Check your transmission fluid

[9zero1790]

Crawled under my truck and checked it (cold) today. I know that to properly check it, you have to heat the trans up to over 200ºF, but to do so gets the catalytic converter up to something above 500ºF, and there is no way I will manage to safely get my hand wedged up between those 2 VERY hot things and get an accurate reading when it is so hot. I tried (with everything cold and engine off) to even get my hand up there with a welding glove on today, and it's just too narrow of an access area. I'm certain I'd burn myself if I tried to check it hot.

I've read on this forum (and elsewhere) that a cold reading can be done, and that on the numbered stick (rather than the one with regions) it should be between 6 and 5 when checked cold, and between 5 and 4 when hot.

The cold check procedure I followed is this: With the truck shut off, I crawled under it while parked on level ground. I removed the dipstick plug with a 19mm flex-head ratcheting wrench, pulled out the dipstick (which separates from the plug) and cleaned it off. Then with me still under the truck, I had my wife get into driver's seat and start up the truck. She let it idle for about 10 seconds, then with her foot on the brake (and parking brake set) she shifted into reverse and left it there for about 5 seconds, then put it into drive for about 5 more seconds, then back into park. After about 10 more seconds I reached up (where it was already getting warm) and placed the dipstick into the hole, making very sure it was seated all the way down, then pulled it back out to check the level.

There was NO fluid on the dipstick at all. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

From Day 1 this truck has had several odd / unusual characteristics in the drivetrain. The engine itself has been flawless, but I've had issues with startup shudder as well as funky shifting patterns (would sometimes not go into gear at all when cold, or had very harsh shifts when first starting out in the morning, etc) and I get an odd sensation like the torque converter is sometimes not properly locking up under reasonably spirited acceleration. I've solved the startup shudder with a 1-piece driveshaft, and I asked my dealer to check the transmission fluid level when I took it in for a warranty battery replacement a few weeks ago... but I know they never checked the fluid from reviewing my dashcam footage.

I'm convinced that even though I checked it cold, the transmission is underfilled. I've ordered a few quarts of Mercon ULV, and once it gets here I'll try adding 1/2 quart at a time until the cold reading is up to at least the 6 on the stick.

you and the wife must have a very deep loving relationship congrats! I would not even think of getting under the truck with my ex girl friend in the drivers seat...

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[Msfitoy]

Crawled under my truck and checked it (cold) today. I know that to properly check it, you have to heat the trans up to over 200ºF, but to do so gets the catalytic converter up to something above 500ºF, and there is no way I will manage to safely get my hand wedged up between those 2 VERY hot things and get an accurate reading when it is so hot. I tried (with everything cold and engine off) to even get my hand up there with a welding glove on today, and it's just too narrow of an access area. I'm certain I'd burn myself if I tried to check it hot.

I've read on this forum (and elsewhere) that a cold reading can be done, and that on the numbered stick (rather than the one with regions) it should be between 6 and 5 when checked cold, and between 5 and 4 when hot.

The cold check procedure I followed is this: With the truck shut off, I crawled under it while parked on level ground. I removed the dipstick plug with a 19mm flex-head ratcheting wrench, pulled out the dipstick (which separates from the plug) and cleaned it off. Then with me still under the truck, I had my wife get into driver's seat and start up the truck. She let it idle for about 10 seconds, then with her foot on the brake (and parking brake set) she shifted into reverse and left it there for about 5 seconds, then put it into drive for about 5 more seconds, then back into park. After about 10 more seconds I reached up (where it was already getting warm) and placed the dipstick into the hole, making very sure it was seated all the way down, then pulled it back out to check the level.

There was NO fluid on the dipstick at all. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

From Day 1 this truck has had several odd / unusual characteristics in the drivetrain. The engine itself has been flawless, but I've had issues with startup shudder as well as funky shifting patterns (would sometimes not go into gear at all when cold, or had very harsh shifts when first starting out in the morning, etc) and I get an odd sensation like the torque converter is sometimes not properly locking up under reasonably spirited acceleration. I've solved the startup shudder with a 1-piece driveshaft, and I asked my dealer to check the transmission fluid level when I took it in for a warranty battery replacement a few weeks ago... but I know they never checked the fluid from reviewing my dashcam footage.

I'm convinced that even though I checked it cold, the transmission is underfilled. I've ordered a few quarts of Mercon ULV, and once it gets here I'll try adding 1/2 quart at a time until the cold reading is up to at least the 6 on the stick.

You can't check with engine off...the fluid will be settled into sump and the dip stick will be entirely covered with fluid...to check with cold method, the engine still needs to be running for the pump to circulate the fluid...with low temp method, the reading should be one mark lower than when hot...i.e. if it reads 6 cold/running, it will be at 5 hot/running...

 

[quangdog]

You can't check with engine off...the fluid will be settle into sump and it the dip stick will be entire covered with fluid...to check with cold method, the engine still needs to be running for the pump to circulate the fluid...at low tem, the reading should be one mark lower than when hot...i.e. it it reads at 6 cold/running, it will be at 5 hot/running...

