I just bought a 90 loyale wagon with automatic transmission, and I've been told to make sure the transmission fluid is not too low. I am not at all mechanically inclined, my friend helped me figure out which might be the dipstick for it, and I bought some fluid and poured some in it, as I couldn't find anywhere else where it would go. How do I find out exactly how to do it?
If you have an ownwer's amnual it lilely shows the layout of the engine compartment pointing to various maintenance items. One of them should be the Automatic Transmission dipstick.
Generally, most aototrannies want you to check the fluid in a warmed up state (having driven for - maybe - 20 miniutes or so atleast) on level ground, stop the car but leave it running. open the hood and locate and prepare with a cloth/paper towel to check the dipstick. Get back in the car and, with foot on brake of course, select each gear on the tranny, leave it engaded for a few seconds, then fiannally leave it in either park or neutral with the handbrake firmly set. Now, get back out and withdraw the dipstick, wipe it clean, reinsert fully, remove and look for the wet fluid, it should be near the HOT mark. If not, try repeating the procedure. Being slightly under or overfilled is probably OK, but varying more than 3/8 - 1/2 inch COULD be a problem, more so if underfilled but extreme overfilling can be bad too.
Do you have a friend or relative that could help you the first time? After you've seen the procedure it will be easy. Kinda hard to explain in writing sometimes. Take a few Lotto tickets to your local independent mechanic in exchage for him showing you how to check fluids and air pressure in your tires.
Carl
Facing the engine the differential stick should be on the left side. The stick for the transmission should be on the right. The differential stick is short, about 12' long, and the other is much longer, about 24' long.
OMG - I can't even imagine where they fit a 12 foot stick, much less a 24 foot one!
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