Tranny drains only 2.5 qts?

[JohnZim63]

So I'm jazzed up about changing out my tranny oil with Amsoil synthetic 75w-90. I get under there and remove the drain bolt, and wait. And wait. And WAIT. The dang thing only drains about 2.5 qts? WTF?! Supposed to be 3.7 qts, right? So now I'm thinking the dumbass dealer didn't fill it properly. Wow, what a surprise that is. Funny thing is, it only took 2.5 qts to fill it back up again! Apparently I didn't get it all drained.

Q: Would having the car up on ramps cause it to not drain completely? After all, the dang manual SAYS to raise the front end. ???

[tan]

Kinda off-topic...but my Golf 5-speed manual transmission takes only 2 qts.

[blackshadow]

3.7 does seem kind of big. My friend's rx-7 only took 2.6, i haven't done the rex yet though so i haven't looked for the number.

[tan]

3.7 qts...according to the manual

[cnk]

Might be a stupid question, but did you pull out the dipstick to release the suction in the system? I changed my tranny oil around 8k miles and got it all out. . .did it on ramps as well.

Calvin

[whitefish]

there is a thread in the power train forum

Change To Syn Gear Oil Now!

this guy said to keep the car level when draining.

in this discussion also has a link to a really good explanation of what syn oil to use depending on your driving style.

[JohnZim63]

Originally posted by cnk
Might be a stupid question, but did you pull out the dipstick to release the suction in the system? I changed my tranny oil around 8k miles and got it all out. . .did it on ramps as well.

Calvin

Not a stupid question: I did remove the dipstick first. Maybe I should've warmed up the car first, or at least run through the gears. Could the gears hold onto an entire quart, if cold? Seems unlikely. Oh well, so I have a 75% synth/nonsynth cocktail. It won't keep me up nights.

Thanks to everyone for the responses...

[cnk]

When I changed mine, I did it after I came home from work. . .a 55 mile drive. I drove it up on ramps and let it cool while I ate dinner. . .about 30 minutes. I then took out the drain bolt and let it drain. When it looked like it was done, I took a jack to the rear diff and raised the rear up so that the car was level. When it looked like everything was drained, I replaced the drain bolt and filled it with 3.7Q. It shows up just a little below Full.

Calvin

[JohnZim63]

Originally posted by cnk
When I changed mine, I did it after I came home from work. . .a 55 mile drive. I drove it up on ramps and let it cool while I ate dinner. . .about 30 minutes. I then took out the drain bolt and let it drain. When it looked like it was done, I took a jack to the rear diff and raised the rear up so that the car was level. When it looked like everything was drained, I replaced the drain bolt and filled it with 3.7Q. It shows up just a little below Full.

Calvin

So you're saying that a little more oil drained out AFTER you raised your car's rear end? If so, that certainly clinches it: Car should be LEVEL for complete transmission drain. Wish I'd known that. No biggee.

[cnk]

Yes, the car should be level in order to drain all of it. If you look at where the drain is in relation to the entire tranny, you will notice that oil could pool up towards the rear of the tranny if you don't make the car level.

Calvin

[JohnZim63]

Originally posted by cnk
Yes, the car should be level in order to drain all of it. If you look at where the drain is in relation to the entire tranny, you will notice that oil could pool up towards the rear of the tranny if you don't make the car level.

Calvin

Yeah, now I get it.

One last question before abandoning this thread: Since I used a GL5 rated gear oil (Amsoil 75w-90 synth), I shouldn't have to worry about issues related to mixing different oil types, right?

Calvin, thanks for your awesome help! Here and elsewhere.

[cnk]

To be honest with you I would drain it and fill it back up with whichever one you want. It's usually a good idea not to mix synthetic with dino oil. It would be OK if it was just a little, but you're looking at more than 1Qt of dino oil still in the tranny with the new synthetic. I don't know if there are any ramifications of mixing the 2. . just applying the same reasoning for not mixing motor oil to tranny oil.

Calvin

[JohnZim63]

Originally posted by cnk
To be honest with you I would drain it and fill it back up with whichever one you want. It's usually a good idea not to mix synthetic with dino oil. It would be OK if it was just a little, but you're looking at more than 1Qt of dino oil still in the tranny with the new synthetic. I don't know if there are any ramifications of mixing the 2. . just applying the same reasoning for not mixing motor oil to tranny oil.

Calvin

Hmmm, I was thinking about that. So I drained out enough of the "cocktail mix" to add the last quart of synthetic. Now I should have an 80% synthetic solution; it'll have to do, as I'm not shelling out for another gallon of Amsoil 75w-90.

[with southern drawl] "And that's all I'm gonna say about that!"

[99OneLE]

you can tilt it from level to front and get almost 4 quarts out and eventually back in.
Now for the refill mixture. The Amsoil 75W90 is fine for the diffs in the tranny but it is not fine for the synchros in the tranny.
The synchros need a certain amount of friction that the Amsoil does not provide since it was designed for diffs not trannys.
I know technically it meets the GL5 spec, but if you live in an area with cold winters you will grind the 1st to 2nd shift till the tranny is completely warmed up, and even then the synchros are still wearing at an accelerated rate.
I've found that a 50/50 mixture of any synthetic 75W90 and MT90 works best.
BTW, mxing synthetic with non synthetic is a no no of the past, you can mix away freely.

[JohnZim63]

Originally posted by 99OneLE
you can tilt it from level to front and get almost 4 quarts out and eventually back in.
Now for the refill mixture. The Amsoil 75W90 is fine for the diffs in the tranny but it is not fine for the synchros in the tranny.
The synchros need a certain amount of friction that the Amsoil does not provide since it was designed for diffs not trannys.
I know technically it meets the GL5 spec, but if you live in an area with cold winters you will grind the 1st to 2nd shift till the tranny is completely warmed up, and even then the synchros are still wearing at an accelerated rate.
I've found that a 50/50 mixture of any synthetic 75W90 and MT90 works best.
BTW, mxing synthetic with non synthetic is a no no of the past, you can mix away freely.

So you're saying basically that I'm better off having mixed the fluids, than with pure synth GL-5. Shweeet. Thanks for all the help, guys!

Lastly: I noticed that with the (mostly) synthetic tranny fluid, it measures the same level hot as it does when cold. WTF??