A6 Fluid level
07-04-2015, 04:34 PM
#1
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
A6 Fluid level
Does anyone have information on how to check the fluid level in an 08 C6 with an automatic transmission, Z51 if that matters? 
07-04-2015, 05:03 PM
#2
Safety Car
first the car must be level, warmed to oerating temp (trans)then you pull the drain plug if fluid comes out youur ok.
it needs to be over full a bit then you drain till it just stops coming out!
the drain is actually a stand pipe at the corrrect depth so when it stops running over it is right.
the nast part is getting under it while it is running. a lift sure helps.
to drain it you have to remove the pan and two of the bolts (rear drivers side) are above the cradle so you need to loosen the trans mounts and jack the trans a bit to get them out and to replace them
07-04-2015, 05:12 PM
#3
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
thanx for the reply I'm just looking to make sure I have enough fluid in it. I'm getting a high pitched whirl type of sound coming from the rear of the car, almost every day but not all the time.
I'm just looking to make sure I have enough fluid in it. I'm getting a high pitched whirl type of sound coming from the rear of the car, almost every day but not all the time.
07-04-2015, 06:27 PM
#4
Le Mans Master
07-04-2015, 10:05 PM
#6
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
07-04-2015, 10:23 PM
#7
Le Mans Master
07-04-2015, 11:01 PM
#8
Racer
ok but it isn't nice or easy.
first the car must be level, warmed to oerating temp (trans)then you pull the drain plug if fluid comes out youur ok.
it needs to be over full a bit then you drain till it just stops coming out!
the drain is actually a stand pipe at the corrrect depth so when it stops running over it is right.
the nast part is getting under it while it is running. a lift sure helps.
to drain it you have to remove the pan and two of the bolts (rear drivers side) are above the cradle so you need to loosen the trans mounts and jack the trans a bit to get them out and to replace them
first the car must be level, warmed to oerating temp (trans)then you pull the drain plug if fluid comes out youur ok.
it needs to be over full a bit then you drain till it just stops coming out!
the drain is actually a stand pipe at the corrrect depth so when it stops running over it is right.
the nast part is getting under it while it is running. a lift sure helps.
to drain it you have to remove the pan and two of the bolts (rear drivers side) are above the cradle so you need to loosen the trans mounts and jack the trans a bit to get them out and to replace them
03-01-2016, 01:13 AM
#10
I fully agree with everything you said except "jack the trans". I really don't get it. I dropped the pan and changed the filter without jacking anything. (07-Z51) Remove the difficult to access bolts firsts and install them LAST. All work done in accordance with the maintenance manual procedure. After the easy bolts are torqued, you can pretty well guess on the difficult ones. Not a hard job, just messy. Personally, I overfilled a little so when fluid level was set to the operating temperature, I wouldn't have to go in to add more fluid.
03-03-2016, 01:18 AM
#12
Race Director
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C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Be aware that the "warm to operating temperature" is specifically to be between 86 and 122 degrees. Any more or any less will result in an incorrect fill.
I've lost count on how many times I've done this, but my easiest method is to add more than I think it needs initially. Then start the car and run until the temp is close to 100. Shift to each selection R, N, D, S, D, N, R, and back to P, while stopping for 3-5 seconds in each location. By then the temps should be close to 104 (the happy medium) and it's time to pull the plug and drain the excess.
If you have a high stall converter, you need to add between 1 and 1.5 quarts after going through the above procedure.
I've lost count on how many times I've done this, but my easiest method is to add more than I think it needs initially. Then start the car and run until the temp is close to 100. Shift to each selection R, N, D, S, D, N, R, and back to P, while stopping for 3-5 seconds in each location. By then the temps should be close to 104 (the happy medium) and it's time to pull the plug and drain the excess.
If you have a high stall converter, you need to add between 1 and 1.5 quarts after going through the above procedure.
03-04-2016, 12:11 AM
#13
Team Owner
Member Since: Sep 2000
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St. Jude Donor '13
Be aware that the "warm to operating temperature" is specifically to be between 86 and 122 degrees. Any more or any less will result in an incorrect fill.
