Nissan Frontier Forum banner

'14 ATF Drain and Fill Question

4K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  Nissan4Life 
#1 ·
Background Info:
I did a drain and fill this weekend on my 2014 Frontier 6 cyl automatic, which has over 100k miles. This is the first drain and fill (probably should've done it sooner), but it was purely preventative as I have no problems whatsoever with the transmission.

I didn't check the ATF level before doing this since I have no leaks from the truck (wish I would have though). I completely captured everything that drained and measured it using a 128 ounce measuring cup . 110 ounces is what drained. I installed a new crush washer, torqued the drain plug to 25 ft-lb and proceeded to fill the tranny through the dip stick tube. I put in EXACTLY what I drained. I used 3 quarts @ 32 ounces each = 96 ounces, then I measured 14 ounces from another quart and put it in (110 ounces total). However, after checking the level (both hot and cold and after a couples days use) it is overfilled. I am 100% certain of the measurements and can only think it was overfilled either from the factory (I'd hate to think that is even possible) or maybe at one of the oil changes I had done at the Nissan dealership (again - I have no leaks so I cannot imagine they had any reason to add fluid). The truck is running fine and I cannot feel any transmission issues, but I don't want to run it overfilled.

Although its really difficult to see, the level is above the hot high level mark and doesn't decrease appreciably when checked cold.

Questions:
I am not very familiar with the internals of the transmission and was a little concerned with doing a drain and fill for the first time with so much mileage. Could there be something clogged or sticking internally that may prevent the fluid from completely going into the transmission?

Any creative ideas on draining just a little fluid? I am thinking of a using small tubing on a hand pump or siphon hose and inserting it down the dip stick tube to remove a little at a time until it reads correctly.

Thanks in advance for your feedback!!!
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Just an idea. You could pull the left trans oil line off at the radiator, start the motor. At idle, it takes 10 to 12 seconds to pump out about a quart of trans oil. Actually thats how I change my trans fluid. Mark off a gallon milk jug at 1quart intervals. Pull the left side trans cooler line off fhe radiator, put a longer piece of tubing into the milk jug. At idle, I let a quart at a time pump out into the jug. Shut off the motor. Add a quart of trans fluid thru the dipstick tube. Repeat this one quart a time, until I've drained and filled 10quarts. The 11th quart is used top it off.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk
 
#4 ·
How sturdy is your measuring container? if it flexes enough, I can see it reading less fluid than you actually had.

And as @CT_Nismo said, no worry on the crush washer since it's new. I usually get a second tightening out of mine before it starts to leak and even then its just a minor seep. I'd drain some out, get it to the correct level and call it good.
 
#5 ·
Check it after driving for 15 or 20 miles to be sure it's warmed up. Use the markings on the hot side of the dip stick and adjust the level to the full mark. If it were mine, after so many miles, I would change it again in a thousand miles or so. If it's at the full mark when hot don't spend too much time worrying about how it got that way. Remember the fluid expands quite a bit as it heats up.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top