Bought a '98 4l auto with 100k that had been sitting for 10 years as a gift for my girlfriend. After a couple weeks of scrubbing, removing aftermarket wiring and typical fluid changes and general house-keeping, sent it to the Jeep 'ship for a few items I didn't feel comfortable with, including a full tranny flush/filter/coveroff service. I know basically how autos *work* but never been inside one or built or modified a vehicle with one before. All the autos I've owned have been German, which are basically sealed, so I'm kinda on new soil here.
When the truck came back, I continued the house-keeping, including removal of the poorly-installed auxiliary cooler and associated hoses with bad clamps. The way this Barbie-mobile will be driven, the factory cooler will be entirely sufficient and even probably healthier for trans temps. I did it cold, and the entire assembly was basically dry--maybe 2 or 3 ounces of ATF came out. I knew at this point the tranny was probably over-filled when circulating, but let her drive it the next day. When she came home, it was leaking bad from the bell-housing. (first question: A. would an over-filled auto leak our the bell-housing? I would think it would expell through the breather.)
I checked it (yes, hot and idling) and it was WAY up into the wording, far above the zig-zags. I removed 8 ounces and let her take it the next day. It came home leaking less, but still. Removed another 4oz, still way hi, and dipstick foamy. I have removed 4 ounces a day since last Tuesday (my brake bleeder holds 4 ounces), so am now up to 40 ounces taken out. The level is now at the base of the zig-zags, still a good half-inch above the HIGH-LOW hashes. The last several I have removed withe the engine running, and the fluid is COMPLETELY saturated with bubbles. (second question: B. is this a sign of cavitation from parts rotating through the reservoir?) and ?3: C. is the suspended air damaging to the valve-body or affect performance?)
As a mental clarifier, I filled the removed hoses and cooler with water and it barely held 8 ounces. I was starting to get worried about wrong dipstick maybe? or starving it. The leaking has stopped and checking specs, I see this thing holds EIGHT QUARTS of atf. Holy crap that's a lot of fluid! So now I feel comfortable I can remove probably nearly another quart to get it down to the "HIGH" portion of the checkering.
I guess at this point, my main shock is HOW could the dealership over-fill it so ridiculously? Or am I doing something wrong?
When the truck came back, I continued the house-keeping, including removal of the poorly-installed auxiliary cooler and associated hoses with bad clamps. The way this Barbie-mobile will be driven, the factory cooler will be entirely sufficient and even probably healthier for trans temps. I did it cold, and the entire assembly was basically dry--maybe 2 or 3 ounces of ATF came out. I knew at this point the tranny was probably over-filled when circulating, but let her drive it the next day. When she came home, it was leaking bad from the bell-housing. (first question: A. would an over-filled auto leak our the bell-housing? I would think it would expell through the breather.)
I checked it (yes, hot and idling) and it was WAY up into the wording, far above the zig-zags. I removed 8 ounces and let her take it the next day. It came home leaking less, but still. Removed another 4oz, still way hi, and dipstick foamy. I have removed 4 ounces a day since last Tuesday (my brake bleeder holds 4 ounces), so am now up to 40 ounces taken out. The level is now at the base of the zig-zags, still a good half-inch above the HIGH-LOW hashes. The last several I have removed withe the engine running, and the fluid is COMPLETELY saturated with bubbles. (second question: B. is this a sign of cavitation from parts rotating through the reservoir?) and ?3: C. is the suspended air damaging to the valve-body or affect performance?)
As a mental clarifier, I filled the removed hoses and cooler with water and it barely held 8 ounces. I was starting to get worried about wrong dipstick maybe? or starving it. The leaking has stopped and checking specs, I see this thing holds EIGHT QUARTS of atf. Holy crap that's a lot of fluid! So now I feel comfortable I can remove probably nearly another quart to get it down to the "HIGH" portion of the checkering.
I guess at this point, my main shock is HOW could the dealership over-fill it so ridiculously? Or am I doing something wrong?
