How much ATF do you typically put in your car after draining?

[Jonathan]

Looking to hear from other auto trans owners, or guys with experience working on automatics.

How much ATF do you normally put in, fresh, after you've let it drain out through the pan drain?

The workshop manual says add 2 quarts (1.89 litres) while the engine is off, then start it up and add more while running until you get the necessary level shown on the dipstick. I have a heckuva time seeing that ATF on the dipstick though, so I'm not sure if I've overfilled it from time to time.

When I drain out the ATF, and let it sit dripping for a while, I get around 4 litres out. I know not all of it comes out, and so 4 litres isn't the total amount in there, but it's the same for all of us, so wondered how much others got.

If I add back into the trans, say only 3 litres or 3.5 litres, I can feel a slight slip or lack of power if you try and give it a lot of gas from a standstill. When I add more like 4 litres though, it feels back to being solid with power right away when you press the gas.

I remember Dave S. telling me that if it's low on fluid it slips and if it's overfilled it'll leak. Just trying to get a better idea on what the range is for new ATF added that other people have had experience with on their cars.

[iflights]

Looking to hear from other auto trans owners, or guys with experience working on automatics.

How much ATF do you normally put in, fresh, after you've let it drain out through the pan drain?

The workshop manual says add 2 quarts (1.89 litres) while the engine is off, then start it up and add more while running until you get the necessary level shown on the dipstick. I have a heckuva time seeing that ATF on the dipstick though, so I'm not sure if I've overfilled it from time to time.

When I drain out the ATF, and let it sit dripping for a while, I get around 4 litres out. I know not all of it comes out, and so 4 litres isn't the total amount in there, but it's the same for all of us, so wondered how much others got.

If I add back into the trans, say only 3 litres or 3.5 litres, I can feel a slight slip or lack of power if you try and give it a lot of gas from a standstill. When I add more like 4 litres though, it feels back to being solid with power right away when you press the gas.

I remember Dave S. telling me that if it's low on fluid it slips and if it's overfilled it'll leak. Just trying to get a better idea on what the range is for new ATF added that other people have had experience with on their cars.

Recently replaced ATF fluid myself. Didn't measure how much came out, but it easily took 1.5 litres to register on the dipstick when hot. Started at this lower end, and just gradually added a little more until I could get it to register in the hot are of the dipstick.

Put the dipstick against a white sheet of paper to help with contrast, and yes, its difficult to see. Dave's right of course. Too little and it slips, & seems to shift hard. Too much and it leaks...more.

[Jonathan]

Recently replaced ATF fluid myself. Didn't measure how much came out, but it easily took 1.5 litres to register on the dipstick when hot. Started at this lower end, and just gradually added a little more until I could get it to register in the hot are of the dipstick.

Put the dipstick against a white sheet of paper to help with contrast, and yes, its difficult to see. Dave's right of course. Too little and it slips, & seems to shift hard. Too much and it leaks...more.

Whoa, so you only put in like 1.5 litres and then a little more after? So maybe like 2 litres in total? That’s quite a bit less than what I put in. I was closer to 4 litres in total. Hmmm...

[David T]

One way to do it is to make sure your level is OK before you drop the pan and then measure what you take out and put that much back in and check the level. At least 1/2 of the fluid is inside the torque convertor and the oil cooler and you can't get that out unless you disassemble the transmission. If the fluid is really bad you might want to repeat the process or you can go to a transmission shop and they can flush out the old stuff with a special machine. There is no way you can examine or clean the filter unless you cut it open or replace it. It can hold a LOT of debris. Also examine the magnet in the pan for ferrous materiel. You should not have much but some friction materiel and some brass specs would be normal. Depends on the mileage.

