Guys with AOD's

[The Shape]

What do you do to check your tranny fluid level? Idle till thermostat opens and check or what? I checked mine the other day after drivng about 20 minutes or so when it was nice and warm outside, and it showed to be quite a bit over the crosshatched marks. Last time I added fluid was when I installed my cooler about this time last year. When I did the cooler I just cranked the car let it idle a few minutes and checked the dipstick, I added a bit to bring it into the cross hatched area and haven't checked it since. So if is is majorly overfilled it has been that way for a year. The tranny shifts fine no problems, just wondering what method you guys to check the level and if it is overfull what it could damage/symptoms?

 

[Jaswir]

i just check it when the car has been running for a few mins so it gets warm... not sure if it will do any harm tho as long as its not way overfull

 

[The Shape]

i just check it when the car has been running for a few mins so it gets warm... not sure if it will do any harm tho as long as its not way overfull

Thats the way I have always checked mine as well. This was the first time I ever checked after driving for a while (like the haynes manual suggest). Just bothered me that it was quite a bit over the cross hatched. Like and inch and a half- two inches over the line. Aren't there over flow spouts on the AOD? I would think it would blow fluid out the overflows if it was SEVERLY over.

But I decided to try something. I highly doubt my '93 4 popper has EVER had the fluid changed in it's A4LD since it looks like 5W-30 motor oil in there Anyway I did the same thing to it drove 20-30 minutes and pulled the dipstick, sure enough same thing quite a bit out of the cross hatching

 

[TheBocSez]

Stupid question but you are on level ground when checking it correct? Also, I have noticed that sometimes when I check mine, the front of the dipstick will read on level and the back another. Not sure what thats about either.

 

[Scorcher2005]

im not sure about the tranny marks because when i check it i just hold it up to the light and make sure its still pink. But the marks could be wrong like they are for the oil dipstick.

 

[The Shape]

Yep checking it on level ground. It has been this way for a year atleast. I guess if it was gonna hurt anything or cause a leak it would have done so by now. Just kinda freaked me out that it showed that overfull. Then when my 4-banger did the same thing I was more confused than I normally am.

 

[The Shape]

Bump for the late night crew.

 

[The Shape]

Ok guess I will drain a bit this weekend to be safe. What about the small bubbles I am seeing in the fluid should there be ANY bubbles at all? Sorry don't have alot of auto tranny experience.

 

[SilverFoxbody]

The reccomended fill is the last letter on the warrning writting. So above the hatch is fine.

 

[LX302]

When reading the dipstick, Always read both sides and go with the lower level as the actual.
If you want to save the time of dropping the pan, I got a siphon ball and hose from the parts store and sucked the fluid out, a little at a time till I got the right level.
You want the fluid level to be at the top of the hatch marks. But if everything is running fine, you might be OK.
Your choice if you want to take some out.

 

[The Shape]

You mean just like one of those little hand held pump things? I thought of that, but didn't think it would fit down the dipstick tube. How far over was yours when you drained it down?

 

[RYC CUKR]

I usually check mine after it has been running a while and is at operating temp. Usually just take it out for a 5 minute drive and then check it. I have a hard time reading the dipstick sometimes cause of the color of the ATF. Maybe it is just me.

If you have some bubbles you might want to siphon some out, much cleaner than the alternative.

My dad was working on my grandmothers grand marquis and overfilled it really bad. Didn't look at the right number on the capacity chart. Instead of the amount for a filter and fluid change he put in enough to fill the converter and all. Now that was a mess.

 

[The Shape]

Yeah I am gonna pick up one of the hand siphon pumps and get a bit out. It does have some bubbles not alot but a few, not sure if that is normal or not.