Aloha,
Okay...I have been around cars for a very long time, and I have found that pretty much the transmission should be hot, and the engine must running in order to check the fluid level in an automatic transmission.


My question...does the SL320 need to be running, or off in order to check the transmission fluid level?
Why do I ask? Well... I changed the fluid, and... like a real DF, I forgot to check the level before I started. However... I did keep track of the amount of fluid that was removed, which was just over 4.5 quarts. Now for the problem. The level is low on the stick after adding back the 4.5 quarts....unless the engine is stopped, in which case the fluid is at the proper level.
My confusion is why it reads low while running if the same amount of fluid was replace as was removed. Since there's so much about how the fluid level must be within 3oz, or serious damage could result, I find myself scared to add any more than what was removed before finding out if I'm reading the stick the proper way.


Looked in the owners manual, and if the information is there, I couldn't find it.

Okay then...mahalo for any help.
aloha.

 

Mahalo for that information, and yes I understand that, but knowing that the internal parts of the transmission are moving while the engine is running does not answer my question.
The question is...should the trans fluid in a sl320 be checked with the engine off, or should it be checked with the engine running?


mahalo

 

That's the answer that I needed.
mahalo and aloha.