Thread: Checked tranny fluid and Ive got problems...

Okay so you are sposed to check your tranny fluid after the car has been warmed up and then run it through all the gears right? Thats what i did because it seemed to me that my tranny was having a little bit of a problem shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear. However when i checked the fluid it was way above the max operating level and ive never added anything to it. Im not sure how it was when i bought the car over a year ago but i bought it from a dealer so it should have been the correct level id think. Plus when i wiped the fluid off the stick it was like a reddish tint but also had some black to it. Id take that as a hint that i need to change it. But what i dont get is how its overfull. Is there anyway that something could have leaked in there such as coolant or something?! Any help is greatly appriciated!

Coolantcould leak in there but you would more than likely have a milkshake mix in the tranny and it would be like a pinkish sludge. If the black was on the stick, that's fairly normal if you haven't checked it in a while. If the fluid was more of a brownish red or whatever it's probably burnt, you should also be able to tell if its burnt from the smell. Get a white napkin or something and drip a little fluid on it from the stick to see it's true color. Since you have never checked it in over a year I'm guessing your not a DIY type of guy so easiest way would be to just go have a flush done. They will flush out all old, add new and hopefully to the correct level. If theres a reputable transmission shop it wouldn't hurt to run it by there and see what they say but most places will just try and sell you a rebuild. But my guess would be the idiots at the dealer didn't do their job and you been driving like that since you got it...

Originally Posted by WOLF257

Make sure you're checking the fluid at full operating temp

It was after i had driven it for like 20 mins so it waas up to operating temp.

Bout the only thing i do by myself is change the oil. Honestly id love to do everything myself but i dont really hae the right tools and seein as how this is the only car i have i dont wanna mess anything up. lol. Plus theres snow everywhere and i dont wanna have to mess with it out there in the elements.

Had a mechanic look it and he didnt know what to think cause he said he has checked it before and it was never overfull... Now it is and it was really bubbly. To me it looked darker than it should be. He was goin to consult his transmission buddy and see what he thought. Ive got my fingers crossed hopin its nothing besides a needed fluid and filter change. If anybody knows any other things that could cause these symptoms feel free to tell me! thanks.

After i learned somethin was up i let it sit in our yard for like 3 days. We just ran it to the mechanic and dropped it at his house and that was what he observed. I was in school so my dad had to run it over there. I dont know if they drove around alot or not but im hopin they didnt but they might have if they were trying to get it to operating temp and such.

Oh yes i did. Sorry i was goin to post like 5 days ago bout what was goin to happen but our internet was not working. Anyway i took it to a transmission place and the guy put on some sort of sensor that said when it shifts and how close it is to being exact and whatnot and it was pretty normal but did show signs of the second to third shift issue. He dropped the pan and there was metal shavings so its been in for like 4 days getting a rebuild.

Odd, I've never heard of needing a rebuild showing up as high fluid on a dipstick.

Apparently the seal went bad first which allowed air in and probly overtime with driving it would overheat and such. Thatd be my guess but i dont know a ton bout transmissions.

Imo... I would have just done a fluid and filter swap and drove it till it wouldn't move anymore. Then but a reman'd transmission that had a warranty.

A trans shop though testing it ..can see fluid leaks etc and know about bad seals. For example I think the channel plate gasket..while not common. If it goes...it can make the fluid look high and give issues.

Originally Posted by tc300

Wow.... Is it back up and running?

Yes it is and its working great so far.

Originally Posted by NegativeOne13

Imo... I would have just done a fluid and filter swap and drove it till it wouldn't move anymore. Then but a reman'd transmission that had a warranty.

The place that rebuilt mine has a 2 year unlimited mile warranty. Although it wont cover damage that is intentionally caused.

And does anybody know what my tranny model is? According to this section being called "97- current 4 speed automatic transmissions (4T65E) (4T65E-HD) i thought it was a 4T65E cause the HD is the supercharged one or somethin but ive also heard people say that mine has the 4T60E. Anyone know for sure?