2001 Cavalier no tranny dipstick???

[Rat407]

I'm one to help out others and our daughters CAP worker. (An individual that works for the state to aid children with special needs)My daughter has CP. She is a really nice person and doesn't make much money. She really works our daughter ie, exercise's stretching and flexability and looks after her like one of her own. She just bought a used 2001 Cavalier and I wanted to make sure it will hold up for her. So I was checking it out and was going to change all the fluids. There is no owners manual for the thing, figures being a used car. I did notice that it was in some kind of accident due to the welds inside the engine area. Not a good thing but if it was done correctly then I guess it is ok.

Anwyway my question is, how do you check the transmission fluid? There is only a red plug that goes into the the transmission, no dipstick. Is the oil changeable? How much does it hold? I want to help her and make the car last. Total mileage on the car is 24k. So it wouldn't hurt to change the fluid if I can.

Any help would be great. Thanks

 

[QuadDriver]

Nope, there is no dipstick - the reason being, if it dont leak, it does not need any - gm feels they wont leak.

They can be drained as before and they are filled thru a hole in the top until it comes out a hole in the side while on a lift running.

 

[MolaKule]

As I recall (you might want to buy the techmanual or cunsult the dealer) it holds three quarts.

I recommend Mobil 1 5W30 or a 50/50 mix of Redline MTL/MT-90 for the manual transaxle.

 

[labman]

No good deed goes unpunished.

The owner's manual for my 02 cavalier gives 9.5 quarts of Dextron III
for the automatic, all engines. It is very specific about the Dextron III. Under
severe service, which includes many cars now, it says change every
50,000 miles. Somebody gave a link here to all the
recommendations. Like an idiot, I didn't save it. Maybe check the
favorite links section. I liked MolaKule's suggestion of talking to a
dealer.

 

[Spector]

If an auto it takes a lot more then 3 quarts. It sounds like it has a drain plug and if not then there has to be at least a fill plug on the side. A pain to fill and once filled you must start the engine and then top off with the enigne running. If you try to place all the fluid in with the engine off it will run out of the filler plug but once the engine is started you can add more. With engine running you add until it agian comes out the filler plug. A real pain.

 

[Rat407]

Thanks for all the help. I'm going to check in with the dealer since my van is there getting serviced. It is the one with the trashed UOA's with only 8k on the Amsoil. Matter of fact the dealer still has not called me on it. I need to call them and see what is up. I need my ride home from work.
Again thanks.

 

[MolaKule]

"This is an automatic, not a manual. So is it safe to say that if I drop the pan keep an eye on how much fluid it took and refill with the same amount. "

Right!

OK, stick foot in mouth.

I just assumed it was another little 5- or 6-speed manual.

For that one Dexron III is the better bet. I like Schaeffer's #204S.

 

[Cutehumor]

quote:

---

Originally posted by QuadDriver:
Nope, there is no dipstick - the reason being, if it dont leak, it does not need any - gm feels they wont leak.

They can be drained as before and they are filled thru a hole in the top until it comes out a hole in the side while on a lift running.

---

I just took a 96 pontiac sunfire 2.2 liter engine in for a trans maintence. mechanic said there was a leak around the pan gasket. had it replaced. I believe it is the same engine and trans combo on the newer cavs/sunfires until the ecotech engine came out. I have a dipstick though.

 

[Rat407]

quote:

---

Originally posted by MolaKule:
As I recall (you might want to buy the techmanual or cunsult the dealer) it holds three quarts.

I recommend Mobil 1 5W30 or a 50/50 mix of Redline MTL/MT-90 for the manual transaxle.

---

This is an automatic, not a manual. So is it safe to say that if I drop the pan keep an eye on how much fluid it took and refill with the same amount. Also get a service manual to make sure I did it correctly of course.

 

[Ray H]

There IS a side fill hole on these transmissions. You check the fluid level there - it should be even with the opening. I'm not sure, however, whether this is cold or hot. (I'd think cold, though, since otherwise, the mechanic would have to drive the car to operating temp and put the car on a lift again to verify the hot fluid level.) Since the car obviously has to be level for acuracy, this is not realistically a do-it-yourself job unless you have access to a car lift. Great little tranny. Stupid routine maintenance decision by GM. (and by implication, a poor corporate opinion of owners' native intelligence, too)