I've lost count on how many times I've done this, but my easiest method is to add more than I think it needs initially. Then start the car and run until the temp is close to 100. Shift to each selection R, N, D, S, D, N, R, and back to P, while stopping for 3-5 seconds in each location. By then the temps should be close to 104 (the happy medium) and it's time to pull the plug and drain the excess.
If you have a high stall converter, you need to add between 1 and 1.5 quarts after going through the above procedure.
I've lost count on how many times I've done this, but my easiest method is to add more than I think it needs initially. Then start the car and run until the temp is close to 100. Shift to each selection R, N, D, S, D, N, R, and back to P, while stopping for 3-5 seconds in each location. By then the temps should be close to 104 (the happy medium) and it's time to pull the plug and drain the excess.
If you have a high stall converter, you need to add between 1 and 1.5 quarts after going through the above procedure.
Is there enough contraction when the fluid is cold, to allow your desired slight overfill with the engine shut down?
Or is the warning incorrect?
03-04-2016, 01:36 AM
#14
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C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
I recall seeing a warning somewhere that you should not shut down with the plug removed, or trans fluid will overflow out the hole. In other words, the A6 "hides" fluid while running.
Is there enough contraction when the fluid is cold, to allow your desired slight overfill with the engine shut down?
Or is the warning incorrect?
Is there enough contraction when the fluid is cold, to allow your desired slight overfill with the engine shut down?
Or is the warning incorrect?
I pulled the fill plug when hot and not running one time many years ago when a shop overfilled by more than 2 quarts and had about a quart overflow on my driveway and still siphoned out 2 quarts.
I've never shut down with the plug out either hot or cold, but with the previous experiences, I assume an overflow would be possible.
03-04-2016, 11:45 AM
#15
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St. Jude Donor '13
Thanks.
03-04-2016, 11:52 AM
#16
Melting Slicks
Wow! Amazing! Once again the designers at Chevrolet have taken what was a simple issue of checking the ATF level in your tranny and turned it into a major mechanical exercise. My 47 year old Mustang has a dip stick that allows this check to take place and also allows the owner to add as necessary. What a quaint and funny idea, huh?
03-04-2016, 02:25 PM
#17
Wow! Amazing! Once again the designers at Chevrolet have taken what was a simple issue of checking the ATF level in your tranny and turned it into a major mechanical exercise. My 47 year old Mustang has a dip stick that allows this check to take place and also allows the owner to add as necessary. What a quaint and funny idea, huh?
03-04-2016, 02:30 PM
#18
Team Owner
Wow! Amazing! Once again the designers at Chevrolet have taken what was a simple issue of checking the ATF level in your tranny and turned it into a major mechanical exercise. My 47 year old Mustang has a dip stick that allows this check to take place and also allows the owner to add as necessary. What a quaint and funny idea, huh?
03-04-2016, 02:53 PM
#19
Supporting Vendor
I recall seeing a warning somewhere that you should not shut down with the plug removed, or trans fluid will overflow out the hole. In other words, the A6 "hides" fluid while running.
Is there enough contraction when the fluid is cold, to allow your desired slight overfill with the engine shut down?
Or is the warning incorrect?
Is there enough contraction when the fluid is cold, to allow your desired slight overfill with the engine shut down?
Or is the warning incorrect?
03-04-2016, 03:40 PM
#20
Melting Slicks
I fully agree with everything you said except "jack the trans". I really don't get it. I dropped the pan and changed the filter without jacking anything. (07-Z51) Remove the difficult to access bolts firsts and install them LAST. All work done in accordance with the maintenance manual procedure. After the easy bolts are torqued, you can pretty well guess on the difficult ones. Not a hard job, just messy. Personally, I overfilled a little so when fluid level was set to the operating temperature, I wouldn't have to go in to add more fluid.
There are four pan bolts which are impossible to remove and replace without jacking the transmission out of the cradle.
Not to mention time consuming trying to fish those bolts back into their holes.
You can Go to minute 8 to see what we are discussing here: