in. And whether the car is sitting level.

I'd put the full 4.1 qts in it....I drained almost 5 qts out of mine last change due to having leaks and having overfilled it.

Overfilling is likely not an issue...having it run low is. IMO.

* Unless you have the FWD?????

brianp · Post by **brianp** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 1:17 pm

Ok, I'll try it again. It's a 4wd '85

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 1:24 pm

Try running the car in neutral for about 10 seconds. Get the fluids pumping a bit and knock the air towards the top. Don't drive it until you know its truly full though.

brianp · Post by **brianp** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 4:46 pm

Well I checked it again, and it is totally full, and coming out of the check hole when I opened it; I drove it yesterday a mile after I filled it up, and then checked it this morning. It seems to be fine, it just is weird that there would be half a quart still in there. I drove it about 15 minutes before I changed it, to warm it up.

takza · Post by **takza** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 4:57 am

What I wrote was wrong...sort of. If you check the LEVEL...you use the rear fill. If refilling from empty...I use the front fill by the axle...4.1 qts...front on ramps.

Did notice that if you drain it in front and don't back the back drain out 7-8 turns...some oil will be trapped in the back part...thought it was only about a pint though. Guess you drained it both places?

Mac · Post by **Mac** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 7:36 pm

my tercel took almost 6 damn litres thats odd that others only took 4L i drained it out the center drain plug.

takza · Post by **takza** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 2:05 pm

You are probably 2 L overfilled? Always better to overfill than to let it run dry....?

Mac · Post by **Mac** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 8:55 pm

i was filling it up by the side, after 4l nothing was pouring out, so i added 1 more litre, and still it didn't pour out, only at about 6 did it start coming out the side.

weird.

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 8:57 pm

I don't want to get squishified, but I only have the ability to drive up on ramps. Only way to level that out is to lift the back with a jack.

So wait a sec.... You took out both fill plugs with it on a ramp, poured in the diff filler, and went till the rear filler was pouring out?

So I need to buy 6 litres (thats something like 6.5 quarts, right?) of some cheapo fluid, put that in (should I add Sea-Foam or Marvel Mystery? Trans-Tune?) and run for a few days then drain and put the good stuff in?

brianp · Post by **brianp** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 9:14 pm

Oh, this was a little while ago, so I don't remember exactly which plug I was filling from. I think it was the back one though.

I put my car up on 4 jack stands, as that was what I had, and just pumped in the new oil until it started coming back out. I opened both bottom plugs to drain it, and left one of them partially out while filling it.

Probably when I have to do it next, I'll take it to a place to have it done, because it costs about the same as doing it myself.