Checking a 10R80 trans fluid level.

[bKennedy]

There has to be a way to tell if your 10R80 has enough fluid in it without getting it up to temperature and laying underneath a running car tying to check the dipstick next to a red hot catalytic converter. My trans dipstick has a A & B level on it with A being the top one. If I put the car up on 4 jack stands and keep it level does anyone know where the level should be on a non-running car with a cold transmission? I recently sucked out 5&1/2 quarts through the dipstick opening and replaced it with 5&1/2 quarts of new fluid. The reading, after starting it and shifting into drive and reverse, read just at the top of the B markings. This was with the car off and the fluid cold. You would think that every Mustang with a 10R80 would read the same level with the car off once the fluid drained back into the pan if the correct amount of fluid is in it. What am I missing? I don't want to crawl under a running car and burn the hell out of my hand trying to check that dipstick.

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[1 old racer]

and
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/attachments/10r80-fluid-level-disptick-info-pdf.469336/

 

[bKennedy]

and
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/attachments/10r80-fluid-level-disptick-info-pdf.469336/

Thank you for the chart on the procedures to change the fluid. My question is, however, is there a way to check the level without the car running. With the correct amount of oil in the transmission, and the transmission cold and the car not running, where should the flid level be on the dipstick?

 

[Snakebyte]

You would think that there would be a scientific, mathematical way to accurately check the fluid at a given cold temperature, but unfortunately, there is nothing I've ever found published that provides that information.
As you have probably seen, there is a thread that covers installing a remote dipstick, but that takes a bit of work of itself, AND the aftermarket remote dipsticks may need to be modified and confirmed to provide the exact same readings expected with the OEM dipstick.

 

[bKennedy]

I've seen those remote dipsticks for trucks with the 10r80 but never for a Mustang. I agree with you that the only way to calibrate it correctly would be to have your trans at the correct fluid level before you install it and adjust it to show full from there. In order to save a few bucks on each car manufactures have done away with the dipstick that could be checked from under the hood; just another way to save money and make you go to the dealer for a transmission fluid check. What use to take 1 minute now takes an hour and burning your hand on a hot exhaust system. And don't get me started about trying to get that cap off the dipstick access port. You can hardly get a wrench up in there and once you do you can only turn it 3-degrees at a time. Also, Ford tightens that cap down as tight as possible to make the initial removal even harder. I'm surprised they do not use Red Loctite on it from the factory.

 

[SCP440]

The Factory must have a predetermined amount they put in when new and it is unlikely to be checked as the dipsticks are so tight. Does it really matter if they was an extra half a quart in there ? Over the size of the transmission that would not increase the level by even an 1/8 of an inch.
As long as you replace the amount you have removed I would think it would be OK. On a VW with the DSG box they do exactly that, measure the amount than comes out and put exactly that amount back in, no dipstick.

 

[Garfy]

There has to be a way to tell if your 10R80 has enough fluid in it without getting it up to temperature and laying underneath a running car tying to check the dipstick next to a red hot catalytic converter. My trans dipstick has a A & B level on it with A being the top one. If I put the car up on 4 jack stands and keep it level does anyone know where the level should be on a non-running car with a cold transmission? I recently sucked out 5&1/2 quarts through the dipstick opening and replaced it with 5&1/2 quarts of new fluid. The reading, after starting it and shifting into drive and reverse, read just at the top of the B markings. This was with the car off and the fluid cold. You would think that every Mustang with a 10R80 would read the same level with the car off once the fluid drained back into the pan if the correct amount of fluid is in it. What am I missing? I don't want to crawl under a running car and burn the hell out of my hand trying to check that dipstick.

This must be by design so that their service department can have jobs. What engineer decided to eliminate the old school transmission dipstick tube that was in the engine compartment? I mean, how much more would it add to the cost of the car to put in a dipstick tube and dipstick? It's all a ploy to generate more revenue for their service department. Of course, some cars don't even have a way to check it; I believe the newer Tacomas don't have dipstick tubes either (don't know if they have one like the Mustang underneath the truck).

 

[ORRadtech]

This must be by design so that their service department can have jobs. What engineer decided to eliminate the old school transmission dipstick tube that was in the engine compartment? I mean, how much more would it add to the cost of the car to put in a dipstick tube and dipstick? It's all a ploy to generate more revenue for their service department. Of course, some cars don't even have a way to check it; I believe the newer Tacomas don't have dipstick tubes either (don't know if they have one like the Mustang underneath the truck).

