Tranny Fluid

CanadianZ71 · July 27, 2002

I bought my truck a few months ago and had it checked out at the dealer - everything OK. A month later before my holidays I had a oil change and complete fluid check - everthing OK. Last night I went to change my oil for the first time myself and decided to check the tranny fluid. The tranny was way overfull! I took it back to the dealer and they checked it out - yes, it was overfull...DUH!. Anyway they agreed it should have been checked and they would drain the excess. They took out 1.5 litres! First of all I would like to know who the previous owner had to change it so I could stay away from them, second of all don't trust the dealer when they say they do thier full check on all your fluids...do it yourself! I just hope nothing got screwed running it with all the extra fluid. I can't see any leaks yet but it will always be in tha back of my mind. Oh well, off to double check the rest (T-case, front/real diff), maybe there are more suprises waiting for me.

Cop_Dodger · July 28, 2002

Sorry to say it but in a Dealership (or any shop that pays strictly commission) chances are they arn't going to check your tranny fluid. In the shop I work in they pay 3 tenths of an hour for an oil change. That's 18 minuits. In the 18 minuits you have to get the paperwork, get the car, go to the parts counter (wait in line) and get the oil and filter, set up the car on the rack, lift the car, drain the oil, remove the fliter, lube the pivit points, reinstall filter, lower the car off the rack, fill and check for propper oil level, check the air in the tires, and fill the washer jug. If you can do all of this in 18 minuits I would be impressed. Starting pay in the shop I work in is $15.50 which means he makes $4.65. Would you do all that work for $5?

CanadianZ71 · July 28, 2002

NO I wouldn't do that work for $5 but that isn't my concern. What pissed me off is the fact that they said it was done and it wasn't. Running my truck with 1.5 litres of tranny fluid too much or too little could cost me a lot of money. If they charged me more I would decide then whether it was worth it or not. If they didn't do it I would have checked it myself and I would have found out it was the improper level 3000 miles ago. Also I know for a fact that the dealer I take my truck to pays the guys who do tires/oil etc. by the hour not the job sothey don't even have that excuse. Either way I just wish they wouln't have told me they checked it whn they didn't.

I also have a question...what exactly is transfer case fluid supposed to look like? Mine looks just like good clean tranny fluid. Thanks.

MarkD · July 28, 2002

NO I wouldn't do that work for $5 but that isn't my concern.

If a dealer says they are going to do something, they should do it or be held legally liable.

...what exactly is transfer case fluid supposed to look like?

On the '99 up 5.3 trucks it is a GM only fluid that is blue. I paid around $9/quart.

CanadianZ71 · July 28, 2002

My trucks a 97, and my t-case oil was definetly not blue - it was pink, exacly like ATF. Anyone out there know if this is correct?

SilveradoWV · July 29, 2002

It used to be, tranny fluid if you have manual 4x4, and the blue stuff if you have the push button 4x4! Now I think you pretty much have to crawl under and see for yourself!!!!!

Cop_Dodger · July 29, 2002

I didn't mean to start something here, just saying I'm not suprised they didn't check. I agree that 1.5L is way over the limit and can cause problems in your transmission.

I'll admit we don't say anything about a fluid check at the shop I work at. We call it an oil change. I'm sure if you're willing to pay a little more, to the right people, you will get more. A small $5 tip to the guy doing the work (and not the person behind the cash register) will definitely go a long long way. I recently replaced a headlight assembly because it was cracked for free because the customer gave me a $5 tip and asked me to take care of him. I happened to have a spare head lamp so I replaced his shattered one. It worked out for the both of us in the end.

CMNTMXR81 · July 29, 2002

No offense, I ALWAYS run more fluid whether it be oil, trans fluid, power steering, etc, etc.

Maybe not 1.5 quarts, but more than recommended.

CanadianZ71 · July 29, 2002

Why would you run more oil/tranny fluid than recommended? Isn't that just hard on seals?

CMNTMXR81 · July 29, 2002

It can be, but I'll take that risk to have more in the sump. In the case of a transmission it could also lead to increased line pressure, which is what people who put a shift kit on their vehicles are doing anyway.

Personally I don't feel that what GM (in this case) says is full is entirely accurate. Also there are issues (in the case of engines) that the oil doesn't drain back to the pan fast enough therefore leaving your mains dry and therefore frying them.

On DOHC engines, oil likes to stay trapped up in the heads, therefore you don't get accurate reads anyway unless you let the engine sit overnight and take a cold reading in the morning. In many cases with OHC engines I've had, I had the low oil light come on and the dipstick read low despite the fact that I knew I had the recommended 4.5, 5.5 or 7 (on my Aurora) quarts in it. So I'd put an extra 1/2 to one quart in and I never had any problems.

In the end, seals in many cases are easier and cheaper to replace than a crankshaft, bearings, transmission valve body, or other major component that could fail due to LACK of lubrication. This is why I'd rather overcompensate.

maggot · July 29, 2002

I always go and BS with my chevy mechanics, . They charge me 25$ at my dealer for oil change..and I take them my own oil to use. I am not 100% sure but I think GM mechanics are not supposed to take tips, That leads to corruption and causes unequal service. I only allow GM trained techs or myself will work on my truck, even oil changes.

Over filling is bad I think. Oil and tranny fluid expand with heat. So if it is full to its limits when cold, it will be overfilled when hot. I like to see my oil and tranny fluid just a tad bit below full when cold. Then I check hot..and it is full. In my drag racing days I would run my oil low, like 1.5 or even 2 quarts low when racing.

CMNTMXR81 · July 29, 2002

Well, I've racked up well over 1 million miles between the vehicles in my fleet and have yet to suffer any problems.

MarkD · July 29, 2002

No offense, I ALWAYS run more fluid whether it be oil, trans fluid, power steering, etc, etc.

General concensus in the LS-1 Camaros around here is to overfil by 1 qt. No seal problems and less likely starvation at redline.

CMNTMXR81 · July 30, 2002

No offense, I ALWAYS run more fluid whether it be oil, trans fluid, power steering, etc, etc.

General concensus in the LS-1 Camaros around here is to overfil by 1 qt. No seal problems and less likely starvation at redline.

That's why I run 7-7.5 qts in my LS1. Also because I skirt the 7,000rpm line where the oiling return problems start to become an issue.

There is a homemade fix for this is you want to plumb a return line from the heads down into the pan, but in my tight engine compartment and my lack of wanting to drill into my oil pan, I went the simple route and threw the extra quart of oil in.

My rear main seal was slightly damp when I had the clutch apart not to long ago, but I'm not to concerned about it. I'd rather have that seal damp with oil than no oil protection for the mains when I'm running close to 7k on the tach at the strip.