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So I’m getting ready to service my transmission for the first time. I’m at about 31k on the truck. I am going to do a drain and fill and then at 60k drop the pan and change the filter. Anyways, I know this is bad and shame on me but today, after 2+ years and 31k miles, I pulled the transmission dip stick for the first time. I never pulled it because I bought the truck new and it doesn’t leak and there is no way to burn it away like oil so I just never thought about it. The transmission was fully warmed up at 201 degrees and I shifted through all the gears spending 30 seconds in each. When I pulled the stick the fluid level was about 1/3 of the way up the “normal” range. Does this sound right for the factory fill? I would think it would be all the way to the top. I’m hoping a quart or so didn’t find it’s way into the transfer case.
How high up the normal range range is your factory transmission fluid fill?
Also- if I buy a case of Mercon LV, will that be enough fluid for a drain and fill?
I did a similar fluid swap, but did it twice, in one afternoon, at 100k miles, and used 13 qts. What I found was that when I was finished and fluid level in the upper half of the range I actually purged a little out the vent on top while towing on a hot day. It didn’t push much, just a tell-tale smear down the pass side of the case. It settled in just under half and is fine. So, don’t worry about the stock fill level, that’s where mine was too.
A bit late but there is a You Tube video that goes through the fluid and filter change. The video says to start out by adding 10 quarts,then check. It probably wont show on the stick but then add enough more ATF to just put the level at the bottom line of the OK checks on the stick. .Next, run tthe engine and trans to operating temp and check again. The fluid level should then be in the OK section. I haven't done it yet but am about too and will only be buying a case of 12 and hoping it's enough