8 speed fluid change-level the truck or level the trans?

[AmosMoses]

Just to update on my "topoff" 2 days ago, I havnt experienced any issues yet. I was a little worried about overfilling to the point of oil being released from the vent, which I believe I read at some point can happen if you put too much in. Iam not sure where that vent comes out at but I have not seen or smelled any trans oil smoke or noticed any leaks.

I havnt been able to reproduce the whine yet but like I said, that normally only happens when the temp is up 180+. There's another person that had this issue as well either here or the JL forum and they are the ones that noticed it was dependant on transmission temps which made me start keeping track of my own. At that point I confirmed that mine was doing the same thing.

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[ShadowsPapa]

Just to update on my "topoff" 2 days ago, I havnt experienced any issues yet. I was a little worried about overfilling to the point of oil being released from the vent, which I believe I read at some point can happen if you put too much in. Iam not sure where that vent comes out at but I have not seen or smelled any trans oil smoke or noticed any leaks.

I havnt been able to reproduce the whine yet but like I said, that normally only happens when the temp is up 180+. There's another person that had this issue as well either here or the JL forum and they are the ones that noticed it was dependant on transmission temps which made me start keeping track of my own. At that point I confirmed that mine was doing the same thing.

SMART tracking details involved with any "issues", real or otherwise. That's my favorite type of customer - one who has notes and can describe the symptoms and exactly when they do or do not happen.

It will take some doing to have too much fluid - enough to force out a vent.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

Just to update on my "topoff" 2 days ago, I havnt experienced any issues yet. I was a little worried about overfilling to the point of oil being released from the vent, which I believe I read at some point can happen if you put too much in. Iam not sure where that vent comes out at but I have not seen or smelled any trans oil smoke or noticed any leaks.

I havnt been able to reproduce the whine yet but like I said, that normally only happens when the temp is up 180+. There's another person that had this issue as well either here or the JL forum and they are the ones that noticed it was dependant on transmission temps which made me start keeping track of my own. At that point I confirmed that mine was doing the same thing.

No possible way of being over filled if your back end was elevated as high as possible when filled, then back end was set down, engine turned on and oil level set at 100F. (If I remember your process correctly). With a PPE pan you have, you have tons of room for more oil.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

I went back and read your process and I was wrong with what I thought I remembered.
I said you dropped the back end down and you checked fluid level at 100F.
What you said is that you did everything with the back wheels up 10”, filled it up, then ran the gears and set level at 100F and called it a day.

You would be way over full if you did all that and set the temp at 87F. If there’s any saving grace here it would be that you waited till it reached 100F.

If you could start over cold, level the frame and start the engine, and go underneath and pull the plug, you should have nothing coming out. If you do when it’s cold, it was overfilled.

Run the temp to 87F and do the gears procedure with level frame and I will stop worrying.

 

[AmosMoses]

I went back and read your process and I was wrong with what I thought I remembered.
I said you dropped the back end down and you checked fluid level at 100F.
What you said is that you did everything with the back wheels up 10”, filled it up, then ran the gears and set level at 100F and called it a day.

You would be way over full if you did all that and set the temp at 87F. If there’s any saving grace here it would be that you waited till it reached 100F.

If you could start over cold, level the frame and start the engine, and go underneath and pull the plug, you should have nothing coming out. If you do when it’s cold, it was overfilled.

Run the temp to 87F and do the gears procedure with level frame and I will stop worrying.

That's correct, I did final check with back wheels up 10" and temp at 100. I would estimate between 4-6 ounces of fluid came out when I removed fill screw. From what I've read, and I believe per factory instructions, overfilling can result in fluid leak from vent.

 

[Stan H]

Uncle Bubba's magic fluid, 100% compatible with anything

Me me me I want some of that does it give it more torque and horsepower too

earth is flat

Oh No !!!
Not another flat earther!!!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Me me me I want some of that does it give it more torque and horsepower too


Oh No !!!
Not another flat earther!!!

Over 70% of the earth is covered with water.
None of that water is carbonated.
Thus - the earth is flat.

 

[Stan H]

Over 70% of the earth is covered with water.
None of that water is carbonated.
Thus - the earth is flat.

That hilarious

 

[Maximus Gladius]

Over 70% of the earth is covered with water.
None of that water is carbonated.
Thus - the earth is flat.

Ever heard of a “water level”? This means all the oceans are “level”

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Ever heard of a “water level”? This means all the oceans are “level”

 

[Hootbro]

I have done the service twice on two different JT's with it just parked on level ground. Both times, the same amount went back in that was removed.

Seems though on the RAM side, they are hyper critical about having the transmission level vs. the vehicle level.

 

[AmosMoses]

I have done the service twice on two different JT's with it just parked on level ground. Both times, the same amount went back in that was removed.

Seems though on the RAM side, they are hyper critical about having the transmission level vs. the vehicle level.

The transmission has a good amount of angle with the back pan mating surface being lower than the front and front meaning engine side. I had my back wheels resting on 10 inches of blocks and the pan was still not level. My thought process was to get it as level as possible jacking up the back and do the fill and if it was overfilled by this method that worse case was oil leaking from the vent tube.

 

[Hootbro]

The transmission has a good amount of angle with the back pan mating surface being lower than the front and front meaning engine side. I had my back wheels resting on 10 inches of blocks and the pan was still not level. My thought process was to get it as level as possible jacking up the back and do the fill and if it was overfilled by this method that worse case was oil leaking from the vent tube.

However you want to skin that cat is up to you. I will say that other than securing the vehicle on a 4 arm 2 post lift, there is no mention of making sure the transmission is level vs. the frame in the Tech Authority instructions.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

However you want to skin that cat is up to you. I will say that other than securing the vehicle on a 4 arm 2 post lift, there is no mention of making sure the transmission is level vs. the frame in the Tech Authority instructions.

Thanks for providing those papers. If one was to read all 3 of these, no one would be led to believe the rear of the truck needs to be 12”-14” higher than the front to maintain a “level” transmission. The angle alone is super sketchy especially if wheels are spinning as they indicate.

Instructions mention lowering lift to bring wheels to 8” off the ground to run through the gears. This can’t be done if the back end is 12-14” higher than the front.

My vote is frame level on a 4 post lift or for those of us that don’t have that, 4 jack stands and a 4-5’ construction magnetic level to check front to back and side the side level.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Thanks for providing those papers. If one was to read all 3 of these, no one would be led to believe the rear of the truck needs to be 12”-14” higher than the front to maintain a “level” transmission. The angle alone is super sketchy especially if wheels are spinning as they indicate.

Instructions mention lowering lift to bring wheels to 8” off the ground to run through the gears. This can’t be done if the back end is 12-14” higher than the front.

My vote is frame level on a 4 post lift or for those of us that don’t have that, 4 jack stands and a 4-5’ construction magnetic level to check front to back and side the side level.

Don't even need that. 4 stands up the same number of notches under the frame rails on reasonably level ground. Done.
No need to use a level. No one does that.

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