mleskovar

I tried this in the tech section but no replies...
I just received the transmission fluid shop tool for the latest 5 speed AT. It has marks of |<25>| near the end and |<80>| about 1 1/2 inches higher....is it a correct assumption that those are the max/min ranges for fluid cold and hot? Is the fluid check made with the engine on and idling or engine off?

C230 Sport Coup

"At a transmission oil temperature of
25° C, the fluid level must be within the range
"A". At a transmission oil temperature of 80°
C, the oil level must be within the range "B". "

See attached pdf from the WIS.
Hmm....it says it's an invalid file...
If you want to download it, you'll have to look,
uh, elsewhere.

C230 Sport Coup

Maybe this helps a little more...you can make out the min and max marks
above or is it below each temp range.

mbbodytech

The thing that you must keep in mind is that temperature range is the temperature of the transmission fluid! And, the trans fluid is not the same temperature as the engine....That's why the SDS unit is so helpful, because the car has a sensor in the transmission that measures the temp. Failing that, another way (although no where nearly as accurate) is to leave the dipstick in for a longer time period, so that plastic end takes on the temperature of the fluid and then measure that with one of those laser temp. gages.

mleskovar

I appreciate the replies. I was amazed at how much the fluid changed from cold to hot. What makes it increase volume? Just heat or does some air get introduced as it heats up under pressure? I was told that driving the car for
15 miles gets it to the right temp and to be careful when adding fluid because if you don't let it come to temp as you add you can easily overfill. Does the SDS give you a 'Low Trans Fluid' warning? Mine was down 1/2 quart with no message.

mbbodytech

The properties of the fluid are that it changes volume with temperature. SDS is the diagnostic laptop that all of the dealers have, and it will tell what the temperature is inside the transmission, which is the most accurate way of finding out.