Trans Fluid Check
I got around to checking the trans fluid level today. It was 5-6 oz low from the rad replacement. The vehicle needs to be level, so without access to a lift, I used 4 jackstands. This is not the safest thing to do, you must be very careful when positioning the stands, and careful not to rock the car when starting or wrenching. Be sure you are on a level surface. A well positioned ditch could be an alternative.
A fluid pump is necessary to add fluid, as there is no space to position a bottle above the fill plug (which is a rubber grommet with center pin). The thermometer probe I use for checking the HVAC temps was just long enough to reach the fluid through the fill hole. The trans fluid needs to be 86-122 degrees to get the right level. It took about 45 min for the trans to cool to 120 after steady driving. The level check bolt (shown in earlier post) is a 14 mm. Fluid will drip out once the right level is reached, so have a pan ready. Before adding fluid (recall this is a level check, not drain and fill, otherwise you would want at least some fluid in the trans before running), the car needs to be running, and you need to cycle through each shift position for 3 secs each, then return to park.
The tools for this check are pictured below (14 mm wrench, pliers to pull grommet plug, temp probe, dex vi fluid, fluid pump). As usual for this car, much more difficult than necessary, but not all that bad.
