Yesterday my trans cooler line came off while going 45mph or atleast that's when it completely came off. (My fault for not re tighting it like instructions said to. Forgot) car had a hard time getting Into gear when I pulled over and wouldn't go into reverse. I added about 4qts and car drove fine enough to get me home (reverse worked).

So I've been checking the fluid and my dipstick is dry but if I add even a little it reads over full, if I go driving and comeback I get a more accurate reading (low). So basically I'm not getting a accurate reading on the dipstick if I am at idle ??? Also only one side of the dipstick is wet if I measure it at idle.

It did not do this when I first filled my trans after my rebuild. I topped it off in my driveway at idle just fine like normal.

Car is up to temp, flat surface. I'm just worried I will overfill it. Also it kinda sucks to have to drive it around just to check the dipstick after adding a little fluid at a time.

Never had this problem in any car before 🤔 did I break something? I don't have any leaks.

I feel pretty stupid.. I can rebuild a 4L60E but I can't check a dipstick 🤣 story of my life in a nutshell.

 

I assume you are referring to a 4L60e in an fbody car. On these cars the dip stick tube has a section of the tube that is almost horizonal to the ground and when adding fluid to the trans a little fluid likes to collect there and takes a while to drain into the trans. After adding fluid and then immediately inserting the dip stick the fluid that collected in the horizonal section will coat the dip stick and give a false reading. I always add fluid and then walk away for 10 or 15 minutes before rechecking.

 

Oh man 10min yeah I didn't wait that long I waited 1-3min max. But I ended up just taking for a 10min drive and letting it cool down then taking it for a drive again and rechecking. Then I added fluid and I repeated the same steps. I finally got it in the correct level.

Turns out I lost alot more trans fluid then I thought when my cooler line came off.

 

Glad you got it. Yeah, you can lose a lot of fluid fast when a cooler line comes off.

 

I might as well include the rest of the pertinent information.


First of all; very commonly the Transmission Dip-Stick incorrectly shows the "FULL mark" relative to the "actual FULL mark".
All Automatic-Transmission Dip-Sticks should have the "FULL mark" verified with the Oil-Pan removed.


As in the Image above...
Place a Straight-Edge across the Transmission Oil-Pan Rail.
Next create a mark on the Dip-Stick using a marker, where it is even with the Oil-Pan Rail.
Next remove the Dip-Stick, and measure 0.125" above the First mark.
Next make a Second mark at the 0.125" measurement.

The Second mark is going to represent the "new/ actual FULL mark".
I like to take a very small round File and create a notch in the Dip-Stick at the "new/ actual FULL mark".


The Image above shows a Dip-Stick with a notch added above the "original FULL mark".
The notch is the "new/ actual FULL mark".

Now that we have a proper "FULL mark" on the Dip-Stick...
The process of correctly reading the Dip-Stick is next.

First, as the other members have mentioned...
There must be a brief waiting period after adding ATF to the Automatic-Transmission Dip-Stick Tube.
After 10 minutes the ATF level may be checked.

The procedure for correctly reading the Dip-Stick is as follows...
Start the Engine and allow the Power-Train to come-up to operating temperature.
Place the Automatic-Transmission Gear-Selector in the Park position.
Allow the Engine to remain at an idle.
Now the ATF level may be inspected.... failure to follow this procedure, can result in inaccurate ATF level measurements.

The Image below shows a typical Dip-Stick:


The notch that was made into the Dip-Stick, now represents the "HOT FULL mark".

 

Obviously the CORRECT and ACCURATE way to check the trans fluid level is with the engine running and the trans fully warmed up.
However, you can approximately check it with the engine off and cold before startup - Typically the dipstick fluid level will be about 1 inch above the Hot/Full mark. It will be above the Full mark, because the internals and torque converter will drain ATF into the pan and raise the level.
This method is especially useful when you have no idea if there is enough ATF in the trans to safely start and drive it.
Examples would be after a fluid change or after a rebuild.
Another example would be after recovering from having a cooling line fall off.

 

Wow. this is awesome information. I'll have to check my dipstick next time I drop the pan.

Maybe a vender sells one already made? Btw I got my trans dipstick out of a V6 firebird. If I remember correctly they are the same length. 🤔 Pretty sure I measured it, been many years now so I don't remember. 😅

Btw when my line came off my engine and everything underneath got a nice bath, my engine actually looks pretty nice now. Lol.. but I was wondering would the trans fluid eat away at the rubber hoses?? Also maybe it's just me but I swear my engine feels smoother now. Maybe the trans fluid lubricated all the pullies, since all of them were soaked.🤷

 

I had talked to Dana about this years ago,he said (IIRC) to put a gasket on the case and then mark the dipstick from the top of the gasket.This will be your "FULL" line. Can you please clarify if your 2nd mark (0.125") is AWAY from the tip of the dipstick or TOWARDS the tip of the dipstick.
Thanks.