Checking Transmission Fluid Cold on a 4EAT

[jj94auto]

Please help.

On my SG Forester XT, I didn't pay attention to how much drained out during my fluid drain and fills and even if I did there is no guarantee that the last person before me filled it correctly.

I thought that I had taken a correct HOT measurement (yes I have read a million threads about it and referred to my owners manual too).

Around the same time, I noticed that my transmission began to slip at times and engaged with a bang between gears.

Now it is parked and the transmission is noisy at idle. I am hoping it is a heatshield, but the noise seems to be coming from the pan.

I don't dare drive the vehicle anywhere for a HOT level check until I get the fluid level reasonably addressed COLD

The manual has two holes for cold level but doesn't specifically show if I am supposed to check the cold level with the vehicle idling or not.

Is the vehicle supposed to be off or running when checking cold?

Thank you!

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[Strider327]

How much fluid did you pour in? It should be between 3-4 quarts.

Originally Posted by jj94auto

Please help.

On my SG Forester XT, I didn't pay attention to how much drained out during my fluid drain and fills and even if I did there is no guarantee that the last person before me filled it correctly.

I thought that I had taken a correct HOT measurement (yes I have read a million threads about it and referred to my owners manual too).

Around the same time, I noticed that my transmission began to slip at times and engaged with a bang between gears.

Now it is parked and the transmission is noisy at idle. I am hoping it is a heatshield, but the noise seems to be coming from the pan.

I don't dare drive the vehicle anywhere for a HOT level check until I get the fluid level reasonably addressed COLD

The manual has two holes for cold level but doesn't specifically show if I am supposed to check the cold level with the vehicle idling or not.

Is the vehicle supposed to be off or running when checking cold?

Thank you!

[Samurai Jack]

Like he said ^^^^

hmmm ....

Suggest checking your Owner's manual as to transmission fluid capacity and compare that to whatever you put in

[Strider327]

I mean worse case scenario. Start fresh. Drain all of it out and pour in the exact right amount if you are completely unsure. That way you don't overfill and you don't have leftover burnt fluid.

[Elbert Bass]

ALL Subaru automatics are checked with engine idling in park. with 4 and 5 speed auto there are two cold dots - when cold the level should be between the two dots. When hot between the two hot dots. Hot is not based on engine temperature - it means drive a fully warmed up vehicle for ten minutes or more before checking.

[Titter]

since i have seen it happen dozens of times i will ask...

are you checking the right dipstick and filling the right hole? the automatics have 2 dipsticks. theres the differential dip stick on the pass side and the atf dipstick on the drivers side.

too many times have i seen ppl pour atf into the diff.

[jj94auto]

Hey everyone, thanks for the help. The problem with pouring out as much as you drained is troublesome. What if the last person who owned it didn't do it right or have it done right? I may be able to get the 5-10 oz. short of a gallon, but I could be 1 quart low overall since I am not sure of the vehicle's history.

What if I forgot to measure?

I did a cold check with it running and did the best that I could. The dipstick can be a monster to read I assume because of the lack of the cross-hatch pattern on it which would hold the fluid in place.

I then did a warm check. The best that I could come up with was the bottom of the dipstick having fluid on it followed by a layer that was almost invisible followed by a layer that showed again. It was about an inch over hot marks by the time I was done and I did things very incrementally but it's possible I overfilled.

No weird slipping or anything else now. It's my understanding that it will blow out of the vents if not severely overfilled so I am going to leave it alone now.

No, I have heard about the putting the ATF in the diff and I am surprised that wasn't me with my luck lol.

Thanks again!

[sebastian323]

Originally Posted by Elbert Bass

ALL Subaru automatics are checked with engine idling in park. with 4 and 5 speed auto there are two cold dots - when cold the level should be between the two dots. When hot between the two hot dots. Hot is not based on engine temperature - it means drive a fully warmed up vehicle for ten minutes or more before checking.

So cold refers to the transmission being cold since the car has not been driven . I take it for a cold test I should cold start the engine , row through the gears and check the level with engine running . For a hot test I should drive the car for 10 minutes , row through the gears and then check the level with the engine in park or neutral .

[Hooverjc]

Originally Posted by sebastian323

So cold refers to the transmission being cold since the car has not been driven . I take it for a cold test I should cold start the engine , row through the gears and check the level with engine running . For a hot test I should drive the car for 10 minutes , row through the gears and then check the level with the engine in park or neutral .

I usually check when cold and running to make sure I am seeing fluid on the stick (if its related to a recent change anyways), but I don't add or remove fluid without letting it warm up first as the cold measuring accuracy is all over the place IMO.