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The fill plug on the side is to TOP OFF the transmission when you change the filter.
The fill plug on the top is to add two quarts for the track and for a complete fluid change.
That is wrong. The side plug is the standard fill port. Those not doing track overfill never need to use the top fill port.
If you have the track overfill, and you open the side fill port, the entire overfill will drain out.
Those with track overfill will have to take the trunk apart and air box out every time unless an adapter is built to add fluid remotely.
That is wrong. The side plug is the standard fill port. Those not doing track overfill never need to use the top fill port.
If you have the track overfill, and you open the side fill port, the entire overfill will drain out.
Those with track overfill will have to take the trunk apart and air box out every time unless an adapter is built to add fluid remotely.
I agree with what you said.
I said: The fill plug on the side is to TOP OFF the transmission when you change the filter (per the Chevy Store). The fill plug on the top is to add two quarts for the track and for a complete fluid change.
Many transmission vents have a check valve in them, you'd need to make sure the DCT doesn't have one in the vent circuit.
Even without a check valve it may be impractical to use the vent depending on the fluid viscosity. Also, if you're using the vent to fill then there is nowhere for the trapped air to go.
Jerry Onks posted in tech that GM engineer said they'd add fluid via the vent tube. Will have to look into that a bit more. Hard to gauge how full you have it though.
Depending on the plug size/threads/space available, you may be able to install something similar to those oil quick-drain valves. You could then "force feed" a couple of quarts through the tube.
It sounds like adding through the vent tube would be the easiest solution if it works out.
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Originally Posted by Phil1098
I know I could do it myself for $45 worth of fluid. That's ridiculous.
Originally Posted by Michael T*
Is the 5.5 hours to get to the fill plug from on top, or whether you can get to it from the bottom and pump fluid in. I wonder if the filter change requires a small fill of fluid. It would look like it.
Update on the dealership that charged 5.5 hours to add the additional 2 quarts...
The dealership has stated that they made a mistake and is refunding the service to the customer. The actual labor time should be in the 1.5 hours range.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C7 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
2017 C7 of Year Finalist
2015 C7 of the Year
St. Jude Donor '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
Originally Posted by jagamajajaran
Update on the dealership that charged 5.5 hours to add the additional 2 quarts...
The dealership has stated that they made a mistake and is refunding the service to the customer. The actual labor time should be in the 1.5 hours range.
Here's the quote from the customer today...
So, just a quick update on this. It seems there was a clerical issue with the Service Advisor I worked with. From what I could tell from the PDR and other feedback I received online, this is a sub-2 hour job (1.5hrs is what it looked like). which makes total sense. Not 5.5 hours. That being said, management at the dealership is being very responsive to getting this corrected. From the sounds of it, they're likely going to refund the entire cost and have a discussion with the Service Advisor as to how they came up with the 5.5 hours. I will say that after I had the 2 qts added, it seems to be shifting a lot smoother. It's hard to explain because it shifted so quickly before I took it in, but it just seems overall smoother in manual mode and in automatic/D mode.
In addition, I spoke with our good friend, Paul Koerner, AKA The Corvette Mechanic, and he confirmed that a 1.5 hour charge is a fair service charge for adding two quarts.
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Are we shooting in the dark?? The OP said it seems smoother after the 2 qts. were added. I wonder what the level was before they added the 2 qts. Did the dealer check the level before adding the 2 qts??
Probably not. Maybe now it is just up to the factory fill level. Maybe not. I don't believe you could tell any difference in the shifting it was full in the 1st place. Who knows? I plan to check the level in mine then add 2qts. this weekend. Who knows, maybe I'll need 3 qts. or more.
I wonder if you can tilt the car up on one side and use the side fill to add another quart in the DCT. This would remove the need to take the trunk liner and airbox out.
A) If we can remove the TOP gold fill plug without removing the airbox, we could add a clear hose to a funnel and add the 2 quarts of oil for the track ( or 11.62 quarts for a complete fluid change) from the top.
B) If the above won't work: When doing a complete fluid change, maybe we could add a long clear hose (5ft?) to a funnel and have a second person pour the 11.62 quarts of oil into the funnel while the first person holds the hose in the side fill hole. I did this on my CTSV trans and rear diff. to do a complete fluid change.
C) If we can tilt the car as mentioned in post 52+53, we could add a long clear hose (5ft?) to a funnel and have a second person pour the 2 quarts of oil into the funnel while the first person holds the hose in the side fill hole.
Last edited by LJT; 06-09-2020 at 02:02 PM.
Reason: add info.
.... Unsure if track fill fills case completely yet.
Doubt it. It's a wide, long case. In addition the gears in mesh make a good oil pump and could create foam in addition to drag.
SIDEBAR
As often, have an interesting story, in this case re high rpm gears! Had a friend that had a '57 Chevy small block. Put in a high rpm capable cam and a numerically low dif. The rev limiter was valve float! Hitting 7000 rpm was typical on 1st and 2nd. He wiped out trams bearings several times.
We used a local gas station lift and had the transmission on the bench preparing to replace bearings and some synchro's. The owner claimed he had worked for Ferrari as a mechanic and approached the trans case with a drill. He was telling us that it was the gear oil foaming causing our problem and he wanted to install a vent! My friend didn't want any part of drilling in the case but I convinced him the idea sounded logical and why not try. We put a copper tube in for a vent! Never had another problem with the trans- just bent valves!
Sometimes more isn't a good thing. I'm sure GM and Tremec defined the max allowed level. Considering how low the check fluid level plug is, would think 2 quarts would spread out so the height increase would not be that much. Interesting "Ask Tadge" question.
I saw that one poster said they felt the DCT shift a bit smoother when he had the dealer add the two extra quarts. If that is true, then using one of the three mentioned ways to quickly add the fluid without taking the back trunk apart (mentioned in posts 52, 53, and 54) may be beneficial to people who don't track or track only once in a while. I fall into the later category and track maybe twice a year at most.
Now if I only had my C8.... I could lift one side approximately 13 degrees as mentioned by JerryU and see how much more I could get into the transmission before it drips back out and let everyone know.
A) If we can remove the TOP gold fill plug without removing the airbox, we could add a clear hose to a funnel and add the 2 quarts of oil for the track ( or 11.62 quarts for a complete fluid change) from the top.
B) If the above won't work: When doing a complete fluid change, maybe we could add a long clear hose (5ft?) to a funnel and have a second person pour the 11.62 quarts of oil into the funnel while the first person holds the hose in the side fill hole. I did this on my CTSV trans and rear diff. to do a complete fluid change.
C) If we can tilt the car as mentioned in post 52+53, we could add a long clear hose (5ft?) to a funnel and have a second person pour the 2 quarts of oil into the funnel while the first person holds the hose in the side fill hole.
Originally Posted by Tool Hoarder
No... full is when it comes out the side hole. Track fill is 2 more liters in the top above that. Unsure if track fill fills case completely yet.
06-07-2020, 10:55 AM
Reminded of the gas tank in my Street Rod (no carbon canister etc) that I used a vent valve so in case of a rollover it doesn't allow gas to leak.
