91 L300 ATF Change Issue

[tomaboyd]

1991 Delica L300 Exceed.

Picked up a Delica about a month ago. Well maintained with documentation, but I decided to change all the fluids, just to become familiar with her.

Oil, differentials, transfer case all went easy peazy. Been working on old cars for 30+ years. So I know my way around a service manual (I have 3 copies of various ones now) and a vehicle.

Searched the forums and the manuals and seemed to always get the "drain from the pan and fill from the dipstick tube". Bought 3 gallons, 12Lish, to do the job.

#1. Only about 3 quarts came out of the drain. I have later discovered that this is due to a lot being in the TF cooler. No biggie. I will change again and hey, I now have plenty of fluid.

#2. Put the exact amount in that came out. I measure. And the Dipstick (herein referred to as DS) read over the "hot" mark. So I figured shit and drained my nice new fluid out until it was between the "cold" marks on the DS.

Then I started the Delica, let here warm up nice and good, ran here through all the gears, and checked the DS. Nuts, it didn't even read on the stick.

So I added more oil (fresh), engine running, until I got the reading to stop between the "hot" marks. I waited a few minutes between pouring and measuring (not a rookie) and then called it good.

So today, dead cold, the DS measures above the "hot" marks.

So what am I missing? As I stated earlier, I have 30+ years working on VW's, Fiat's, Nash Metropolian's (don't bother) etc.

I am mostly interested in how the DS reads "hot", but I don't get the link between the instructions (I found multiple places) and the result.

Any suggestion? Am I off base here?

Thanks.

[john clem]

After adding oil , some gets stuck in fill tube , give an in and out shake of the dipstick to clear stuck oil and note both sides of stick, when both show same youre good to go.

[Growlerbearnz]

You're only checking the dipstick while the engine is running, right?

It can take 10 minutes of driving for the fluid to really warm up. I wouldn't trust the dipstick until then.

As for the draining: if you disconnect one of the front oil cooler rubber hoses and aim it into a bucket while the engine is running, you can get a *lot* more fluid out. I'm not brave enough to run it until it's empty, but I take 3 litres at a time.

[tomaboyd]

I initially checked the dipstick when the car was not running.

Got a descent drive in today, good and warmed up. With the engine running and the drive in N, the fluid reads right between the "hot" marks.

So I assume I am ok.

[FalcoColumbarius]

I initially checked the dipstick when the car was not running.

Got a descent drive in today, good and warmed up. With the engine running and the drive in N, the fluid reads right between the "hot" marks.

So I assume I am ok.

Checking the engine oil dipstick and the motor needs to be off to avoid a monochrome Jackson Pollock painting in your engine compartment. To check your ATF levels, your motor must be on and your wagon parked on level ground to get an accurate measure.

Falco.