bmarcinczyk14

So I recently purchased a 2007 Civic EX coupe with 83k miles and I'm currently in the process of changing the automatic tranny fluid 4 times to get all the old stuff out. I ended up filling it up with about 2.6 quarts the 1st time and 2.7 the second time because that's what I measured coming out. I noticed that depending how the dip stick is facing when you insert it it gives a different reading. Having the dipstick placed in this position I get a reading right at the top line every time I insert it, as can be seen with the pictures...





But inserting the dipstick in this position it sometimes comes out way above the limit, with the level literally touching the "T" in the "HOT". It's hard to see how far it's over on this pic, but it is touching the "T".





Sometimes though it does come out the same way as with the other position, reading right at the top line. Which level should I trust? Should I go by the lowest and most common reading, or the overfilled reading it sometimes shows on the certain positions? I am doing all readings on a level ground as well.

ezone

Check it with the engine off, and between a minute and 90 seconds of turning the engine off.
Your owners manual should tell you how to do this. Page 230.
From your manual:
Check the fluid level with the engine
at normal operating temperature.

Park the vehicle on level ground.
Start the engine and let it run until
the radiator fan comes on, then
shut off the engine. For accurate
results, wait about 60 seconds
before going to step 2, but don%u2019t
wait longer than 90 seconds.




If the engine is running it splashes the fluid around.
If you don't wait a minute, there's still a lot of fluid dripping inside.

The stick is supposed to measure the puddle at the bottom, not the fluid dripping off the sides.

When you insert the stick one direction. you can brush against the surfaces inside (look down in the hole- you should see what I'm talking about) and that can give misleading readings, depending on which side touches.
Turn it whichever way you need to so it doesn't do that.

I always go by the lowest fluid reading I can find after the stick has been fully inserted. Not the highest.

If the fluid is cold, don't fill it to the top of the dipstick because it will be overfull once the fluid is hot.


OTOH, I frequently see these where someone has just dumped the entire 3 quarts in. No issues really ever noticed.


HTH

bmarcinczyk14

Thanks for the quick reply! I did my check with the engine off and waited a couple minutes. I'm hoping that high reading I'm getting every once in awhile is just some fluid dripping down. So the lowest reading is usually the more accurate one? If that's the case than I should be right on the high line. And this is with the engine being hot. So I guess I can continue with the next 2 changes w/o having to adjust the level, may put like .3 quarts less just to keep it closer to the middle reading. That's crazy according to the manual you only have a 30 second window to accurately check the fluid? You almost need a stop watch so you can check it right at the minute point lol. Wonder why after 90 seconds the dip stick is no longer accurate?

ezone

I was just stumbling through the neighborhood.


Um, feel the ATF when you pull the stick out. Engine temp comes up long before trans temp comes up.

After you think you have the fluid level right, check the ATF again after a 20-30 minute drive on the highway. THAT should get the fluid all warmed up for sure.

If you are just doing the flush procedures, and aren't going to leave the fluid in for days, the exactness of the fluid level won't matter much since you will just drain it back out again real soon.

Final fill/service levels will matter the most IMO.

Yes. Think about it.
You only want to know the level of the fluid at the bottom of the trans.
The lowest complete coverage of the stick will be that.
Drips from above and brushing the sides gives false readings, so ignore what would be splashes on the stick. Splashes usually won't completely cover the stick.


Not crazy, it's just how Honda does theirs, been that way for decades. (Theirs is about the ONLY automatic transmissions I can think of that states specifically to check fluid with the engine off.)
Gives plenty of time to open the hood and find a towel and check the engine oil before checking the trans.
Times are approximate, not Gospel.

The time is roughly somewhere after the fluid stops moving around inside the trans, and before fluid can begin to drain out of the torque converter. This can happen if you wait too long.

(In fact, this happens pretty dang quickly in the brand new CVTs they put in the 2013+ Accords.)


HTH

bmarcinczyk14

I'm pretty sure the fluid was hot since I changed it right after my 40 mile drive back from work. As far as the false readings caused from dripping, I know how that usually looks on a dipstick, filling only partial areas on the stick and scattered all over. With this overfilled reading i get sometimes on the trans, its completely filled in and looks pretty legitimate. That's why I was kind of worried.

ezone

You didn't say that before, but Ok, keep in mind that everything is cooling down the entire time you are working, then you add almost 3 quarts of (relatively) cold fluid. It's no longer at full operating temp (~180*F), so recheck it later when it is.
At the final fill.
If you are really concerned with getting it exact to the top mark.
Just sayin.
(I try hard to compensate for all these variables at work, simply because I know I will not see the car again to check it later, and I don't have all the time in the world to warm it up or drive it 30 minutes. At some point I just have to decide it's "good enough" and let it go.)

I will wipe and recheck the dipstick a dozen times if I need to, until I get a consistent reading, and use that.
.......Engine or trans, whatever I'm working with.

HTH

bmarcinczyk14

Is there a possibility that putting the dipstick in one position is allowing the stick to get deeper into the fluid showing a overfilled reading (maybe some kind of bend in the stick?) as opposed to the other position, not dipping as much into the fluid? Before I did the second flush, I double checked the level with the fluid hot and it was exactly at the top line. After the second drain I double checked it again before even starting the vehicle, and it was basically the same position. After I took the car around the block and pulled it back in, I checked it once more about 1 minute after shutting it off and kinda freaked out because it was showing way over the top line. I wiped it, put it back in for another readiing and it showing the level right on the top line like it always had shown me. I kept checking the level after that just to make sure and while it mostly comes out with the normal reading, it would still show me overfilled after about ever 2 or 3 readings I checked. But I'll go with your recommendation and judge it by the lowest reading.

ezone

Logically, no.
The stick is perfectly straight, right?
And the rubber ring limits how far you can push it in the hole. (And I'm assuming you do push the stick in until the ring is seated for the checks.)
The stick is positioned directly above the pool of liquid that is to be measured, so no angle factors come into play if you push the stick around, it can't raise the indicated level on the gauge.

The only other influencing factors (in my mind) are going to be the position you hold the stick in, and fluid movement/drips/runoff inside the trans.

Did you look down inside the dipstick hole to see all the "other" surfaces the stick could possibly make contact with?



Lunch is over, gotta run.
HTH