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I just purchased a 1978. Wanting to learn from the care of the vehicle. I'm a biologist, not a mechanic, but I love to learn and trying to do as many things on the vette as I can
Changed the transmission fluid and filter tonight. MESSY. My Haynes Corvette Manual says 6 pints for routine change and 20 pints fill from dry. After I add fluid, I shift through gears several times then place it in park, still running, and check the fluid level. I added six pints and saw no fluid on the tip of the transmission stick. Added 2 more and still nothing. Ended up adding 10 pints before I see any fluid on the end of the dip stick.
I think the fluid level was low before I changed the fluid and filter. As I added more fluid from 6 up to 10 pints I noticed more definite gear changes at idle with my foot on the brake. Little change after I'd added 6 but more definitive after a total of 10 pints. Drove it a bit and checked more. Still looks like i need to add more, according to the dip stick.
So my concern is the book says 6 pints after routine change. I've added a total of 10 pints and it looks like it needs more.
Did you happen to measure how much came out, and what the dipstick measured before (everything needs to be warmed up to get a valid reading, I think). Perhaps it was just really low before. I'd keep adding until it measures correctly, then go drive the snot out of it.
Adding a third pedal to your car is always the correct solution to automatic transmission problems.
So my concern is the book says 6 pints after routine change. I've added a total of 10 pints and it looks like it needs more.
Sound okay? Add more? Anything i'm overlooking?
Congrats on the 78...I like em. The 6 pints refers to the volume held in the oil pan. Then there are an additional 20 pints in the converter assembly. The shop manual states it should be filled, as you're doing, "to the correct level determined by the mark on the dipstick rather than by amount added."
When I had my fluid changed a few years back, I did a flush versus a drain. A flush is when a shop uses a pump to push fluid through the THM, cycling it throughout. I'm not sure what its called but others I'm sure will pop up and describe it.