Transmission wont hold over 6 quarts of fluid,please help!

[SUB ZERO CAR FANATIC]

I finally got my Qcranked for the few of you that have been following along with my progress on my 93 Q45. Just installed refreshed engine(low mileage japan motor,installed new chains, guides, etc. .Bought a rebuilt transmission from local shop in Fairbanks,got motor and transmission installed, cranked for the first time today....she fired right up!I only have about 6 quarts of transmission fluid in, just been adding a little at a time,its been slow taking it. So i cranked it let it run just a few minutes, not even long enough for thermostat to open up yet, shut it off checked fluid and soon as i started pulling dipstick out transmission fluid come flowing out of fill tube like there is too much or something. I know there is not because i only put in 6 quarts.Seemed like thats all it would hold so i figured id crank it let it warm up and put the rest in but its flowing over soon as i pull dipstick out, why???? Usually you fill your transmission up crank it let it reach temp then check and ad as needed, right! doesnt the Q hold almost 12 quarts! Even if the rebuilder added fluid,i drained pan because it wouldnt hold over 4 quarts the first try,when i drained it i got out exactly what i put in, 4 quarts!So i started adding fluid after putting drain plug in and got 6 quarts in,cranked and ran motor and checked and thats when it flowed over.Should i let it run longer and then try to add more fluid while its running???? i wasnt sure where transmission lines went, Brian here on NICO(MAXNIX) I believe. Told me that line coming out of passenger side of transmission was output line and line on drivers side of transmission was return line.He said he believed output line (pass. side of transmission) went to both top lines on radiator and return line(drivers side of transmission) went to both bottom lines on radiator. Is this correct?? He wasnt quite sure i think.Should i try putting transmission in gear backing up and going foward to see if fluid level in fill tube goes down? There was no fluid left in radiator because i had it taken out cleaned, and flushed, so the system should hold all 11 . something quarts like FSM says. could the lines be wrong, im lost on what to do to get fluid to go down. please help soon as possible!

thanks SUBZERO

[3Q Jay]

torq converter holds a lot. so, if you didn't drain the tc, then it's not going to take more than 6ish to fill.will it go into gear?

[superuber]

your right, the tq holds a lot. My transmission held 11 qts. Either you overfilled or your tube is plugged. Why it could be plugged, who knows? Try running it.

[qship96]

Wow,you totally screwed the amount of fluid in the transmission.I would start to cure this by doing the following

1.remove drain plug and let transmission drain into a drainpan for about 1/2 hour,then reinstall drainplug2. put 3 quarts of fresh,new ATF in transmission thru dipstick tube3. Start engine,drive around for 10 minutes or so to totally warm up transmission and fluid4 park car on level ground,keep engine running in park,remove dipstick and wipe off,reinsert dipstick,then remove dipstick and read fluid level-adjust as needed-should be within 1/2 quart range of being correct if you follow above procedure EXACTLY

[SUB ZERO CAR FANATIC]

Torque converter only holds 3 quarts, before i installed transmission i put fluid in torque converter,i would say it has 2 1/2 quarts in it. so that leaves about9 1/2 quarts left that should go in, im not even close to that!

[SUB ZERO CAR FANATIC]

How do you figure i screwed up! iput a total of 4 quarts the first time,counting the 2 1/2 quarts in TORQUE CONVERTER that makes a total of6 1/2 quarts, that leaves it about 5 quarts shy of what its supposed to hold! The first time i put in 4 quarts,thats all i could get it to hold,i ran it just a few minutes turned it off, still full so i drained transmission pan and started over. I managed to get in 6 quarts this time after a few starts and running it a couple minutes each time, so thats where im at now, its got a grand total of about 8 1/2 quarts. Why is it over-flowing after i kill the car to check level!! i didnt run it but about 5 minutes probably. Maybe i need to run it longer and drive around block and then check. and whoevert asked , yes it will shift into gear. could the lines be incorrect, no one commented on the lines!!! thanks for all help eve

[qship96]

How do you know how much fluid the rebuilder/installer put in before you started adding yourself?

[SUB ZERO CAR FANATIC]

To be honest with you i dont really know how much if any he put in. i wouldnt think its very much,i dont know how much rebuilders put in a transmission after a fresh re-build!? I installed the transmission myself after putting my motor back together i bolted transmission and motor together and installed as a unit, i couldnt lower beneath like you should! Didnt have the means to do it that way. ANYWAY, i drained transmission so it shouldnt matter what he put in if any,unless some stays inside of transmission when you drain it by the drain plug. i appreciate the input qship96 have a good eve.

