I know you're supposed to check the fluid level when the trans is warm and in Park, but can you even get an idea of the fluid level when it's cold & off? I'm not confident of the level because it's very hard to distinguish when it's warm-fluid is only visible on ONE side of the stick. Maybe one of you could check your fluid when it's cold for me?

I just changed the fluid and realized a previous owner had changed it and didn't reuse the original gasket--so it leaked. I had to use another crazy good-for-nothing gasket--so it still leaks now. I guess I need to find an original (reusable) gasket.

Because of the perpetual leak, I have not been sure of the level. Now I may have added too much already since I thought it was too low to show up (thin, only on ONE side).



Any help is appreciated.

 

yeah these things are hard to read-I just clean the stick real good and read the one side-and if needed I add a little fluid at a time-drive a while and check it again-after a few days you can get it up to where it is suppose to be

 

Well when I had the pan of mine off, it looked like you could have a bit of over fill and still be okay. I know of a real sharp transmission guy that will be first to say the sticks aren't all that accurate. The manual says to put in 16.2 quarts, that would be with a total drain of the transmission and the torque converter.
You ask about cold and not running. The reason you can't do that is be cause a certain amount will leak out of the torque converter when it isn't running, you don't really know how much. So it would always show an over fill after sitting for a long time. The way you do it, is if there is nothing showing on the stick add a little then check, keep doing till you see it. If you drain it completly, add half of total needed when not running, then start and run for maybe 10 seconds or so, turn it off check stick and add the rest minus a quart or 2 start again and run for the 10 seconds or so and take it out of park and into a gear to see if its engaging, if so keep it running and check the stick. Slowly add the rest.
I think the dealer has the gasket. Maybe a transmission shop would also.
You could use a big plastic box to drain in and save and strain the fluid back in. Pour it into something you can measure with, and make sure it is 16 quarts.

 

The other reason to check it at operating temp is that the fluid expands as it heats up. Checking it "cold" could mean anything from -30ºF or lower to 120ºF or more. Checking it at op temp is going to be more consistently around 150ºF-175ºF, a much smaller range that won't have much impact on the level from temperature differences.

Jason

 

Thanks guys for the good info. That makes sense about not checking the level when cold. But actually, my level is about at the full line when off and cold now. I'll note also that when it's warm and in "P", it's reading overfull, but only on ONE side! Boy do I wish there was a drain plug on this pan. What's the danger in overfilling?

When I dropped the pan initially for the change, I only recovered about 4 qts then. I'm pretty sure it was only a tad low prior to the change, but I sure did expect more than 4 qts. to come out of the pan. I flushed new fluid through the trans when I changed it by pumping out the old fluid at the return end of the cooler line...4 qts or so at a time. Drain pan, add what was removed, pump out about 4 qts, repeat, ...until I replaced 16 qts total. Obviously there's ATF in the converter and cooling lines yet, so that's why I liked the idea of pumping fresh fluid throughout. In the end, I added about as much ATF as was removed, so I should have been close to the same level. Since then, I've been trying to top it off.

 

A quart over should not hurt a thing. Mine on the full mark is still along ways from moving parts.

 

Picked up a gasket from the dealership today. They said the only option for a '94 E4OD is the cork gasket, so I'm back to that again. I'll try to glue it to the pan first I guess.

 

and don't over tighten it-seen it happen many-many times

 

The E4OD filter I got at AutoZone came with a rubber gasket. After the trouble I went through with the cork one the PO had on there I'd do what I could to avoid using another one like that. If you haven't done the work yet I'd call around for a rubber one.

Calvin