Need to top off my transmission fluid '02...

[HollywoodJackson]

Just replaced my radiator, and leaked about 1-2 quartz of transmission fluid. I've read a few posts (dated back to 2009) regarding the fluid types. SO... I went to the dealership yesterday to see if I could purchase the dip stick from them and price the fluid.

The parts tech gave me the (No No) look, like he doesn't approve of me refilling my own transmission. I guess in their opinion you need a NASA approved course in the procedure! They won't sell the dip stick anyway. And the fluid he priced at $10-11 per quart.

The parts tech told me the car came with Matic J (OEM), however now they are using Matic S. I have no way of knowing if the transmission is using J or S currently. He did tell me, once you go to S, you can't go back to J. I knew right away what he meant... NO MIXING!

I don't mind purchasing enough quarts to go all S if I have to. How will I get all of the fluid out of there though. I believe I read draining from the pan, only empties the pan.

Any solid guidance here will be greatly appreciated.

All the best,
~HollywoodJackson~

[EdBwoy]

Hmm, my maintenance strategies are usually a little renegade, so take everything with a grain of salt.

I see no problem mixing the fluid. If J was good a decade ago, then S is currently approved for the same transmission, why not use it. It is impossible to completely drain the transmission short of disassembly and turning the torque converter over.

The best compromise is solution by dilution.
1. Buy enough to keep draining and refilling; the fluid in other parts will eventually make it to the pan. But that does get old pretty quick.
2. So you could do a gentle flush - basically a low pressure feeding of new fluid through the cooler outlet line until the liquid coming out of the cooler inlet (trans outlet) line is almost the same as the fluid going in. This works best for flushing dirty fluid, no idea if you could taste the difference between clean Matic J and S.
Shops have machines that take some of the guesswork out of it.

Also, I personally struggle with reading Nissan trans dipsticks. The whole stick looks wet, so after my engine/trans job I paid a dealership to check that the level of my *GASP* Valvoline Transmax was ok. They use consult to gauge that, and they used a little bit from the jug I provided to top it off.
It was a lucky guess since I collected the old stuff & guesstimated what needed to go back in. It's tough to measure it once it's a 2-foot radius patch on your garage floor,

Anyway, what happened to your dipstick?

[HollywoodJackson]

it doesn't come with a dipstick, from what I've researched. There's a weird cover over what looks like the charging pipe to refill the transmission with fluid. The cover has a nut holding it down. Could there be a dipstick under that cover? I just purchased s dipstick from Infiniti Parts web site...

Yeah my fluid was a patch on the garage floor...

I will add Matic S to top off once the dipstick arrives. And probably just keep draining 2-3 quarts per month an replace with Matic S. On Infiniti parts web site I see these trannies can cost $10k!!!

[EdBwoy]

An 02 should have a dipstick, take that 10mm bolt off and pull it up. It does look like a rubber/plastic bung more than the traditional orange-brown knobs.

Edit: you're looking on the passenger/right side behind the engine, correct?
Post some pictures if you're in a position to. I'd love to confirm, as I have an 03 m45.

[HollywoodJackson]

I will post a pic shortly. I'm pretty sure that's it. Passenger side, pipe goes right down to the transmission. Looks like a cap with a bolt on the side of it...

[Q451990]

Sounds like our G35... If so there's a dipstick under that cover.

[HollywoodJackson]

There is just the cover with the rubber plug inside it and looks like a dipstick that looks approx 1/4" long...