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Hi all, on my 67 Cutlass, I've been seeing ATF on the ground when parked. Usually end up seeing it most after coming back from a long drive. Decided to check the level and below pic is what I have. Is this overfilled- I take it it is heh?
I wiped the dipstick clean after this pic and had a similar result. The car has been sitting a good week at least.
I also notice, maybe related or not- when accelerating from a stop it takes a second or 2 before I want to say things "catch" and the car starts moving. No unusual sounds or anything that noticeable that way.
Yeah, it's overfilled. As Eric eluded ATF level is checked w/ engine/transmission at normal operating temperature, car on level surface w/ engine running. Noticing the transmission hesitate/slip from stopped position is also a classic sign of an overfilled condition.
Bottom-line: Eliminate the overfilled condition. Since we're guessing why the transmission is overfilled you have two options:
(1) With a handheld manual pump & hose inserted into the transmission fill tube, suck/withdraw (vacuum) ATF until you achieve the appropriate level; or,
(2) Drop the transmission oil pan cover, collect & re-use the ATF fluid (or start w/ fresh ATF), install a new transmission oil pan cover seal, re-install oil pan cover & follow the procedure exactly as described in the 1967 Oldsmobile Chassis Service Manual (CSM).
NOTE: You can't remove all the ATF since the torque converter retains ATF (you can't drain the torque converter). Therefore, when examining ATF quantity as outlined in the fluid levels of the 1967 Oldsmobile CSM, be mindful if you're considering/thinking about how ATF fluid quantities might appear to not make sense, you can only change fluid which resides outside the torque converter. Just keep this in mind. At the end of the day, car on flat level surface, engine/transmission at normal operating temperature & measured w/ engine running.
I do love transmission drain plugs. Wish they'd installed them factory.
If you do pull the pan, best thing to do is get a large rubbermade under bed tote and put it under the trans. Drain everything into it and let it do this for a day. Service the trans, button it up, and pour all that ATF into empty quart bottles or a gallon jug to know how much to put back in. Note: do not put that amount back in. Put like 2/3rds of that amount it, and inch your way up via checking on the dipstick.
As I recall, a TH with a filled TC will drain 7 quarts ATF into a pan.
That level is the "engine off" level. You can, once sure of the fill volume when hot and running and level and in park, scribe a line at that level to know you are about right when the engine is off.
Apparently some models had a drain plug. My car has a pan with one that a fellow gearhead gave me back in the 80s.
We had made a drain on my original pan by drilling a hole and welding a nut over the hole, then during a trans rebuild he got that pan and I got a nicer one.
The early TH350s had a drain plug from the factory. Then the first wave of bean counter cost cutting happened, they eliminated the plug but kept the stamped area where the plug went. Then later that was eliminated as well.
To answer one of the OP questions, that is showing way overfilled. Pretty sure the procedure for checking fluid level is stamped on the dipstick. Engine/trans at operating temp, engine idling with the transmission in park.
The early TH350s had a drain plug from the factory. Then the first wave of bean counter cost cutting happened, they eliminated the plug but kept the stamped area where the plug went. Then later that was eliminated as well.
To answer one of the OP questions, that is showing way overfilled. Pretty sure the procedure for checking fluid level is stamped on the dipstick. Engine/trans at operating temp, engine idling with the transmission in park.
Yes, the one 350 I own in a 72 Chevy has a drain plug. It's huge, too, like 1 1/8.
Well thanks for all the info here... I have a pic of it now when the car was running / warmed up. Went through the gears and back to park and looked at the dipstick. Thinking as others mentioned it is overfilled for sure?
No unusual sounds or anything that noticeable that way.
