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Feb 10, 2013 | 05:55 AM

A-Z Racing

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5th Wheeling

Joined: Jan 2008

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Trans question

OK, my mechanic's helper did a water pump chance out on my 2000 F-250 7.3, damaged my two year old solid aluminum tank radiator because he did not remove it and punctured it with the fan blade, good news is he replaced it with a plastic tank unit, bad news is he forgot to replace my trans fluid that leaked out with the removal of old radiator. The question is i drove 100 miles on highway with low fluid, i have installed 5 qts of fluid to get it on dipstick. Could i have hurt trans? Should i do a complete fluid change in case i over heated the fluid that was low?

Feb 10, 2013 | 08:16 AM

Mark Kovalsky

Frmr Ford Trans Engr

Joined: Aug 1999

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From: SE Florida

My guess is that you have overfilled it. I don't think the trans will operate 5 quarts low. Before doing anything else recheck the fluid. I doubt you hurt anything being over or under filled.

Feb 10, 2013 | 04:57 PM

A-Z Racing

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5th Wheeling

Joined: Jan 2008

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No still not overfilled, i have put 4.75 quarts in it . Ran today for 10 miles and is probably still 1/2 qt. low checking while hot with motor running. I'm surprised it moved at all ,thats why i'm worried about trans.

Feb 11, 2013 | 06:18 AM

stuart1

Cargo Master

Joined: Jun 2003

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From: Somewhere Saskatchewan

I can't see 5 quarts running out of a cooler. It must have been low to start with.

Feb 11, 2013 | 12:06 PM

A-Z Racing

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5th Wheeling

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I don't think it was low at all, i do know how much i put back in. Wouldn't the disconnected lines gravity leak down some of the fluid from the trans?

Feb 11, 2013 | 02:13 PM

fasthauler

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Mar 2004

Posts: 1,398

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From: Hesperia, CA

This is really strange because I did a flow check on my C6 a year ago. I was checking to see how long it would take to move 4 quarts through the system and the tranny quit pumping after 3 ½ quarts and it definitely wont move if its not pumping. I do not doubt your word, but it does seem strange. I would check your dipstick tube to make sure it hasn’t popped part way out of the transmission causing the dipstick not to go all the way down. Other than that I don’t see where running low for that short of distance would damage the tranny. The only thing that might happen is picking up some crud off of the bottom of the pan and sucking it into the valve body. As far as the fluid leaking out through gravity. I don’t think much will come out if its not pumping. I think I would just change the fluid and count how many quarts it takes to get it to the full line. Be sure and drain the converter as well as the pan. These C6 trannys are really rugged and I doubt it got hurt.

Feb 11, 2013 | 02:33 PM

stuart1

Cargo Master

Joined: Jun 2003

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From: Somewhere Saskatchewan

Quote:

Originally Posted by A-Z Racing

I don't think it was low at all, i do know how much i put back in. Wouldn't the disconnected lines gravity leak down some of the fluid from the trans?

Just what was in the lines.