Yonco

Hey, i just got my car put back together and took it for its first few road tests. I noticed the tranny in D was not starting in 1st gear, it was starting in second. And, if i put the ratchet down while cruising, it would shift from 3rd to second and ud feel it catch, but move it from 2 to first and it wont go shift into first. When i was filling up the Trans, my shop manual said a TOTAL of 7 quarts, by the time i hit 5, it was already over the fill mark by a bunch. My trans was drained with the pan off, so i know it was dry/empty.

Was this 7 counting the Torque converter?
Is 7 even quarts correct?
Could it not be shifting into first because of to much fluid?
Is there a way to drain fluid w/o dropping the pan again?

Thanks for the help -Jon

JMD

Honestly, i dont know a lot about c-4s but I think it is unlikely that the trans will not shift into low due to there being too much fluid in it. I think the big issue with too much fluid, is the possibility of overheating the trans and / or the transmission expelling excess / overheted fluid from the breather.

I would think that 7 quarts would be right if the converter was empty as well as the pan. For getting fluid out of the trans some aftermarket pans are equiped with plugs, of course this is no help to you now. I have seen pumps in some of the autozone type stores where you can stick a tube down the dipstick tube and pump out the fluid by using a drill (hooked to the kit of course).

ZZmustang

I

dano670

I have overfilled my tranny fluid in my C4, and i really didn't notice a problem. When I put my car indrive(white circle) in the first detent is starts out in second gear. When I put it in the second detent of drive (Green circle) it starts out in first.

Yonco

Just for reference, my car has a B&M Ratchet shifter installed by the PR. Also, all of the vacum lines are off of the trans and from pictures, its missing a part on the right side of the trans where it connects. Ive heard somewhere, but this may be an automatic valve body( not sure of the name) but helps with shifting??? The PR did more than i knew when i bought it and so far hasnt been to bad. WITH the shifting problem, i adjustedthe linkage, so itt put the car more into 1st gear. Now when i downshift from 2-1 it clicks and goes intothe first spot. When i drive i DEFFINATLY feel it go from 3 - 2 -1 and the car is more responsive. The trans still doesnt start in 1st from what i "feel" but that may because of no kickdown rod hooked up yet( i put the holley on that doesnt have it, because the one w/ it isnt running right[:@]) -Jon

my77stang

exactly what i was going to say before i read the above posts. did you ever drive on this tranny before to verify it wasnt fragged? could have wiped out clutches, but by manually shifting into 1st i would think you should get there without a problem. my understanding was that the higher gears were the troublesome ones when the tranny is on deaths door (but my tranny knowledge is fairly limited - i know too much HP will destroy your planetary gear LOL which i learned from experience)

kalli

too much fluid (above max) causes high pressure. will destroy gaskets and seals. no matter if diff, engine or tranny.
So if possible get out whatever is too much in it. with a hose and a syringe if you have to ;-)

kalli

Soaring

Obviously, your converter was still full. It holds about 5 quarts. Your tranny pan holds about 5 as well, so you have about 2 quarts too much fluid in the system now. Drain off a few quarts and see how she runs.

orion

You can drain any excess from the converter . At the front of your tranny bell housing there is a small plate at the very bottom. Remove this and turn the motor until you can see the drain plug on the converter. Drain out what you need, the converter itself will refill from the tranny.

beachbum66

You know what gets me most about my mustang. The shift pattern. P-R-N-D2-D-D1 Who came up with that genius idea? I remember when i first drove mine i was wondering why it wouldn't start in 1st gear in drive. Then I took a closer look at the pattern. DOH.