OKAY Well Gents....I'm a bit stumped. So after watching all these videos on how to how to change the trans filter and fluid ( which I had done by pro trans shop about by year ago), however I decided today to change my oil and I was going to check the auto transmission fluid as well. And even while running and hot I was kicking out a good bunch of fluid. I ran it through all the gears as videos have said. i checked it in park I have had in neutral. I open fill plug again and it just keeps coming out. I must have lost probably a quart by now so I'll kind of have a loss here if anyone has any idea what in the hell am I doing wrong here. I mean I don't think there's a way to overfill these where this shop somehow was able to overfill it? Thanks for any input gents.

 

Auto gearbox fluid should be done from cold not hot. Something like 70-100F fluid temp to get the level correct. If you do it from hot, you'll have an open thermostat to the trans cooler and let you'll let out a ton of fluid.

 

Funny you say cold because everything I've read or watched even on Atlantic British videos said to be get it "up to temperature" run in Park. At this point I'm pretty stumped i'm gonna have to bring it into a transmission shop to do a fluid change. When all I wanted to do is just check the level... SMDH
Update* So I re-read the Rave manual and it does say start with a cool gear box... so now i will have to try it one more time before just bringing it to shop. Thanks.

 

Just do it per Rave and you’ll be golden.

 

If you watched the AB video, that one seemed to work for me on 3 different Discos by now. However, If you are going to check and such, I’d go ahead and pull the pan and do a filter change as well- especially if not done when you last had it changed.

As mentioned, I think the level is to be checked when it is to temp. If it really is a PITA, I’m pretty sure there is a modification that adds a dipstick from a D1 so you can intelligently check it too. Do som google fu and I bet you find it. I have a nice scar on my fore arm from touching the exhaust when I checked it hot once. Tranny stuff annoys the heck out of me.

 

Yeah i did have the filter changed maybe 5000 miles ago i don't use it that much. however I just wanted to check it because you know it's old it leaks a bit and boy wouldn't you know it Just gushed out at me a few times checking it. So I'm probably at least a good quart low. I don't know I guess I gotta try it when it's cooler. I was just wondering if there's any way that the shop I had do it, was some way for them over fill it? I don't know.

 

Fwiw, it took me a few tries to get my fluid level right. I had a lot of trouble but after doing a fluid change, I just check the level a couple times until fluid consistently comes out. I reference temp ranges but using a laser thermometer on the transmission sump gets me into the ballpark and its repeatable that way. Run through all the gears and stay in each one for like 5 seconds going from P to 1. Then I also just slowly cycle through them back to P staying in each for 3 sec. The second one is just something I do but not documented anywhere so ymmv on that one. This process works for my 04 with the zf4hp24 even though the AB guide says up to 02.

The guide I that used: https://www.roverparts.com/techtips/...luid_level.cfm

 

The D1 transmission sumps have a dipstick. It can be used on the D2 transmissions. I was lucky to get one from Paul Grant a few years ago prior to his retirement. The dipstick is a great option if you are able to find one from the wreckers.

 

This style fill procedure is used on a lot of ZF auto trans it seems. From around this generation all the way to modern ones. There's def some room for error built into the trans to account for this stuff. I wouldn't sweat about it too much and just get the fluid close and monitor if your trans starts to shift weirdly.

 

Thanks. I guess ill have to try again. Might as well just drain it and start fresh at this point.