Transmission Fluid

[Sniper82]

Is it bad for a transmission to have to much fluid? My car has place on the dip stick that says cool and hot. When the transmission is hot its quite a bit past the hot marks.

 

[Regs]

What type of car? Auto-Manual? Does it have a trans-cooler? Transmissions with coolers usually have 1/4-1/2 quart more fluid in them.


Sometimes too much fluid makes it turn into a foamy like substance because of the extra movement against moving parts, like engine oil. Thus making the fluid unpumpable through the transmission.

Next oil change you can have them check it and pump it out. They also have hand-help pumps at Auto zone.

Or better yet, ask a certified dealership service department.

 

[Agentbolt]

Well I can sure tell you it's bad sometimes.

My '85 Jeep Cherokee chief (auto) developed a bad seal and ran out of Trannie fluid. So it started popping out of gear when driving along. Eventually it got so bad I couldn't drive it because it'd keep slipping back into neutral.

So I put in a quart of trannie fluid and it was good for a few weeks, so I had to keep adding more every month or so to keep it running. One day out of frustration I just poured in like 3 quarts, overfilling it pretty badly. The first time I drove it after that, the trannie exploded. Not "broke" or "failed', it literally detonated under my car. I felt a giant thud, got out to look, and it was shooting fluid at high pressure from at least three cracks in the transaxle.

So yeah, it can be bad.

 

[Sniper82]

Its a 96 Geo Prizm. It was already like that when I got it. I may take it to have fluid and filter changed.

 

[ZapZilla]

Transmission fluid expands as the temperature rises, thus the cold and hot marks on the dip stick. It is best to keep the fluid level within the marks, however, slightly high when hot is usually not a problem, while low is.

Flushing the transmission fluid and changing the filter is probably not necessary: just correcting the fluid level would be my recommendation, especially if you are not experiencing driveability issues, such as, irratic shifting.

If it aint broke, dont fix it.

 

[crab]

Are you checking it properly? Engine running, in park or neutral - whatever your manual dictates.