Trans 1/2 quart low causing shift problems?

[[email protected]]

I changed the OEM fluid and filter on the transmission on our 2005 Saturn L300 last month. It has the 3.0L DOHC v6 and the 4 speed 4T45E transmission. Car has 89,000 miles on it.

OEM fluid came out pretty clean looking and there was little material on the magnet or on the bottom of the pan.

I refilled with Valvolines MaxLife Dex/Merc. It shifted fine the first day, but then started flaring up occasionally between 1-2 and generally not feeling like all of the power was going to the wheels.

Tonight for giggles, I started the car and took out the inspection plug (no dipstick on the 4T45e folks!) and lone and behold, it was 1/2 quart low, so I topped it off.

Would a transmission that was 1/2 quart low cause shifting problems? It seems that an amount that small would be negligle but I want to be sure!

 

[crazyoildude]

in some cases yes the old turbo 400 would shift borderline bad a 1/2 quart low

 

[tinmanSC]

Isn't the 05 4T45E a sealed-for-life transmission? (as much as I think that is a bizarre concept).

 

[SteveSRT8]

They are serviceable, they just made it difficult.

My daughters ancient Sunfire has that trans.

The fluid level is critical.

 

[[email protected]]

I thought so.

Well, thankfully it was only driven a few hundred miles 1/2 quart low on trans fluid. I topped it off last night and am interested to see how it shifts now.

 

[kelpie]

I had a T-350 3 speed auto that slipped when it was 1/2 quart low. The easiest way to do the fluid in the ones w/o a dipstick is to drop the pan, R&R the filter, then add 7 1/2 quarts of fluid and forget about it. I don't bother checking it with the plug setup.

 

[demarpaint]

1/2 qt low in some transmissions will cause shifting issues.

My Jeep doesn't have a dipstick to check transmission fluid. That is the only complaint I have with it. It has a plug telling me the dealer has to check the ATF. I don't think so...................................... I guess they saved $3 a vehicle eliminating the dipstick, and found a way to generate revenue for the shop.

I discussed calibrating my own with someone very knowledgeable and I might just give it a try. The idea of having to go to a shop to check the level in the transmission just doesn't sit well with me. I might start a thread about it for those of us who have this stupid plug at the top of the fill tube and no stick. It would be interesting to see what others have done to check ATF fluid or change it out.

 

[fdcg27]

You wouldn't think half a quart out of the capacity of a typical automatic would matter, but I have read of many people having bad shift quality, or delayed shifting into reverse, when the box was only half a quart low.
Apparently, some automatics are very sesitive to fluid level.