Transmission oil quantity wrong

[gilberttribe]

I just drained the transmission fluid and carefully measured the amount drained. It came out to almost exactly 4 quarts. However, the manual states that a change requires 3.2 quarts. Don't believe the manual or at least the 2004 manual. What have you found?

I don't trust the dip stick, so I replace whatever I drain and preform a sanity check with the dip stick. I have found dip stick readings for the transmission fluid to be inconsistent (one check right after another done in accordance with the manual).

[Sunday Rider]

Originally posted by gilberttribe
I just drained the transmission fluid and carefully measured the amount drained. It came out to almost exactly 4 quarts. However, the manual states that a change requires 3.2 quarts. Don't believe the manual or at least the 2004 manual. What have you found?

I don't trust the dip stick, so I replace whatever I drain and preform a sanity check with the dip stick. I have found dip stick readings for the transmission fluid to be inconsistent (one check right after another done in accordance with the manual).

Found it to be wrong too. I use 3.8 litres, not 3.0 litres like the manual says. I found the dipstick to be accurate though. I always wait 1/2 hour after everything drains down.

But I am paranoid, I change the Tranny fluid every other oil change. When I followed the severe schedule, I couldn't believe how terrible the tranny oil was, very brown. The VTM4 on the other hand is so clean.

[jestmaty]

All good points....

I changed my tranny fluid for the third time yesterday at 45k. I will probably put myself on the every oil change schedule too.

After draining, I carefully measured what came out.... exactly 4.5 quarts. I used a measuring cup which tops out at 1 quart. The fluid filled this cup 4 times and halfway when I fully drained my catch pan.

The pan was completely clean when I started, so I know all the fluid in the pan was tranny fluid.

My driveway is relatively flat, but it does slope downward to the street. I backed the Pilot in so that the engine was pointed down the slope.

I put 4.5 quarts of new fluid back in and haven't driven more than a mile yet. So... after sitting in the driveway all night, I'll check the level b4 I drive off, although this is somewhat unnecessary because I know 4.5 quarts came out.

It is parked on a flat stretch of my driveway, so everything is level.

[gilberttribe]

Thank you for your responses. My vehicle was parked on a pretty level surface as well. My measurement was to within a 1/10th of a quart easily. Therefore, I think that points out that measuring the quantity drained is important.

Have you noticed how much if any different the dip stick measurement is when measured at operating temperature versus cold. I assume when warm the oil volume is slightly larger, but the oil hasn't drained off everything as completely as it would when cold. It appeared to me that the cold measurement was slightly higher (~1 mm) than the warm measurement.

[dirk877]

Yeah my tranny fluid level and the stick is puzzling me as well...

I had it changed at the stealer in September 2007 (5 months ago).

Today, the tranny fluid level stick read in the middle, halfway between full and empty.

I dumped a quart of ATF in and rechecked it
a few hours later.

It read exactly the same as before the quart of ATF.

I hope I did not overfill the tranny but it does seem alot smoother.

Who knows?

[whizmo]

I'm sure the quantity you get out in a partial drain is highly variable, since you're leaving over 2/3'rds of the fluid still in the transmission. And there's the optinoal tranny cooler as a further wild card. I'd view the OM number as a rough estimate.

- Mark