what's your opinion on shops leaving the fluid low?

[The motor guy]

I had my trans serviced on my dodge 47re and I thought the trans was shifting a little funny, I figured I'd check the fluid level and checked it cold, the dipstick was bone dry. So I went to walmart and bought 6 quarts of fluid and it took two to get it just below the minimum mark when it was warmed up. Probably needs one more to get it to the top of the cross hatching where it's actually full, but you know I paid someone to do this already, why do I always have to go back behind people and fix their work? Trans shifts better now that it has the proper fluid level. It was kind of a slush box before.

 

[The motor guy]

Any guess as to what would cause it to be 3 quarts low, looks like a pan drop and filter change is 6-7 quarts. My guess is they checked it in park.

 

[D60]

Is the 47 supposed to be checked in N like the 46?

 

[The motor guy]

Is the 47 supposed to be checked in N like the 46?

That's what the dipstick said. Hot and in neutral

 

[SC Maintenance]

That is a lot of fluid. Most ATF dipsticks are like a cup between low and full, unless yours is different. Looks like they didn't check at all - got distracted and let it roll?

 

[blufeb95]

Did they add some fluid and then forget to check it after starting the car up.

 

[The motor guy]

Did they add some fluid and then forget to check it after starting the car up.

It's possible. I think they changed the fluid the same day they dropped the tank to install a fass system.

 

[cb_13]

Did they do a fluid exchange? I often caught the BG machine leaving transmission fluid levels low when I was a tech. Of course they don’t include get transmission up to temperature and check fluid level in the instructions as that takes time and the major selling point on their equipment is time savings(for the tech) and reducing labor cost(for the customer) and time paid out to the tech(for the shop).

 

[The motor guy]

I have no idea.

Did they do a fluid exchange? I often caught the BG machine leaving transmission fluid levels low when I was a tech. Of course they don’t include get transmission up to temperature and check fluid level in the instructions as that takes time and the major selling point on their equipment is time savings(for the tech$ and reducing labor cost(for the customer) and time paid out to the tech(for the shop).

I told them to adjust the bands, so they should have dropped the pan and changed the filter too. You can't do that with a flush machine and I doubt that guy has one

 

[Tomioka]

Not checking ATF level after a radiator replacement.

 

[RyanY]

why do I always have to go back behind people and fix their work?

I have yet to hire someone where I didn't have to follow them and fix their errors...mechanics, construction, appliances, etc. Sometimes it is a single bolt missing, but it is still annoying.

 

[Jetronic]

I had my trans serviced on my dodge 47re and I thought the trans was shifting a little funny, I figured I'd check the fluid level and checked it cold, the dipstick was bone dry. So I went to walmart and bought 6 quarts of fluid and it took two to get it just below the minimum mark when it was warmed up. Probably needs one more to get it to the top of the cross hatching where it's actually full, but you know I paid someone to do this already, why do I always have to go back behind people and fix their work? Trans shifts better now that it has the proper fluid level. It was kind of a slush box before.

As a former dealer tech, I say it's bad practice to let any vehicle leave with fluids below the hot & full mark. It's soo much easier to rate a leak or other loss when you KNOW the level @ a recorded mileage.

Automatic transmissions, it's even worse.

 

[The motor guy]

As a former dealer tech, I say it's bad practice to let any vehicle leave with fluids below the hot & full mark. It's soo much easier to rate a leak or other loss when you KNOW the level @ a recorded mileage.

Automatic transmissions, it's even worse.

Yeah this one doesn't have a cold fill mark. Usually if theyrs at the bottom of the dipstick cold, it should be in the safe range when hot.

 

[D60]

I'm also guessing they checked in P when the converter is not full.

 

[The motor guy]

I'm also guessing they checked in P when the converter is not full.

Looks like total capacity is 17 quarts. 2 quarts low shouldn't matter I would think.

 

[zzyzzx]

what's your opinion on shops leaving the fluid low?​

For what shops charge, there is no excuse.

 

[The motor guy]

I'm also guessing they checked in P when the converter is not full.

Yeah because isn't 2.5-3 quarts about what it takes?