Transmission fluid level

Anything related to the stock drivetrain, engine, transmission, axles, wheels...

Moderator: F9K9

User avatar
HenryJ
Admin K Elite
Admin K Elite
Posts: 12705
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2002 9:14 pm
Location: Ontario, Oregon
Contact:

Transmission fluid level

Post by HenryJ »

Keep an eye on that transmission fluid level. If you start notice it disappearing and requiring a refill, yet no external leaks are detected, the rear seal may be leaking. This allows the fluid to fill the area between the transmission and transfercase.
This will hold enough fluid to have the level critically low and lead to failure.

I have a 2000 fullsize in the shop with this problem right now. It dumped the pump. The first sign was slipping in drive. Then hesitation going into reverse and slippage in all gears.
It took a pretty severe nose dive when the symptoms reared their ugly heads. I can only guess that the inattentive driver had never checked his transmission fluid and it had been driven for a prolonged period low on fluid.

When I pulled the transfercase a pretty good amount of fluid dumped. I suspect that this may have been the culprit.

Summary: Don't just fill it. Find out where the fluid is going.

"Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary does." - Richard Hammond
"Speed is just a matter of Money - How fast do YOU want to go?"-Mechanic from Mad Max-
If at first you don't succeed - Don't take up Skydiving!
- ThunderII KE7CSK
User avatar
F9K9
Mod K Elite
Mod K Elite
Posts: 6183
Joined: Sun May 30, 2004 12:26 pm
Location: London, Kentucky, United States

Re: Transmission fluid level

Post by F9K9 »

HenryJ wrote:...............................................................Summary: Don't just fill it. Find out where the fluid is going.
Especially with no signs of smoke or puddles on the ground. Good reminder, Brule :D
[size=75][b]"For those who have fought for it, [i][color=red]FR[/color][color=white]EE[/color][color=blue]DOM[/color][/i] has a taste that the protected will never know."
[url=http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=73349]GUIDE TO SEARCHING. [i] (Some of the forum software is different but, it has helped me a lot.)[/i][/url][/b]
[b]"Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it." Edmund Burke[/b][/size]
User avatar
radziej
New Member
New Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:38 am
Location: Arden Hills, MN

Post by radziej »

Hey i'm at 75000 miles and have the original tranny fluid, everytime i take my truck in to get an oil change the people there tell me i really should change my tranny fluid. I'm not noticing anything bad or wrong with my tranny so i just decline and say i'll get next time. Does anyone know when someone should actually change the tranny fluid?
User avatar
killian96ss
Crew K Elite
Crew K Elite
Posts: 2669
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2003 11:53 am
Location: Sacramento, California

Post by killian96ss »

I would do it every 30k miles. :wink:

Steve
T Man
Crew
Crew
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2007 7:53 pm

Post by T Man »

killian96ss wrote:I would do it every 30k miles. :wink:

Steve
x2