[Amkor]

I just had the ATF on my 2015 V6 changed first time by my mechanic (second round comes next week).

My mechanic poured in a bit over 3.5 bottles of DW-1.

Then I drove for an hour, stopped and turned the engine off, and carefully stuck my hand into the hot engine compartment to pull out the transmission dipstick. THE SIDE WITH THE "HOT" MARKING SHOWED THE FLUID LEVEL ABOUT 1" ABOVE THE TOP DOT, while the back of the stick showed much lower and not very distinctive...

What's going on here?!?!

 

[WiiMaster]

You have to make sure that you avoid getting excess fluid on the stick when removing it. Especially if the fluid was recently poured through it, there can be residual fluid left in the dipstick tube. This is one of the reasons why many choose to use the fill plug.

 

[BenzAccord]

I don't remember so I very well may be wrong. Most transmission fluids are supposed to be checked with the engine running. Again, I believe Honda's are supposed to be checked with the engine off. So because of that, those that aren't familiar with Honda's tend to overfill them. I have had mine overfilled a few times by about that much and no damage. I change my transmission fluid every other oil change, which is overkill. My quicky oil change place always stocks DW-1 and he's not a crook. He knows the whole procedure takes 10 mins, so he charges me $10 + whatever the retail price of 4 quarts of DW-1 is (because he doesn't save the excess from the 4th quart) Last time it he charged me $50. He says he makes enough money that way.

 

[WiiMaster]

I don't remember so I very well may be wrong. Most transmission fluids are supposed to be checked with the engine running. Again, I believe Honda's are supposed to be checked with the engine off. So because of that, those that aren't familiar with Honda's tend to overfill them. I have had mine overfilled a few times by about that much and no damage. I change my transmission fluid every other oil change, which is overkill. My quicky oil change place always stocks DW-1 and he's not a crook. He knows the whole procedure takes 10 mins, so he charges me $10 + whatever the retail price of 4 quarts of DW-1 is (because he doesn't save the excess from the 4th quart) Last time it he charged me $50. He says he makes enough money that way.

This is also true. Hondas do require the engine to be warm, but unlike most other vehicles, the engine is supposed to be off, not running. It is also supposed to be checked within 60 seconds of turning the engine off.

 

[Amkor]

You have to make sure that you avoid getting excess fluid on the stick when removing it. Especially if the fluid was recently poured through it, there can be residual fluid left in the dipstick tube. This is one of the reasons why many choose to use the fill plug.

Yes, my guy poured in the new fluid through the dipstick pipe using a funnel. But he used just a bit over 3.5 bottles.

So just wait a day or two and check the dipstick again?

 

[NailGrease]

Warm engine and transmission to operating temperature. Pop hood then turn vehicle off. Pull dipstick, wipe and reinsert (I use my right hand to avoid touching the EGR pipe). Make sure the gap in the rubber stopper is fit over the metal tab on dipstick tube. Pull dipstick out and read. The lowest reading on the stick is the true level. Yes, must be performed as quick as possible for the most accurate reading. The level should be between the dots. I prefer my Valvoline MaxLife ATF to it be at the high mark.

 

[Amkor]

[QUOTE="NailGrease, post: 6938628, my Valvoline MaxLife ATF
[/QUOTE]
Is that a DW-1?

 

[mtts60]

deleted

 

[visionguru]

Yes, my guy poured in the new fluid through the dipstick pipe using a funnel. But he used just a bit over 3.5 bottles.

So just wait a day or two and check the dipstick again?

The specs is 3.3 qts. He did overfill. Yes, you should trust the dipstick and follow Honda's procedure.

 

[Amkor]

The specs is 3.3 qts. He did overfill. Yes, you should trust the dipstick and follow Honda's procedure.

So to be accurate, next week when he does the 2nd ATF change he should pour in A BIT LESS THAN HALF OF THE 4TH BOTTLE?

 

[NailGrease]

[QUOTE="NailGrease, post: 6938628, my Valvoline MaxLife ATF

Is that a DW-1?
[/QUOTE]
I believe it’s better.

 

[NailGrease]

On ramps 3.3. On level ground 3.5 quarts. If you raise the drivers side rear, it’s 3.8.

 

[longhornaccord]

Assuming the exact amount of fluid is NOT poured into the transmission, is it better to have slightly less than the specified amount or to have slightly more than the specified amount? I believe when I changed my fluid, I put in slightly less than the required, or at least that's how it shows up on the dipstick.

 

[mtts60]

If you're between the "full" and "add" lines, you're fine.

 

[NailGrease]

Assuming the exact amount of fluid is NOT poured into the transmission, is it better to have slightly less than the specified amount or to have slightly more than the specified amount?

There is a benefit being at the full mark. ATF quality will last longer. If you go over the full mark, the ATF may not have room to expand. It can get hot, begin to foam and vent out. Low ATF has to work harder. Very low ATF on a steep grade, the pump could suck air. As said, being in the middle is good.

 

[Amkor]

There is a benefit being at the full mark. ATF quality will last longer. If you go over the full mark, the ATF may not have room to expand. It can get hot, begin to foam and vent out. Low ATF has to work harder. Very low ATF on a steep grade, the pump could suck air. As said, being in the middle is good.

As per my initial question, I still don't understand why the fluid level on the stick showed higher than the top dot on the "HOT" side, but not so on the back of the stick. What can I go with?
And, BTW, isn't it amazing that there's NOTHING about this whole issue in the car's manual book?!?! I mean, what was Honda thinking?... Especially, when we (and they) all know that — if there's anything weak, sensitive and finicky about their cars — IT'S THE TRANSMISSION...
And I also wonder, where do members here get their information from, if Honda does ignore the whole thing?...

 

[Das Chicken]

Reading dipsticks can be a bit of a fine art at times. There can be fluid on the walls of the tube and the dipstick will pick it up as higher than actual. I like to interpret the level as the lowest point at which both sides of the dipstick are fully covered. Spotty coverage is from oil on the walls. Also check quickly when you pull the dipstick, because the oil will distribute and make the real reading harder to determine.

 

[MartyV6]

This has always been a pet peeve of mine (the dipstick)

I don't know why they can't have a hashmark pattern on these dips to catch more fluid just like they do on the oil dips

 

[zstroken]

On an engine I would be cautious of overfilling it, as there is lots of turbulence in the oil bath if the rods are splashing in and out of it, therefore causing aeration of the oil. One a transmission, not so much as the gears are just running through it. Not to say that extreme overfilling in the transmission won't cause issues. I have not thoroughly looked at a cut away of this transmission. But more of a general rule of thumb.

 

[NailGrease]

As per my initial question, I still don't understand why the fluid level on the stick showed higher than the top dot on the "HOT" side, but not so on the back of the stick. What can I go with?
And, BTW, isn't it amazing that there's NOTHING about this whole issue in the car's manual book?!?! I mean, what was Honda thinking?... Especially, when we (and they) all know that — if there's anything weak, sensitive and finicky about their cars — IT'S THE TRANSMISSION...
And I also wonder, where do members here get their information from, if Honda does ignore the whole thing?...

Many comments made on forums are from experience. But it you think about it, if the tip of the dipstick is dipped in the ATF and one side of the stick has less ATF on it than the other, it can only mean the side with less is correct. The other side would have to be smeared.
IMO, Car manufacturers don’t always have your best interest as their priority. They profit by making consumers feel incapable of doing their own vehicle maintenance. Going so far as to removing the ATF dipsticks as in Honda 9 and 10-speed transmissions.