[qship96]

Just a thought for you..... in a properly filled q45 transmission, draining the atf by removing the drain bolt will only remove 3-3.5 quarts of the 11 total in the system

[3Q Jay]

as for the lines, they only go on the case 1 way without some major kludging.i doubt that's an issue, but look for kinks that could be obstucting the output.

since it goes into gear, then it sounds like the pump is pumping. you don't want it belching out the fill tube due to smoke, risk of fire.

so i'd drain the pan, put in 4, and carefully check the level and drive it.keep checking frequently.

[maxnix]

Bought a rebuilt transmission from local shop in Fairbanks,

Oooops! Long term reliability impaired. Didn't they fill it for you with Nissanmatic or or M1? Just don't understand, I guess.

[SUB ZERO CAR FANATIC]

Brian, i dont know what they put in the transmission when they built it,i said that!! This is my first foriegn car,and the Q is unique and different,so its a learning experience for me but i enjoy it and im willing to learn,i guess you just have to take a little criticiszm on the way

[Haitian_King]

Wow. I'm glad to see the progress you've made.

You're right about criticism, but there's a difference between someone giving you advice, and giving you ****.

Don't let it get to you. I doubt anyone was a goddamn expert on their first Q that quickly.

I remember reading that moving the shifter through all gear positions will also help dislodge some fluid.

[Q45tech]

FSM is specific that transmission holds 9 -1/8 US quarts however they are not including lines nor heat exchanger. We buy 10 quarts [or 14 with BG machine].

Nissan replacement trannies come full and you add 1/2 to 3/4quart to eventually get perfect with dry lines and cooler [use air to blow out old ATF before new transmission] or BG machine with old AT.

[SUB ZERO CAR FANATIC]

Thanks alot DENNIS, i really appreciate the input, as far as the lines go they are empty,the whole system was drained,lines were taken off and cleaned good and flushed with cleaning solution rinsed well and dried out,so there is no fluid in lines or radiator. did you see what i said about the line location! is that posistion i have them in correct? could that effect the level or fluid going in? thanks

SUBZEROCARFANATIC

[Q45tech]

After 18 years of Q ownership I know I cannot remember everything so before engaging my mouth [fingers].

I always spend 15 minutes researching every post many times I'll edit 3-4 times and sometimes spend hours agonizing over a reply and finally delete it entirely before it's ever posted!

Sometimes this 15 minutes turns into an hour. I have a special separate computer that just stores automobile files for reference and of course a bookcase full of FSM and TSB.

And still I make mistakes and post inaccurate info. The difference is I review my posts frequently and edit to correct them.

[qship96]

Thanks alot DENNIS, i really appreciate the input, as far as the lines go they are empty,the whole system was drained,lines were taken off and cleaned good and flushed with cleaning solution rinsed well and dried out,so there is no fluid in lines or radiator. did you see what i said about the line location! is that posistion i have them in correct? could that effect the level or fluid going in? thanks

SUBZEROCARFANATIC

Oncr you put atf in transmission with lines hooked up and started car, atf circulated and filled lines and in-radiator cooler.....any draining of system later by means of removing drainbolt only drains the 3 quarts in pan.

Did you try my method in my earlier post of draining pan,and refilling with 3.00000 quarts new fluid and then checking level????

[SUB ZERO CAR FANATIC]

Thanks you are always very helpful and curtious.

[Haitian_King]

Any new developments?

[SUB ZERO CAR FANATIC]

I had to knock off for a while, so i could pick my son up from daycare,eat dinner and get him ready for bed,everday family stuff. i enjoy it!Anyway im goin to get started shortly, guess ill drain the fluid, again!!!Hopefully ill get some results this time. Then again maybe ill screw it up and give mr smart a_ _ something to talk about,i dont think he would know what to do with his self if he didnt have someone to talk about or criticize,poor fella. I'll keep you posted. Take it easy Haitian King.

SUBZEROCARFANATIC

[SUB ZERO CAR FANATIC]

Qship ......you are correct i dont know what the hell i was thinking!! thanks

SUBZERO

[qship96]

Qship ......you are correct i dont know what the hell i was thinking!! thanks

SUBZERO

Glad it all worked out!

[SUB ZERO CAR FANATIC]

I'll probably be up half the night working on my Q, i'll keep you guys posted of the outcome as it unfolds.

[SUB ZERO CAR FANATIC]

I dont understand why you say it would be almost impossible to mix up lines-because there are 4 ports when both transmission lines come out to theradiator,then you have the 4 rubber lines that hook to the end of the 2 metal transmission lines-both transmission lines split at the ends remember so that leaves 4 ports for the rubber lines to go to, then you have to figure where thoes 4 lines go in the radiator at! there are 2 top ports on radiator and 2 bottom ports. the line that comes out from passenger side of transmission(metal line) is the supply line if im correct?? line coming out of drivers side of transmission is return??? if im correct, so i assumed that the 2 lines from pass. side go to the right and left top ports of radiator and the drivs. side 2 lines go to the bottom 2 ports on radiator. I assume it doesnt matter which side they go to as long as the input and output posistions are correct, so does anyone know if im correct on the line location!!!! thanks

[SUB ZERO CAR FANATIC]

Well i drained transmission pan, got 3 quarts from the pan drain like you guys said. Im going to try putting 2 quarts in fill tube then let it run for about 10 or 15 minutes and see if level goes down.

