The effective operation of your car’s transmission depends on the quality of its transmission fluid. It lubricates the different metal part of the transmission in order to prevent overheating. This keeps the car running smoothly and at high capacity.
Having too much transmission fluid in your car can be a very bad thing. But unfortunately, not all car owners can tell when there is too much transmission fluid in their car.
In this article, we would be looking at how to tell if there’s too much transmission fluid in a car and what are the consequences and how to resolve them.
Overfilling Your Transmission Fluid: How to tell
There are many symptoms of an overfilled transmission to take note of. Some are quite easy to spot while others may require a little more time and effort.
If you are not sure how much transmission fluid is too much, then here are some signs to note:
Is your engine overheating?
If you have your engine running at a very high temperature, this could be a sign that there is too much transmission fluid preventing lubrication in the engine. The temperature of your engine should be between 195 degree and 220 degree.
Are there transmission fluid leaks?
Look for leaks and spills of transmission fluid underneath your car. If there is, this could be a sign of too much transmission fluid in your car. You should have a professional mechanic check and repair such leaks.
Do you have problem shifting gears?
This is a clear sign if you are driving a manual transmission. This is caused by much transmission fluid mixing with air.
Consequences of Overfilled Transmission Fluid
When you have too much of it, it begins to foam. And this can lead to poor shifting, part pitting, high temperature, and seal failure.
If it’s not discovered in time, it could eventually lead to total damage of your transmission, costing you hundreds if not thousands of dollars in repair bills.
How to resolve an overfilled Transmission Fluid
Excess transmission fluid is not good for your car. The question now is how to resolve it.
- Remove excess transmission fluid or replace it
- Follow the manufacturer’s manual when filling
- If you don’t have access to the manufacturer’s manual, drain the transmission fluid to determine the right amount needed.
- After you have filled your gearbox with transmission fluid, power up your engine to normal operating speed and check the dipstick. From there you can decide to add or remove until it is at the optimum level.