Higher end cars have not had transmission dipsticks at all for a long time. At least Mercedes doesn't even have oil dipsticks. It's all monitored electronically with readouts in the dash.

 

[bKennedy]

Higher end cars have not had transmission dipsticks at all for a long time. At least Mercedes doesn't even have oil dipsticks. It's all monitored electronically with readouts in the dash.

A high end car should have both. An electronic readout can go bad but I have yet to see a dipstick stop working. Granted that most people who have expensive cars will not go under the hood to check their oil but until we replaced my wife's Mercedes with a new car I checked the oil all the time. Car manufactures have gone too far to make things easy at the expense of making them unreliable and costly to fix. I watched a video the other month showing how it cost $5K to replace a taillight assembly that had water get into it and short out computer modules and the system that warns you if you are too close to something. It use to cost $1.35 to replace a bulb.

 

[Keeffa]

There has to be a way to tell if your 10R80 has enough fluid in it without getting it up to temperature and laying underneath a running car tying to check the dipstick next to a red hot catalytic converter. My trans dipstick has a A & B level on it with A being the top one. If I put the car up on 4 jack stands and keep it level does anyone know where the level should be on a non-running car with a cold transmission? I recently sucked out 5&1/2 quarts through the dipstick opening and replaced it with 5&1/2 quarts of new fluid. The reading, after starting it and shifting into drive and reverse, read just at the top of the B markings. This was with the car off and the fluid cold. You would think that every Mustang with a 10R80 would read the same level with the car off once the fluid drained back into the pan if the correct amount of fluid is in it. What am I missing? I don't want to crawl under a running car and burn the hell out of my hand trying to check that dipstick.

I have measured it hot at correct temp and measured it cold and the difference is 1/2 inch if you get the fluid level at the lower part of the B section when it's hot it will be in the A section on the stick. You must have the engine running when checking the level.

 

[Adam the Lighting Guy]

This must be by design so that their service department can have jobs. What engineer decided to eliminate the old school transmission dipstick tube that was in the engine compartment? I mean, how much more would it add to the cost of the car to put in a dipstick tube and dipstick? It's all a ploy to generate more revenue for their service department. Of course, some cars don't even have a way to check it; I believe the newer Tacomas don't have dipstick tubes either (don't know if they have one like the Mustang underneath the truck).

What's worse is what BMW does. Electronic sensor for the engine oil level. No way to determine how low or high the level actually is.

 

[Keeffa]

They also say it doesn't need servicing for 150k miles which is ridiculous.

 

[Adam the Lighting Guy]

They also say it doesn't need servicing for 150k miles which is ridiculous.

I highly doubt that I'll get close to 150k ever in my GT. I am hopeful with fingers crossed.

 

[I Bleed Ford Blue]

Just buy a real transmission dipstick, 37 bucks on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F6MYWGLG?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
Just line up the new one with the little stubby dipstick and use a file to mark where the full mark should be. I was able to bolt it to an existing hole in the passenger shock tower, I just had to find a longer 6mm bolt and open up the holes on the top bracket to 1/4" to clear the 6mm bolt.

 

[ORRadtech]

A high end car should have both. An electronic readout can go bad but I have yet to see a dipstick stop working. Granted that most people who have expensive cars will not go under the hood to check their oil but until we replaced my wife's Mercedes with a new car I checked the oil all the time. Car manufactures have gone too far to make things easy at the expense of making them unreliable and costly to fix. I watched a video the other month showing how it cost $5K to replace a taillight assembly that had water get into it and short out computer modules and the system that warns you if you are too close to something. It use to cost $1.35 to replace a bulb.

I don't disagree that things are extremely overcomplicated in modern cars. And can be very expensive to fix. And while part of the blame is on the manufacturer a very large part falls on us, the general consumer. "We" want all the bells and whistles. I was in middle age before I owned a car with power windows. I was fine with manual crank windows but I'd never buy a new car without them now. I remember DIY installing my first cruise control. I'd never buy one without that either. I was a teenager before seatbelts were mandated. I'd never buy a car without airbags now. My first car only had an AM radio. If my car doesn't have a screen and infotainment now, I don't want it. Neither did my first two cars have air conditioning. Try to sell one now without AC. None of my current cars have the collision avoidance stuff. My next one absolutely will.
You always hear that "they" should make a basic, no frills vehicle. Except every time one close to basic is introduced one of two things happens. Either they don't sell enough and have to be discontinued or they start adding on those missing frills to get people to buy them.
So, yeah, more complicated and expensive but it's not all on the manufacturer.

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