QUICK - Filling transmission fluid from shifter

[toddnappi]

I'm installing my new "short" shifter today. Should I be able to see fluid when looking down where the actual shifter goes? How high should it be? Can I just run out and get some fluid and put it in there right now? Thanks, Todd

[Mikes14240sx]

with the car level drain the fluid form the transmission. Also remove the refill plug on the driver's side of the transmission. Once its fully drained put the drain plug back and fill the transmission with fluid from the shifter hole inside the car until you hear it start to run out the refill hole on the side of the transmission. Then put the refill plug back and your done.

The car must be level when draining and refilling or it won't drain completely and you well over fill the transmission. The proper fluid level is when its level with the refill hole. Its about 2.5 liter but when i did mine i just put all 3 liters in and let the extra run out the refill hole.

[AceInHole]

Originally posted by toddnappi
I'm installing my new "short" shifter today. Should I be able to see fluid when looking down where the actual shifter goes? How high should it be? Can I just run out and get some fluid and put it in there right now? Thanks, Todd

no, you can't see the fluid level through the shifter hole. you need to remove the tranny fill plug in order to check the level, and even then you're supposed to just feel it with your finger or fill it untill it flows out of that hole.

[nrcooled]

Also don't forget that tranny flud is pretty thick so if it starts to come out of teh fill hole give it a second to settle then try to put in more. If it still just comes straight out then your good to go;)

[sykikchimp]

TNORD used to run 3 liters in his tranny as a suggestion from a nissan mechanic friend he had. something to do with possibly helping smooth out the rough 3rd gear Synchro some people have... I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing to have a bit too much fluid. Just make sure you drain out ALL the fluid.


also remember this is all for MANUAL transmissions ONLY. Automatics are a good bit difference.

[andrave]

mine damn filler hole won't come open... any advice?
its jammed, I just put it a couple bottler of fluid and it shifts fine so I left it at that....

[Legacy]

Mine wouldn't come off either... but I just decided to measure up the fluid and fill up the tranny through the shifter.

[andrave]

so how much did you use? I couldn't find the specs anywhere for the capacity.

[sykikchimp]

http://charles.sykikchimp.org/quickref.html

2.4 liters

[andrave]

thanks

[d240t2]

I know a few people who put a pint of ATF in the tranny to help smooth out shifting as well.

Dennis

[andrave]

a mechanic once told me to never put ATF into anything but an automatic tranny. Made sense to me at the time.

[knightrider]

what about your power steering that uses atf fluid? are you saying that nissan is pullin your leg when they want ya to use atf?

[Thurazor]

One thing you may want to consider doing is making a cleanup first. Fill it up again and drive around for about 50 miles, then drain it out. Since this is only a cleanup, you can use a less expensive fluid, even 10w30 would work. A good fluid to use is something called Pennzoil Synchroshift. It should be available at AutoZone. Or you could go to your local GM dealer and buy GM Synchromesh, which is the same thing, but a bit more expensive.

[andrave]

my power steering takes power steering fluid, so I can't say I'm too familiar with that.
I asked a mechanic and he told me not to put atf in a manual tranny.

[uiuc240]

No it doesn't. Nissan power steering systems take Automatic Transmission Fluid. Look it up dammit! You've been spewing bad info all over the place in the last day or so. WTF?

Eric

[andrave]

spewing bad info?
why you wanna hate? I think its good info. If you don't, ****, youre entitled to your own opinions. Its just an internet forum. Chill OUT.

[uiuc240]

I'm not hating.

I'm just laying the smack down and setting the story straight.

You flat-out told him that PS fluid was for the PS system, and in Nissans (and many other cars) that's not true. It was designed for ATF.

No hate. Just truth. Nuff said.

Eric

[andrave]

I am mad at you now. I looked it up and you are right. passhhh.
anyway, a mechanic really did tell me not to put ATF in an manual transmission. I had my escort and it was losing the synchros and a guy told me to put atf in it and I took it to the shop where they fixed the syncrhos and they guy said don't do that, its not good for it.

[adey]

So what kind of ATF do you guys recommend for my PS, and how on earth do you drain your PS lines?? :D

[kanekz]

Originally posted by adey
So what kind of ATF do you guys recommend for my PS, and how on earth do you drain your PS lines?? :D

You know what, I was thinking the same thing. My car makes a really winding sound....which seems to be stemming from a PS problem. I saw someone on the boards once with the same problem, i think someone told him something about some kinda idle problem. I dont know, but I would like to flush and refill.

I just changed my Tranny fluid. I dont know anything about that Pennzoil Synchroshift but I used Redline MT-90. As for the drain and fill holes to come off, its on their pretty tight. Go get yourself a breaker bar, or I just use the bar from the floor jack! :D

[andrave]

my dad had this fixed right hand drive socket style wrench and I fit it over the filler plug and actually jacked the jack to use the car's own weight as leverage. The filler plug didn't move. I don't know whats going on with it. If I had lift I'd use a bigger breaker bar but I don't have access to one.
:-(

[sykikchimp]

quickest way to make a bigger braker bar is to add a pipe on the handle.

how come you can't fit a longer bar under there?

[andrave]

with the car on jackstands there isn't much room... and because of the style of wrench that I have a pipe won't fit over it snugly.

[kanekz]

Originally posted by andrave
with the car on jackstands there isn't much room... and because of the style of wrench that I have a pipe won't fit over it snugly.

You might want to consider investing in a floor jack then. Not just for this problem, but for all you maitenance needs and just to work on the car in the future.

[240meowth]

Originally posted by andrave
a mechanic once told me to never put ATF into anything but an automatic tranny. Made sense to me at the time.


actually, it is not always true. This hit my by surprise as well, my friend's bmw e36 m3 actually uses ATF as it's tranny fluid. and yes, he has a manual.

[andrave]

I have three already. How did you think I got it up on jackstands?