[SUB ZERO CAR FANATIC]

Oncr you put atf in transmission with lines hooked up and started car, atf circulated and filled lines and in-radiator cooler.....any draining of system later by means of removing drainbolt only drains the 3 quarts in pan.

Did you try my method in my earlier post of draining pan,and refilling with 3.00000 quarts new fluid and then checking level????

HELLO qship96, how ya doing today! i just wanted to get back to you on the transmission ordeal. i drained the fluid out of pan....got 3 quarts just like you said. i bought a total of 12 quarts of MOBIL 1 SYNTHETIC ATF,just so you know,i would say i have a total of about 6 quarts in transmission because i have 5 full quarts left and wasted 1/2 quart or more.i drained fluid got 3 back,put plug back in refilled with 3 quarts. i cranked car let it run appr. 15 minutes , my car is up on all 4 jackstands so i didnt drive it, after it ran about 15 minutes thermostat opened up etc.,i put car in REVERSE for a couple minutes then went to drive 3, 2, 1, and just went through the gears,it shifted fine,put in in park left running checked stick fluid was very low on stick so i added 1 quart let it run a few and checked then added another quart because it was still barely on the tip of stick, so all together i have about 6 quarts in it maybe a tad more.What puzzles me is when i check it while its running it shows to be low, which it should be from what i have put in it, but when i shut car off then go pull dipstick it comes flowing out or boiling out whichever.the car ran a total of about 15 to 20 minutes with one shut off inbetween. why is it flowing out of filltube when i try and pull it out but when i check it running i can pull it out no problem, and it still shows low. please advise, HELP,IM WORRIED, MAYBE IM NOT SUPPOSED TO CHECK IN PARK WHEN ITS HOT,doesnt sound wright!! please help

[SUB ZERO CAR FANATIC]

I HAVE A TOTAL OF 6 QUARTS IN NOW STILL SHOWING LOW WHEN RUNNING, BUT WHEN I KILL THE MOTOR AND TRY TO CHECK I CANT EVEN GET THE DIPSTICK OUT FROM IT BELCHING OUT,OVERFLOWING IF YOU WILL! WHATS WRONG!

[Haitian_King]

Wow. That's not right.

I can't begin to tell you. Maybe you have the lines messed up?

I don't get why it shows low while running, but overflows when it's off.

Can air get in the fluid system?

Somebody answer him! I'm a little scared. Why is this happening?

[GseaQ]

Hey Chris,

I didn't think about the dual radiator tank coolers starting in '93. I think for sure the lines are mixed up. I wouldn't run it anymore until you disconnect ALL lines from the radiator! If those lines are crossed as I think they are, you may be getting ZERO actual fluid flow. It may be pumping against a blockage (crossed lines) and just frothing up.

So, for sport, forget the radiator. Just connect your two pipes from the transmission with a piece of rubber hose. Then, run it as you have been and adjust your fluid level.

THEN we can tackle how to plumb to the radiator.

I can't even check mine to tell you how the lines go because I've disconnected the rad coolers completely and run the hoses directly to the external cooler.

To be continued... when you get this bit done.

Glenn

[SUB ZERO CAR FANATIC]

Hey Chris,

I didn't think about the dual radiator tank coolers starting in '93. I think for sure the lines are mixed up. I wouldn't run it anymore until you disconnect ALL lines from the radiator! If those lines are crossed as I think they are, you may be getting ZERO actual fluid flow. It may be pumping against a blockage (crossed lines) and just frothing up.

So, for sport, forget the radiator. Just connect your two pipes from the transmission with a piece of rubber hose. Then, run it as you have been and adjust your fluid level. Damn good idea, ill see if i can find a few hoses,ill need 2 plugs i guess to plug 2 outlets up then connect the other 2 outlets together.i never thought of this.Shows how well i know my Q,OH WELL! I guess we have to learn from our mistakes,as an old timer recently told me,i love to learn all i can about the Q45, i plan on keeping itforever or until i find one i like better!! lol thanks for the input ill get on it tonight after i get my son to sleep. I'll keep you updated, really appreciate your help. hope your correct about this.

THEN we can tackle how to plumb to the radiator.

I can't even check mine to tell you how the lines go because I've disconnected the rad coolers completely and run the hoses directly to the external cooler.

To be continued... when you get this bit done.

Glenn