L300 Automatic Transmission Fluid Service Questions

ccmickelson

ccmickelson

Well-Known Member
Changing the ATF in my '91 Delica Starwagon. Workshop manuals call for 5-6 quarts at change. I put in five and the fluid level was way to high so I drained out nearly three quarts before the level came down to where it is supposed to be. Total capacity is somewhere around 7 quarts. Hard to imagine there's that much fluid hiding in the rest of the system. Followed the steps outlined in the service manual. Basically fill to cold level range, start engine and let it run a few minutes, then move gear selector between gears and then back to park or neutral and check fluid again. After warm it should be between the hot marks. Went for a drive and the fluid level dropped a bit but not significantly. Fluid level after warmed up is slightly below the hot high mark. I think I netted about 2 1/2 quarts with the fluid change. Is this normal? Am I missing something here? Also, how important is it to change the transmission filter and how often should this be done? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!
 
How did you drain the fluid? If you just undo the bolt on the pan you don't get all the fluid that's in the torque converter or valve body, which is most of the fluid.

The Volvo way of doing it (same gearbox) is
1) drain the pan using the drain plug and reinstall drain plug. You won't get much out, maybe a couple of quarts.
2) fill with new Dexron III fluid through the dipstick hole (as much as you can fit- ignore the dipstick at this stage).
3) Find the Transmission cooler on the drivers side, just below the bumper. Undo one of the rubber transmission cooler hoses and aim it into a bucket. It's safest to remove the hose end that connects to the pipe from the transmission, rather than the cooler: the cooler is made of aluminium and can crack if handled too roughly.
4) Find an assistant who knows the difference between brown and red, and ask them to watch the bucket.
5) Apply the handbrake and keep your foot firmly on the footbrake.
6) Start the engine and shift through the gears, pausing in each gear to let it engage, while an assistant watches the fluid going into the bucket. The instant the fluid changes colour (old dark fluid changes to clear, red, fresh fluid) shut off the engine.
7)If the flow of fluid stops before the fluid changes colour, shut off the engine and add more fresh fluid to the transmission.
8) Once fresh fluid is coming through reconnect the cooler. You should have much closer to the 7qt capacity in the bucket by the time you finish.
9) Fill the transmission until the fluid is between the Cold marks on the dipstick. This is just a rough level, enough to get you driving so you can...
10) Adjust the fluid level as below:

Go for a 15 minute drive to warm up the transmission. With the transmission warmed up, in park, and engine idling the fluid should be between the Hot marks. It may take a couple of tries to get the level correct, but it's very important. Too much is as bad as not enough.

The transmission oil filter is just a mesh screen unlike other transmissions which have a proper filter. If your fluid is black/brown, milky, or chunky, or the transmission is shifting strangely, then think about changing the filter, but usually the filter is ok. You'll need a new filter and the gaskets that hold it on.

You want to use Dexron III. Don't be tempted to use Dexron VI- it's thinner, and the lower viscosity will make your shifts harsh and your torque converter feel loose (higher revs before engagement).
 
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Ok. Thanks.

FWIW I found this bit on Delica Club forum...

Transmission fluid should be checked with the vehicle warmed up.

Move the selector through all ranges to ensure the the torque converter and all hydraulic passages are full of fluid

Run the engine at idle with the selector lever in lever in the Neutral position.

The dipstick should read between the two hot marks on the dipstick.

The cold marks should only be used for initial checking after changing fluid during a service.


That last bit, if this is indeed, accurate information, sort of clarifies this procedure for me and explains why I am not seeing a big difference in fluid level between a cold and hot engine..
 
I have it down as every 40,000km (complete fluid change, including the pump-it-into-a-bucket trick), but I don't recall where that info came from- I might have made it up.
 
I change my transmission fluid every other oil change. I do it this frequently because my Delica weighs a lot more thsse days and the boost is turned up almost to the max. I merely drain and fill what's in the pan. Not that I disapprove of the aforementioned methods with the pan and bucket but at my change interval I get a pretty thorough average cleaning.
 
Growlerbearnz said:
How did you drain the fluid? If you just undo the bolt on the pan you don't get all the fluid that's in the torque converter or valve body, which is most of the fluid.
The Volvo way of doing it (same gearbox) is to drain the pan, fill with new fluid through the dipstick hole (as much as you can fit- ignore the dipstick at this stage), undo one of the transmission cooler lines and aim it into a bucket, start the engine and shift through the gears, pausing in each gear to let it engage, while an assistant watches the fluid going into the bucket. The instant the fluid changes colour (fresh fluid coming through) shut off the engine, reconnect the cooler, and refill the transmission. You should have much closer to the 7qt capacity in the bucket by the time you finish.
You should also shut off the engine if the flow of fluid stops, and add more fresh fluid to the pan. If you put enough in at first you should be ok.


The transmission oil filter is just a mesh screen unlike other transmissions which have a proper filter. If your fluid is black/brown, milky, or chunky then think about changing the filter, but usually the filter is ok. You'll need a new filter and the gaskets that hold it on.

You want to use Dexron III. Don't be tempted to use Dexron VI- it's thinner, and the lower viscosity will make your shifts harsh and your torque converter feel loose (higher revs before engagement).
Click to expand...

Wanting to perform this duty to my Delica. Fairly new to tackling more serious jobs like this, where should I look for the transmission cooler line? Thanks.
 
Schums said:
where should I look for the transmission cooler line? Thanks.
Click to expand...
At the front right side, just below the bumper, there are two rubber hoses which connect to the transmission cooler. It's safest to remove the end that connects to the pipe from the transmission, rather than the cooler as the cooler is made of aluminium and can crack if handled too roughly.
 
There is no filler plug. To add ATF you use a long, thin funnel, and you slowly pour the ATF down the dipstick hole.
 
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To add to this...
  1. If you have a turbo timer to help cool down your turbo, turn it off before you try this. Otherwise you can't "easily" shut off the engine as quickly as you'd like.
  2. At least in my Delica, the TOP of the transmission cooler is where the fluid flows into. So, if you disconnect the hose from the pipe, thinking that the fluid will come up through the cooler and then out of the hose into the bucket, you will be surprised... Then have to clean up a bunch of ATF sprayed all over.
  3. The fluid moves FAST! So be prepared to have an extra quart on hand in case you miss the engine shutoff because of #1. :)
 
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