I have been trying to do a little research into 'changing' the fluid in my latest acquistion. Tell me if I understand this correctly, or if it sounds reasonable..Take the car for a drive to fully heat up the transmission/fluids. Remove the large drain plug/bolt under the transaxle and drain (only a few quarts will come out). Then put the drain plug back in; while under the car, remove the allen screw/fill level overflow plug and leave it out for now. Lower the car to ground and remove the top fill screw on the transaxle (below the front of the brake m/c). Pour a couple of quarts of approved transmission fluid in the trans, then start up the car, and while on level ground and reasonably warmed, slowly and continuously pour about another 10 quarts or so. The fluid should overflow out the (removed) allen screw hole internal tube. Is this okay, or is the correct overflow level only maintained whilst the engine is not running? Thanks!

 

First off you're getting mixed up. There are 2 components here, you have a transmission which is almost as you describe, drive, drain and then put on level ground, remove the level plug (allen bolt) and then either fill from the top, under the battery you'll find a rubber plug that is the tranny fill hole and fill with the engine running until fluid comes out the level hole. Won't take 10 quarts though, don't know where that number came from.

Also you have a transfer case, it is different, drain, then pump in through the side plug about 700ml of fluid, closer to a gear oil than a tranny fluid.

 

I was using the 10-quart number as a random amount of fluid to pour through the transmission/transaxle so that it will replace a good amount of the fluid with fresh, clean fluid. I would be sure to not pour fluid in any faster than it would reasonably come out through the overflow plug. I will need to get an infrared temp guage to check the transmission temperature. Would it make more sense to simply drain the fluid initally through the drain plug, then measure that amount and just replace that fluid and what little bit extra is needed to start coming out the overflow hole, and not attempt to do any 'flushing'??

 

You're right on your last post, drain the fluid, and pour in the replacement fluid, I'm not sure I'd go the complete infrared way, just get the engine temp up and then drain the fluid, go to level ground, jack up the drivers side and stick a pan under it and remove the level plug. Lower the jack and have someone spot for you when fluid starts coming out of the level hole while the engine is running. If the new fluid coming out is black or dark I'd probably flush a bit through until it gets to a more normal color. I think 6 liters is the approximate amount.

 

Many thanks for the reply. I'll get some new fluid and do the job when I have a good day off work to get to it.