I NEED HELP WITH MY ATF!!!!!

[xoSubieLegacyxo]

Hey guys. So I decided to change my auto trans fluid since it was black on the dipstick, and I've never changed it since I've owned the car. I took out the old fluid (what looks like 2 gallons) and when I was putting in the new fluid it stopped at 4 quarts and was filled to the top. To the TOP!!! I tried to change gears while the car was running, but nothing moved. I also tried to change into each gear and wait 10 sec before I shifted into another spot, but it didnt work. After the check failed I took off the drain plug and nothing was coming out. What did I do wrong, and please do not tell me I ruined my transmission!!!!!!

[02_Legacy]

The fluid just went into the torque converter, that is normal. You are supposed to empty like 3 qts, add 3qts, empty 3qts, add 3qts, ect. A few times and not just do it all at once. Just add more, start it again run through the gears and repeat untill you have the recomended amount of fluid in the transmission.

[xoSubieLegacyxo]

The fluid just went into the torque converter, that is normal. You are supposed to empty like 3 qts, add 3qts, empty 3qts, add 3qts, ect. A few times and not just do it all at once. Just add more, start it again run through the gears and repeat untill you have the recomended amount of fluid in the transmission.

I tried everthing! I tried shifting into each gear for 10 sec, I left it run in neutral for 5 min, I put in Neutral and pushed it forward and back, I shifted into drive waited 1 min and then into reverse. So what should I do? The fluid level did not even go down an inch!!!!

[02_Legacy]

??? so its full to the top, but there is still nothing coming out the drain plug??
That is weird.

[harrymaneuvers]

I bet I know what happened:


I did this within the first week of having the car. Except I went to change the oil and I dumped the trans fluid thinking it was the oil. Then I went to refill my engine oil and filled it up to the top (literally)... but I couldnt shift at all... Took me a little while to figure it out.


You dumped the oil and not the trans fluid... or maybe your front/center diff.

Go back to where you filled the "transmission" back up and I bet you find your answer. Which side of the engine was the fill tube on?

I have a strong feeling you just topped off your engine oil or your center diff with transmission fluid.

[xoSubieLegacyxo]

I bet I know what happened:


I did this within the first week of having the car. Except I went to change the oil and I dumped the trans fluid thinking it was the oil. Then I went to refill my engine oil and filled it up to the top (literally)... but I couldnt shift at all... Took me a little while to figure it out.


You dumped the oil and not the trans fluid... or maybe your front/center diff.

Go back to where you filled the "transmission" back up and I bet you find your answer. Which side of the engine was the fill tube on?

I have a strong feeling you just topped off your engine oil or your center diff with transmission fluid.

it was in the back of the engine bay, on top of the trans. My friend also thinks I filled up the front diff with transmission fluid. It's not the engine oil, cause the car still runs fine. I'm going to go and try fixing it again. I'll be on tonight to tell if I fixed it or not!

[harrymaneuvers]

Your transmission filler is on the drivers side of the engine and the front diff is on the passanger side way back by the firewall... that dipstick will be very short.

[xoSubieLegacyxo]

Well you were right Harry, I filled the dif. up with transmission fluid, and there was no transmission fluid. So I changed all the fluids out, tested the car, and she runs good. I looked at my Haynes repair manual I use, and it says on the left rear side, which I'm guessing I thought was the dif dipstick. BUT its supposed to be the right side (left side from the driver's seat). Like the commercial says "THINK WITH YOUR DIPSTICK JIMMY!"

[TireIron]

All sides when talking about working on a car are referenced as if you are sitting in the drivers seat. So the ATF dipstick is on the left of the transmission and the front diff dipstick is on the right of the transmission. I would also suggest running the car for about 100 miles and then swapping out the front diff gear oil again to get all the ATF out of there and nice fresh gear oil in it.

[xoSubieLegacyxo]

so I changed the trans fluid, drained the bad gear/trans oil and put in new differential fluids. She runs really good and I think I learned a valuable lesson. READ THE BOOK AND ASK AN EXPERT BEFORE FILLING FLUIDS! hahaha

[ubar legacy]

so I changed the trans fluid, drained the bad gear/trans oil and put in new differential fluids. She runs really good and I think I learned a valuable lesson. READ THE BOOK AND ASK AN EXPERT BEFORE FILLING FLUIDS! hahaha
AND the drivers side = leff. the passenger side = right. lol

[xoSubieLegacyxo]

so I changed the trans fluid, drained the bad gear/trans oil and put in new differential fluids. She runs really good and I think I learned a valuable lesson. READ THE BOOK AND ASK AN EXPERT BEFORE FILLING FLUIDS! hahaha
AND the drivers side = leff. the passenger side = right. lol

that too! lol Why can't they just say that? Make life a whole lot easier! But then again like my professor always says.. "If it was that easy then everybody would be doing it!"

[Mountain Cowboy]

You aren't that only one who has done that. I came here for the same reason and found that I had done exactly the same thing. Like yours my car is purring again. too bad I wasted a can of Seafoam and two quarts of tranny fluid before I figured it out. What can I say it's my first Subie and that dipstick location is well hidden.