Overfilled my Auto tranny. Now the car won't move.

[Nickel Plated]

So I was doing a trans fluid change on my auto 2003 Outback. Now since everywhere I read said that the transmission only drains about 4-5qts per fluid change. I decided to be an idiot and instead of checking the level every half quart when filling, I figured I'd just fill 3 quarts right away and start checking and topping off from there.
Well, near the end of the 3rd quart, I see fluid overflowing from the dipstick tube. Oh boy.
When I try to shift it into Drive or rReverse, the car just won't move no matter how much gas I give it.

I went to Harbor freight and bought a hand pump to get some of the fluid out.Now it's low enough that the dipstick doesn't even get oil on it when inserted. But it still doesn't want to move.

I read that overfilling will get the fluid on the clutch and other areas, causing it to slip. Should I maybe just let it sit for a while until hopefully the fluid runs off of all the places it wasn't supposed to be?

HALP!!!

[Muse]

Are you measuring with the engine on?
If the car's off, you'll still get nothing, even if it's full.

I know, kinda a "have you tried turning it off then on again' question, but there's a reason the simple, common questions come first.

[Nickel Plated]

Yep, car running, transmission in Park. Right now the fluid is so low it desn't even get on the dipstick. But I guess a car will atleast move with low fluid. Once I get it moving, then I can top it off to where it needs to be. For now I'm at the "wait and hope the problem fixes itself" stage of the game.

[rkrenicki]

I can just about guarantee that you filled the front diff with ATF instead of the transmission itself. You now need to drain the front diff and refill it with 75w90 gear oil, as well as fill the transmission.

The transmission dipstick is on the drivers side of the engine (#4 on this diagram), the front diff dipstick is on the passenger side (#1 on this diagram). This diagram is for a forester, but pretty much all subarus are the same.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2014/08/25481d1281627090autodipsticklocationnasg-1.jpg

DO NOT TRY TO MOVE THE CAR AGAIN WITH NO FLUID IN IT. You will destroy your transmission... hopefully it is still okay after your last attempt..

[Wiscon_Mark]

^^
My thought as well. There is separate gear oil for the front diff that's in a similar location, IIRC.

Definitely make sure you drained/filled the right ones.

[Nickel Plated]

Hmmm. Well I feel real stupid now. Guess I'm going shopping for gear oil and more ATF now. :oops:

So I drained my tranny dry and then flooded my diff with ATF. Wouldn't the car still atleast kinda move when I give it some gas though?

[rkrenicki]

I would hope not. The torque converter needs fluid to connect the engine to the rest of the transmission.

Please, I cannot stress enough.. do not try to move the car in this condition under its own power. Running the AT clutch packs dry will burn them up real fast, the transmission oil pump will also not take too kindly to being run dry, and even if you managed to get things spinning in there.. I am sure that a diff full of ATF is going to do wonders to the gears.

[Nickel Plated]

Thanks for all the help guys. Got the trans fluid and gear oil. Gonna go sort it out later today. I wasn't trying to drive it per se. Just wanted to see if it would move atleast a couple feet down the driveway and that's it.

[Dead91silvia]

Take it easy with trying to move your car at first. Depending on how much you tried moving it with no fluid, you might have fried the clutches. Sure hope thats not the case. Good luck you you.

And dont worry about feeling like a bone head. We have all done things like this at one point or another.

[foohfooh]

Haha exactly dead. First time I tried to change my oil I drained the transmission fluid. Doh! I wondered why it was red then the catch pan overflowed...

[NickDaBassGuy]

Iirc, I was told by a Subaru technician, that our trans have a safety switch inside so if fluid gets too low it won't allow the car to move. So once you fill it, should be good to go.

[Ozheritage]

Mmm trans fluid level switch hey. I used to be a auto trans tech none of the Sooby trans I have rebuilt have a level switch in them, but I live in Oz so could be different. Bit like some Jap import cars had oil level warning switches in engine sump.
Hope it worked out for this bloke.
Had a customer try some diy oil changes. Drained trans then put the oil in engine! Engine ok but in a few short minutes of running engine cooked trans. $5000 later!!!

[Muse]

Mmm trans fluid level switch hey. I used to be a auto trans tech none of the Sooby trans I have rebuilt have a level switch in them, but I live in Oz so could be different. Bit like some Jap import cars had oil level warning switches in engine sump.
Hope it worked out for this bloke.
Had a customer try some diy oil changes. Drained trans then put the oil in engine! Engine ok but in a few short minutes of running engine cooked trans. $5000 later!!!
I know someone who did that to his Lexus.