[Jonathan]

One way to do it is to make sure your level is OK before you drop the pan and then measure what you take out and put that much back in and check the level. At least 1/2 of the fluid is inside the torque convertor and the oil cooler and you can't get that out unless you disassemble the transmission. If the fluid is really bad you might want to repeat the process or you can go to a transmission shop and they can flush out the old stuff with a special machine. There is no way you can examine or clean the filter unless you cut it open or replace it. It can hold a LOT of debris. Also examine the magnet in the pan for ferrous materiel. You should not have much but some friction materiel and some brass specs would be normal. Depends on the mileage.

This time around I drained it on purpose to attend to some leaks. So while I can measure more or less what drains out, it's harder to say exactly what might have dripped out on the road. I put a little catch tray under it when parked, and can see how much that is, but totally guessing as to what, if any, drips out while driving the car.

And funny you mention the oil cooler as those were two main areas I was working on. I replaced both of those hoses, so I would have drained out any amount of fluid in the hoses or above the level of the fittings/holes. I did the oil cooler and also redid the seal around the pan and the dipstick tube too. The dipstick tube seal was the one I had the most dripping from, and it seems fine now, but it's one of the oil cooler hoses or fittings that's still leaking as it is coming from that side. I need to climb back under still and have a closer look.

You know how the transmissions have those breather holes? Would a plugged one of those lead to any leaking for whatever reason? Like the level can't even itself out if the supposed air inlet hole isn't working? I don't really get what the purpose of that breather hole is to be honest.

Normal ATF changes have me putting in 4 new litres of fluid. That's what I did this time too, perhaps a little over 4 litres to account for the extra that came out of the oil cooler hoses and whatnot. Still not sure if that's a good amount or not.

I checked the magnets in the pan and on the filter and they were dirty and blackened, but nothing substantial clinging to them. I think all the innards of my transmission are fine. Hopefully, thankfully, knock on wood, all that stuff.

[Ron]

All you need to do is warm it up and bring it to the mark. Scuffing the end of the stick with fine sandpaper will make it dull and easier to read.
They call out only 2 quarts to make sure it has plenty of lubrication when you start it the first time, yet not enough to come up the dipstick tube or out the vent. (When you start it, the internals (and converter) will fill making more room.) The procedure simply covers a bone dry trans or a quick oil change...

The vent allows air to escape when the fluid gets hot and expands. Otherwise, it would come out the tube and/or vent. If the vent is plugged, the pressure will push the dipstick out...

[iflights]

Whoa, so you only put in like 1.5 litres and then a little more after? So maybe like 2 litres in total? That’s quite a bit less than what I put in. I was closer to 4 litres in total. Hmmm...

Sorry about that typo. I put in around 3.5 liters initially, and just drops after that to get it to hot on the stick.

[Jonathan]

Since I mentioned changing the oil cooler hoses, maybe you could help me understand what this clamping arrangement is intended to do on the new assembly?

My rear hose, the one you see a complete replacement for still sitting in (on) my parts boxes, has these unusual clamps on each end. I also show a couple of the more typical worm clamps that I used when I cut out the hose from between the two fittings on my car and replaced just the rubber hose. Mostly because of how stubborn and hard to reach the fittings are, so I left them where they were. I put regular worm gear clamps on that hose and it's fine.

This new assembly though, I don't get what the deal is with these clamps. The end one looks like it's already crimped down, but the bronze coloured one inside it is still loose and you can move it around all you want. Guessing you are supposed to pinch it somehow once you've got it all in place? Any ideas?

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[Michael]

If the fluid is really bad you might want to repeat the process or you can go to a transmission shop and they can flush out the old stuff with a special machine.

I would not subject the 4141 to that "special machine". That's an excellent way to do serious damage. If the fluid is dirty, change it out again after 500 miles then go on the 4141 diet...at every other oil change, remove the plug and change the fluid only. You should still change the filter at the service interval but changing just the fluid every 6k is easy as you are already there for the oil anyway and with this transmission which is arguably the worst auto to ever go into a production car, it needs all the help it can get....and that definitely means no "special machines"