For years I always check my auto tranny fluid weekly - same parking spot and always first thing in the morning.
When checked first thing in the morning without starting the car the fluid is way up the dipstick but always at the same position. When then checking as per the manual with the engine running it is always filled to the correct level.
Last week it was different. A cold first morning check revealed only a couple of mm of fluid on the bottom of the dip stick. When checked with the engine running the level was well below the low level mark.
The next morning without driving the car in the interim the checks revealed the fluid had reverted to the levels I have come to expect.
I checked in with a mate and his 1993 hard dash LSE has done the same thing to him. Aka - Erratic readings which he took to be normal but it is a new phenomenon to me.
My question is - Why does the fluid appear to have temporarily disappeared?
How cold was that morning? - Remember, trans fluid expands/contracts quite a lot, compared to other liquids.
Or, you may have an internal air leak, so that fluid is being blocked from totally draining back, and lifting the measured height to NORMAL range.
A running engine does not mean "HOT" as specified . It needs to be at operating temperature for long enough, and for the transmission to also be around 'normal' range. A freezing cold day will make this even more obvious.
Other than that, I suspect the little elves from the Black Forrest are out to getcha !
I've had the Rangie for over 10 years and with temperatures ranging from several degrees sub zero [house taps don't work] to mid 40s the fluid level has been totally consistent the whole time.
The 'low' visual levels incident was now two weeks ago and since then the levels on the tranny dipstick have displayed as they should. The car is at the Rangie mechanics workshop and has been since the odd reading was seen and he is checking it daily. All is normal.
So - it seems logical that your elves are hexing me Superquad. Where is Dumbledore when you need him?
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