MUST be LEVEL for ATF Change

[Greasymechtech]

Always measure what comes out as a starting point. But, many vehicles are grossly under or ovefilled from the factory or dealership prep.

1 degree slope is noticeable. Thanks to the mathematician for answering my earlier question.

Some Toyota's are tail high when empty. Most garage floors slope back to drain. They balance each other out.

What kind of slope is the OP on?

 

[Greasymechtech]

Always measure what comes out as a starting point. But, many vehicles are grossly under or ovefilled from the factory or dealership prep.

1 degree slope is noticeable. Thanks to the mathematician for answering my earlier question.

Some Toyota's are tail high when empty. Most garage floors slope back to drain. They balance each other out.

What kind of slope is the OP on?

 

[threeputtpar]

Same procedure on my Audi, and I put a small level on the trans pan to check if it's sloped or not. After all, that's the only part of the car that needs to be level and since mine's an AWD the engine/trans combo is probably not installed level with the body.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: JOD
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
Really crummy of toyota really. I guess "close" will have to do.


It's crummy because they have a requirement that the fluid level is set correctly? Um...OK...


No, it's crummy of Toyota to neglect a dipstick, which would double as a fill tube.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
Originally Posted By: supton
I'd think the floorpan footwells would be pretty flat, and would read level on a level when the car is parked on a level spot.


Not necessarily, and this is what the OP is asking: Level of the tires sitting on a level plane (lift) or level of the frame/floor/pinch welds sitting on a lift??? Level also applies from front to back AND side to side.

As this picture shows, the "floor" bottom is not always level in relation to the tires being level:

Where is the floorpan in that photo? All I see is a side view of the vehicle.

Not sure if I said it real well, but: first find a level spot, then park the vehicle, then see how unlevel the level winds up being on whatever reference point you want to use. Replicate that amount of levelness (or unlevelness) at home, and it should be good enough.

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted By: supton


No, it's crummy of Toyota to neglect a dipstick, which would double as a fill tube.


Right! Fortunately my 10th gen Corolla has a dipstick. Apparently Toyota goes back and forth and can't make up its corporate mind on this one.

I'm thinking the 1 degree requirement is really just saying "don't do it on your 8 degree driveway, doofus". Some plywood under the low-side tires should do the trick.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: HangFire
Right! Fortunately my 10th gen Corolla has a dipstick. Apparently Toyota goes back and forth and can't make up its corporate mind on this one.


4spd auto by any chance?

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: HangFire
I'm thinking the 1 degree requirement is really just saying "don't do it on your 8 degree driveway, doofus". Some plywood under the low-side tires should do the trick.


I agree, maybe. Supton, here's a better picture of what the OP is asking. Does one park the car on level concrete or lift and measure tranny fluid. Or, does one level the pinch weld/floor/frame rails? Another poster says he levels the tranny pan, which may be way different than everything else.

 

[Vikas]

Come on guys; this is so simple!

Measure it and then turn around the vehicle and measure it again. If the dipstick reads the same, you are on the level ground.

This should be a question on IQ test

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Come on guys; this is so simple!

Measure it and then turn around the vehicle and measure it again. If the dipstick reads the same, you are on the level ground.

This should be a question on IQ test


'Cept the dipstick is really a plug on the bottom of the trans pan...

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Come on guys; this is so simple!

Measure it and then turn around the vehicle and measure it again. If the dipstick reads the same, you are on the level ground.

This should be a question on IQ test


'Cept the dipstick is really a plug on the bottom of the trans pan...


hehe... I'm thinking the engine oil is a qualifying leveling liquid. From what I understand they all do the same thing around gravity.

 

[MarkM66]

Get real. It doesn't need to be the precise.

So it's a little under or over, so what? Are you constantly driving on a perfectly level surface? If not, will the trans loose pressure an burn up? NO!!!!

 

[SumpChump]

This discussion has done great job at exposing the awesomely varied thought processes.

