[red92gl]

When the transmission in my car was rebuilt (after 110K), the tranny shop tech told my parents that they should keep the fluid three quarts high to help it last longer (or something to that effect). After I got it serviced not too long ago at the dealership they filled it to the normal level. I began having problems with it slipping a little. I remembered what the other guy said and filled it some more (only 1 quart) and the slipping stopped. Since I'm not a transmission guy I was wondering if this would have any negative side effects on my transmission and the tranny guy was blowing smoke out of his posterior.

 

[Xmann01]

Originally posted by red92gl@Jun 20 2004, 05:10 PM
When the transmission in my car was rebuilt (after 110K), the tranny shop tech told my parents that they should keep the fluid three quarts high to help it last longer (or something to that effect). After I got it serviced not too long ago at the dealership they filled it to the normal level. I began having problems with it slipping a little. I remembered what the other guy said and filled it some more (only 1 quart) and the slipping stopped. Since I'm not a transmission guy I was wondering if this would have any negative side effects on my transmission and the tranny guy was blowing smoke out of his posterior.

It's generally not a good idea to have too much of anything. Overfilling your transmission is like a slow painful death and underfilling is usually a much quicker death for the trans. I don't know why they'd have you overfill it, unless the dipstick is bent or something of that nature. The reason why you want to keep it filled just right is because overfilling it can cause the fluid to build up foam/bubbles which will then cause a lack of lubrication. This would be a slow type of damage. Underfilling it will just be a lack of lubrication and it'll all be over very fast. :lol2:

 

[eCarâ„¢]

3 quarts overfull? That is insane. I wouldn't trust one more word that comes out of this guy's mouth.

Does he really think that Ford got it that wrong?

I'd like to talk to this idiot.

If I had to guess, I'd say that he lost/damaged your original dipstick or tube. He found one that was close, but not exactly. He realized that the trans is low enough to start slipping, when the dipstick shows full. So, he told you to keep it above the full line. There is a part number stamped on the dipstick, so that should be easy to check. The tube, I'm not sure about. If it did have a part #, it would probably be on the little bracket that holds it in place, and may be impossible to see (while in the car).

If you are just low enough that the trans slips every now and then, when the dipstick shows full. Then 3 qts more may be too much. My old GF's Fiero wouldn't slip until it was 2 - 2 1/2 qts low (it leaked, and she let it get low enough to slip quite often). But, I used to have a C4 trans (Ford 3spd RWD) that leaked a lot also. From where it started slipping, to the full level, was just over 1 qt.

I think your owner's manual tells you to add fluid in 1/2 pint increments (1/4 quart), until it's in the full range. I have always been under the impression that overfilling a trans is just as bad, if not worse, than underfilling.