Took a shortcut Changed trans fluid in June, didn't flush, but did change valve body. Refill only held 10 quarts???

Intended to change fluid after a 2 week trip. Got home and forgot.

I have between 15k-20k on the fluid, but figured I may as well just drain the pan and refill to be on the safe side....after I sat a bit and wondered WHY I had all this Mercon V in the garage LOL.

So I pulled out of the driveway and about 200 yds to the garage and drained trans pan. Started up and cycled through gears when it finished running steady and cycled through gears with plug removed. All tolled, maybe a minute of running, then shut off and finished draining.

Replaced plug and poured in 10 quarts. Figured I'd start it up and cycle the fluid, then use dipstick to top off.

Well, it was already full

I went for a few minutes drive, got engine up to about 160F, came back. Still full.

I do have a 6.0 cooler. I looked at the draining fluid, it was red and looked about like the new stuff I put in.

I thought the 4R100 held 14 quarts, maybe a shade more with the larger cooler.

Are there really 4+ quarts retained when it isn't warmed up and only drained from the pan?

More? Leaving on a long drive and 3 day trip tomorrow. How sensitive are they to possible over-filling?

Wondering if I need to drain some out of the pan until it drops off the stick


Things are so hectic this time of year, and I still need to change the oil before our trip. An hour round trip to the store.

Suggestions?

 

I think the TC will always maintain fluid when you drain.

I always do the flush or should I say pay to have the flush done.

 

It holds 18 quarts, maybe one more with the bigger cooler. But you didn't drain the torque converter, the lines, the cooler, the clutches, etc. So you drained no more than 8 quarts, maybe a bit less.

They are VERY sensitive to overfilling. DO NOT take a long trip with an overfilled transmission.

 

Well there you go.....Mark types faster than I do. He has a write up over in the tech folder...second post that will walk you through swapping out the fluids. It's pretty easy to do...even a knuckle dragger like me can do it

 

Thank you for the warning and 8 quart info. I will drain about 2 quarts out and check the levels

 

We drained 2 solid quarts out of her and the dipstick after shifting and a 30 min drive looks pretty good. Just at the top of the hot grid, but not on the top of the cone above it like before.

Thanks, Mark!

 

This one has saved me time in the past to drain fluid. I will pull a cooler line and let the trans pump out the fluid. Make sure you have a helper to cut the engine when your container is full though LOL. That way you know you have the right amount and it is pretty easy.

 

I appreciate the tip! I was looking just to do this change "for good measure" since I didn't do a complete flush before.

What I did not realize is a pan draining only change changes LESS THAN HALF the fluid

I figured about half, which is why I didn't bother checking the level until 10 quarts.

Flip side of that is if you don't flush, you aren't doing much of a change, LOL.

In my case, I had dropped the pan, filter, and valve body and let it drain a while. I had recently changed to the 6.0 trans cooler, so had a fair amount of "fresh" fluid in it.

My next change will be a full flush at...no idea 60k? 100k?

I'm at about 25k total miles so far since purchase in Feb this year.

 

What I wonder is us folks with E99 and no inline filter should do as far as OCI on the trans? How often as well? Should we add the kit? I wish a trans GURU like him would let us know.

 

Flush every 30,000 miles.

 

That's what I recommend.

 

Sorry to restart this thread. I was doing a quick change and till the weather gets better. Drains pan and tc. Got a little over 12 quarts out does that seem right. I know when i do the flush i get about 19 with 6.0 trans cooler. I have never just changed fluid i normally do full flush. Its just to d@3n cold out.

 

That's about what you will get from just draining.

 

​​Thanks mark.