Type 1: "aw it ain't a big deal..close enough good enough"
Type 2: "I don't know and I wonder..."
Type 3: "measure this"
Type 4: "measure that"
Type 5: "why the f~€* didn't the factory use common sense"

So, I've been thinking. I would think that the factory uses the term "level" to mean "as the body sets on a level surface. Thus the pinch weld rails, if flat and not undulating, would indicate body tilt. Therefore, the 10x10 concrete driveway segment I will likely use is what needs to be level or leveled via the jacking process. A great point was made about body set and the affect of load such as fuel. Therefore, I will fill the tank to half full to be at the best possible point in the way a reasonable operating load.

Btw on a related note it has always been my practice to use an at least 3/4 full fuel tank for allignment visits. This simulates some driver weight and rear passengers.

 

[Garak]

Maybe you could ask the dealer what their procedure is. For this service procedure, do they use a hoist that lifts by the wheels, or by other positions? And, is the hoist level in the first place?

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: MarkM66
Get real. It doesn't need to be the precise.

So it's a little under or over, so what? Are you constantly driving on a perfectly level surface? If not, will the trans loose pressure an burn up? NO!!!!


This actually is a pretty good point.

 

[gogozy]

what do you think.... if the dipstick is not even close to center in the ATF oil pan such the dipstick is at thither side end of the pan, and pan is rather wide or flat shape of container, instead of being square, or tall, than any small degree of slop would have significant impact on the dipstick reading. just guessing...

 

[supton]

I've read some trans do not like having the wrong level. I wouldn't think so, but I'm not sure why the trans on my truck needs to be filled with the temp w/in a certain window.

I don't know where the typical dipstick is located, but IIRC the check plug on my pan is relatively near the center, but offset on one side.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: Klutch9
Originally Posted By: MarkM66
Get real. It doesn't need to be the precise.

So it's a little under or over, so what? Are you constantly driving on a perfectly level surface? If not, will the trans loose pressure an burn up? NO!!!!


This actually is a pretty good point.


And it is incredibly misinformed.

Transmissions vary considerably in design and implementation. Some are indeed very tempermental about fluid level.

For example, mine will overheat and shift haphazardly if over filled, and slip, overheat and/or fail if under filled.

I have run my fleet trucks until they wouldn't move when they broke a cooler line, then simply refilled them and drove for another 100k miles.

You simply cannot lump them all together...

 

[MarkM66]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: Klutch9
Originally Posted By: MarkM66
Get real. It doesn't need to be the precise.

So it's a little under or over, so what? Are you constantly driving on a perfectly level surface? If not, will the trans loose pressure an burn up? NO!!!!


This actually is a pretty good point.


And it is incredibly misinformed.

Transmissions vary considerably in design and implementation. Some are indeed very tempermental about fluid level.

For example, mine will overheat and shift haphazardly if over filled, and slip, overheat and/or fail if under filled.

I have run my fleet trucks until they wouldn't move when they broke a cooler line, then simply refilled them and drove for another 100k miles.

You simply cannot lump them all together...



A 1% grade difference or thereabout will not under or overfill a transmission. And has no relationship to breaking a cooler line and running a transmission dry. So you might be the one "misinformed."

If the floor looks flat, fill it, and go about your day.

Or better yet, have a new pad poured with 0% grade spec.

 

[supton]

I believe Steve has some fast car of some sort, which has an auto(ZF of some sort?) and which apparently does not like the fluid to be off. How he knows that I don't know, but it mirrors what I've read others state. If it lacks a dipstick, odds are it is touchy about proper amount of fluid.

Meanwhile, he runs a fleet of (mostly?) GM trucks, which would mean 4L60/5's, 4L80's and now the newer 6L80's, which apparently will run fine until out of fluid (due to a system fault), then run some more when fixed and topped off. That sort of treatment would have resulted in harsh shifts and possibly a dead transmission in his personal car. Vastly different transmissions, vastly different results.