Right. I didn't check with the engine off. It was running, my wife cycled through reverse, drive, and back to park. While it was still running (but not hot yet) I checked the level. Nothing on the dipstick at all.

Incidentally, I *have* checked it when it was cold and the engine was off, just to see if there would be anything on the stick at all. It read 4.75 (again, I KNOW THIS IS A MOSTLY MEANINGLESS MEASUREMENT) - but when the engine is NOT running at all, the dipstick should be entirely covered... and on mine, it is not. When checking the level WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING and cold, there is nothing on the dipstick at all.

 

[quangdog]

you and the wife must have a very deep loving relationship congrats! I would not even think of getting under the truck with my ex girl friend in the drivers seat...

Technically I am worth a lot more dead than alive, but somehow she fought the urge to collect on that insurance just yet... ?

 

[Msfitoy]

Technically I am worth a lot more dead than alive, but somehow she fought the urge to collect on that insurance just yet... ?

Same here... ?

 

[LostMy65]

Why do you guys think so many get their Ranger new with it being low on transmission fluid?

 

[Msfitoy]

Why do you guys think so many get their Ranger new with it being low on transmission fluid?

Check out the Wiki thread "list of deleted items"...#29...

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/list-of-deleted-items.18640/post-480588

 

[9zero1790]

Why do you guys think so many get their Ranger new with it being low on transmission fluid?

I assume just a oversight or lack of QC now and then.

 

[rydfree]

Why do you guys think so many get their Ranger new with it being low on transmission fluid?

How many $$$ does it save leaving out a Qt on every vehicle ?

 

[VegasRanger]

Crawled under my truck and checked it (cold) today. I know that to properly check it, you have to heat the trans up to over 200ºF, but to do so gets the catalytic converter up to something above 500ºF, and there is no way I will manage to safely get my hand wedged up between those 2 VERY hot things and get an accurate reading when it is so hot. I tried (with everything cold and engine off) to even get my hand up there with a welding glove on today, and it's just too narrow of an access area. I'm certain I'd burn myself if I tried to check it hot.

I've read on this forum (and elsewhere) that a cold reading can be done, and that on the numbered stick (rather than the one with regions) it should be between 6 and 5 when checked cold, and between 5 and 4 when hot.

The cold check procedure I followed is this: With the truck shut off, I crawled under it while parked on level ground. I removed the dipstick plug with a 19mm flex-head ratcheting wrench, pulled out the dipstick (which separates from the plug) and cleaned it off. Then with me still under the truck, I had my wife get into driver's seat and start up the truck. She let it idle for about 10 seconds, then with her foot on the brake (and parking brake set) she shifted into reverse and left it there for about 5 seconds, then put it into drive for about 5 more seconds, then back into park. After about 10 more seconds I reached up (where it was already getting warm) and placed the dipstick into the hole, making very sure it was seated all the way down, then pulled it back out to check the level.

There was NO fluid on the dipstick at all. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

From Day 1 this truck has had several odd / unusual characteristics in the drivetrain. The engine itself has been flawless, but I've had issues with startup shudder as well as funky shifting patterns (would sometimes not go into gear at all when cold, or had very harsh shifts when first starting out in the morning, etc) and I get an odd sensation like the torque converter is sometimes not properly locking up under reasonably spirited acceleration. I've solved the startup shudder with a 1-piece driveshaft, and I asked my dealer to check the transmission fluid level when I took it in for a warranty battery replacement a few weeks ago... but I know they never checked the fluid from reviewing my dashcam footage.

I'm convinced that even though I checked it cold, the transmission is underfilled. I've ordered a few quarts of Mercon ULV, and once it gets here I'll try adding 1/2 quart at a time until the cold reading is up to at least the 6 on the stick.

Hey brother, keep us posted. I am in the same boat as you. Transmission has been really funky since day one and I suspect its underfilled also. I just haven't had the courage yet to get under there and do the hot procedure lol

 

[landiscarrier]

Mine was underfilled by about 1.5 quarts. We checked it while hot before changing and after. My some is a tech and we hooked up his scanner while driving so we would be checking at the correct temperature. After draining we measure how much came out and them measured how much we added....about 1.5 more quarts added then taken out. That being said the truck seemed to run exactly the same before and after.

 

[Msfitoy]

What happens if there's too much fluid?

 

[quangdog]

What happens if there's too much fluid?

It would be bad.

 

[Ray_kayak_guy]

If you are just under the correct level when cold, you should be good when warm. This is the method that FordtechMakuloco uses and has demonstrated in his 10R80 fluid change video.

Video bookmarked to that information

This is super helpful - my transmission has always made more noise than I liked - thanks to @Fitzmotor for the thread and @ctechbob for this video - once the rain stops I'll go check it cold with the motor off

 

[Msfitoy]

What happens when you over fill the trans?

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