Kdeman1

Hey Guys I surfed the forum for alittle and couldn't find anything on really if I should change it or leave it alone! I also feel dumb, but cant find the how much the pan holds and Where to add the dang FLUID!!!! I have an 87 C4 with an AUTO trans it has 116xxx miles and it runs fairly well!

auggy

If the fluid is nice and pink and does not smell burnt, then leave it alone, as long as it seems to be acting/ shifting normally. Fill it from the dipstick tube. As far as how much it holds, you really should not waste the forum for questions like that.

cv67

Not sure on capacity
The dipstick should be towards the rear of themotor on the passenger side. make sure its not the engine oil. It should be pink not black
X2 no sense in doing it if its clean but if its new to you it wont hurt the car just your wallet.
Check the fluid level while its running, in park a few minutes once youve stopped driving the car.

Had some strange issues (sticky solenoids, 4l60e) and was convinced by a well known shop to have him powerflush the system and put a bottle of Lucas stop slip in along with the fluid of course. Been good for 2 yrs now about time to do it again.

This was after dealer and 2 trans shops told me I cooked my trans which by the way changing your fluid will not ruin your trans like the internet would have you think. If its gone its gone.

Joe C

now to answer the OP question, seems to me, when I changed out my 700R4's filter, I had to add approximately 4 quarts of fluid, so i'd say that's about what the pan holds. as far as where to add fluid, rear, RH side of the engine is the transmission dipstick - that's where you'll add the fluid. you will need a small funnel. note: the area of the cross hatching on the dipstick is one pint. to check the fluid level - at idle, in PARK, on level ground, operating temperature, check and adjust level accordingly. everything should be covered in your owners manual.

1993C4LT1

I agree. Pretty douchey of auggy. OP, cuisin and Joe c are correct.

A Peter C4

Check fluid level when warm IN PARK not nuetral

Cliff Harris

My notes say 7 quarts for a pan removal.

Don't forget to dig the filter O-ring out of the pump. It's usually stuck in there really tight.

VikingTrad3r

well i might just do that then. im putting a trans cooler in and was going to do the whole flush thing by running the car and drain the atf out the return line while filling down the dipstick till it comes out clear

383vett

If dropping the pan, the fluid loss will be approx 4 quarts. I would start with 3.5. It's a lot easier to check and add than remove fluid.

Joe C

correct! my bad. I knew that - mis-typed -

aklim

I'd drop the pan since I have no clue how the filter is and what is there. I lost my X-ray glasses a couple years ago so I like to see what is there. After which, I will remove the return line, fill up the dipstick tube till it comes to the top, run the motor and let the fluid run for a bit.

So, if you dump the pan, add a gallon and you add say 3 more quarts, run the engine till you get about 3 quarts of fluid out, fill up 3 quarts and repeat. That should get everything out of everywhere. After which you fill to level.

aklim

Never saw much of a point for the snake oils. IF the trans is on the way out, the fresh fluid may help if the old fluid is toast but it is going out and it won't help.

I think a lot of those are a "Hail Mary" thing. They neglect the trans, it shifts bad so they try a fluid change. When that doesn't work, the fluid change screwed up the trans.

RustyCFI

This is what I found for the 1987 automatic.

RustyCFI

It's from this:

aklim

Where do I find Dextron II again?

aklim

IIRC, it is up to Dextron VI now.

RustyCFI

Yea, but thats an exact photocopy of the old specs. Would hope they had Dexron II on it, unless they could tell the future...

Also, for the OP, heat kills a lot of autos. Installing a transmission cooler might help out, kits for the cheaper ones are usually around $100 or so. Sometimes bit more, sometimes bit less. Just don't want to go too cold for the trans or that could hurt it too.

aklim

I don't think it will really run too cold since it picks up heat from the radiator and dumps heat there. Not really sure how a cooler helps. Have you run a temp gauge and seen a difference?

cv67

aklime I agree most those additives are snake oil
in the vehicle I posted about I bought it new so no prior owners let it go
changing the fluid problem still persisted;powerflushing it and just adding fluid same thing
Wasnt til it was powerflushed and that stuff added it went away plagued me for yrs even the dealer didnt have an answer. whatevers in it works or just hit lotto odds but a $10 can of it once every other yr wont kill me

Joe C

FWIW - never added snake oil products to my 85's 700R4 - usually do a filter service every 4 to 5 years or 30K-40K miles, and a complete flush (w/ filter) at 100K. bought the car in 1995 with 33K, and currently at 157K on the clock -- absolutely no noticeable issues with the transmission. seems to have relatively firm, smooth, shifts. I figure with continued care, I hope to get to the 250K mark without problems. BTW, I've always used the ac delco service filter/kit (still made in the USA - ).