Hi everyone. So I read through this long and exciting post (kudos to the OP and all the commenters), as I intend to change the ATF on my 354,000km (!!) 2005 V6 3.2L. I have rough shifting and random flares, and when the transmission oil gets hot (engine oil near 90-95°C) I experience crazy and erratic shifting to the point of stalling.
Couple questions though for those in the know.
- How important is the 'exact' amount and brand of ATF fluid really, thinking of how it just sits there in the pan and the suction shaft on the filter is immersed in it, and as the temperature varies the volume and viscosity changes a lot too ? And considering there's always a lot of air above the oil surface... I am asking mainly because it says that the car has to be level to do the job right, which makes sense, but how exactly 'level' does it have to be and what does 'level' mean ? Is it enough if I put a spirit level on the bottom of the pan to indicate 'level'?
- I read somewhere in this thread that the Torque Converter is also affected by the transmission oil level. How does that work exactly? I thought the T/C is fully enclosed and has its own internal amount of oil to swish around to do its job as a fluid coupling. Couldn't find any conclusive answer on the web, so has anyone got any pictures and can shed any light for me please, whether the T/C is open to the ATF oil?
- As the car is so old, I plan to just drain the old oil, fill up with new, run the engine to circulate the 3L left in that part of the system, then drain again and fill up with fresh ATF until it runs out of the big hole at the 30-40°C. I don't want to take the pan off for cleaning magnets etc, or replace any parts like the gasket and the filter, experience has taught me if I touch anything that is not metal it will likely crack or start leaking. I believe that this simple method will achieve 90% of the effect with a minimum of effort and cost. Am I mistaken and possibly missing something important?
I look forward to your replies, much appreciated
