Jatco automatic gearbox - quick question

[ROVERX501]

Originally Posted by simon8805

Following a couple of minor slips whilst changing through the gears I have decided to go through a full ATF flush on my 51 plate CDT 2.0.

I have studied much on the forum regarding the do's and dont's.

I am a confident hands on kindof guy, so I started the process tonite.

Warmed up the car, up on jacks, engine cover off, located the required fill, level and drain plugs, no problem.

As the car is new to me I thought I would take a peek at the ATF level first, and cracked opened up the 5mm hex level plug, I expected a dribble at most.

To my surprise 2 liters of ATF flowed from the level plug!!

The car is level (or as near as damn it)

WHY would 2 liters of ATF come out through the level plug?

My instinct tells me the gearbox has been overfilled, but 2 liters!

So thats the first question.

Secondly the ATF that came out was VERY metalic looking, slightly scorched smell to it and darkbrown, I guess this is about right.

The car has done exactly 100000 miles.

There are markings on the drainplug and filler plug that would indicate that the gearbox has gone through some kind of 'process' before.

Finally there was discussions about the location of the filler plug, mine was easily visable and I put my finger on it in 5 seconds of opening the bonnet, I take it there are no other fill inlets around the gear box area, what I found was quite small probably no more than 5mm. Put definatly a plug with a number of fixed o ringtype washers embedded.

Any comments would be helpfull.

Thanks

Simon

Primary concern is the 2 liters out of the filler plug?

Well I am going to have a go at this job soon, I do feel for you as something seems have gone a miss possibly doing the procedure, but if you have had slipping symptoms lately perhaps it is all to do with that, A thought though, you say you have been to the car today and opened the 5mm plug again, and stopped becuase you were just draining "new Fluid", seen as the oil was brown looking you would have thought it would still have the brownish colour, new mixed with old, but if just clean drained out, something aint right there maybe.

I really hope you get it away.

[simon8805]

Originally Posted by rover54

The only thing I can think of is that somehow oil is draining back from the torque converter into the gearbox and increasing the oil level, hence you can drain out anothor litre of oil, this could account for no drive as the torque converter is not full of oil. Maybe the gearbox oil pump is defective and instead of pumping oil into the torque converter when the engine is running, the torque converter is pumping the oil out of itself back to the gearbox.

If when you first filled the box no oil came out of the filler plug, then extra oil can only come from the torque converter, about 3.5 litres.

I base this on simple logic, if the box is not being filled externally, the any extra oil must be coming from some internal source, i.e the torque converter, as it is the part of the system that has that much oil.

I expect to be given a list of fault codes tomorrow, then I will know what I am facing, all sounds quite life threatening for the car, if the gearbox has to come out it off to the breakers.

Originally Posted by ROVERX501

Well I am going to have a go at this job soon, I do feel for you as something seems have gone a miss possibly doing the procedure, but if you have had slipping symptoms lately perhaps it is all to do with that, A thought though, you say you have been to the car today and opened the 5mm plug again, and stopped becuase you were just draining "new Fluid", seen as the oil was brown looking you would have thought it would still have the brownish colour, new mixed with old, but if just clean drained out, something aint right there maybe.

I really hope you get it away.

Thats a good point, since the first drain with the brown ATF everything that has came out since looks red, odd indeed, tomorrow will tell all, I will let you know the outcome.

Right now I am wishing I had taken it to a local fixer.

Either way I think this fault might be terminal for the gerbox and therefore the car

Thanks for your good will, now back in my landrover (twice as many miles) and still going strong.......

[lovema75]

Well I've done mine tonight with similar strange results!

Took car for a run to get oil hot, got it level and cracked the drain plug - but only about 2.5 ltrs of hot oil came out, not the 4.5 expected. Ok I thought, my fluid must have been way under the level.

So I then fill up using the whole 5 ltrs I had bought, thinking that this would bring up the level, and the excess would drain off via the level plug. Start engine, slowly select each position several times, go for short drive for though mixing, and back on the level for fluid level drain.

On removing the level plug...a torrent of fluid came out (mostly it seemed the expensive new stuff just put in - grrr!) instead of the expected trickle. Boiling hot, overwhelming my funnel and container, running all over the car park... It went on for ages and totalled I guess about 2.5 ltrs!

So now I really don't know how much is in it. assuming it has what it wants! The car is definately level. I've taken it for a 40 mile drive and it seems fine, a little less jolt when engaging drive perhaps, but otherwise as before, perhaps smoother changes although they weren't too bad before.

Happily it must be said that the fluid that came out wasnt absolutely black and filthy.

So that's my rather confusing attempt to change the gearbox fluid!

[sworks]

post 20 2.5 lts is about right

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by simon8805

... all sounds quite life threatening for the car ...

It won't be. Automatic transmissions are more resilient than you might think. Your garage will probably tell you that you need a new gearbox though.

Originally Posted by simon8805

... since the first drain with the brown ATF everything that has came out since looks red ...

That's a good sign.

Right now I am wishing I had taken it to a local fixer.

Transmission faults are best dealt with by specialists.

I think this fault might be terminal for the gerbox and therefore the car

In financial terms maybe, but not technically speaking.

When you get the garage's report, don't make any quick decisions. Gather views and experience from this forum and think about it for a bit.

Simon.

[chrissyboy]

i wouldnt waste any more money on the fluid ,it is clear the box is at fault .you had slipping before ,now you have no drive ,the level was nothing to do with the slipping as the lower the level the longer it takes to change gear ,and a thump when selecting drive ..you need to get car to specialist to check the box .

[rover54]

Originally Posted by SD1too

It won't be. Automatic transmissions are more resilient than you might think. Your garage will probably tell you that you need a new gearbox though.


That's a good sign.

Transmission faults are best dealt with by specialists.

In financial terms maybe, but not technically speaking.

When you get the garage's report, don't make any quick decisions. Gather views and experience from this forum and think about it for a bit.

Simon.

Spot on advice.

[SD1too]

Thank you Ed, most kind.

Simon.

[rover54]

Originally Posted by SD1too

Thank you Ed, most kind.

Simon.

Never panic when you have a problem, it will cost you money. Always think it through, seek advice from people who you know and trust. Seen too many components changed when there has been nothing wrong with them, just because somebody thinks they know best.

[Goliath]

Just a possibility - see thread for my autobox problems, solution was a bit time consuming though...
http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...hlight=autobox