Hi, I have a 2007 Saturn Ion-2 2.2 that I was working on and cracked the trans case by using the wrong level check bolt. I used Devcon aluminum putty to patch it up and was flirting with the idea of just putting a few gallons of fluid in ther and calling it a day. Dumb idea? I was wondering about how much fluid will be needed if it's been drained and drained more and a little more from every time I've opened it up to look at/work on. Not saying I added fluid every time I opened it. Just that a little more was in the pan every time i opened it after the initial drain. It seems like it's all drained now except what's in the transmission.

Also, can I mix AC Delco branded fluid with O'Reilly's brand as long as the specs ate the same, dex VI synthetic? The AC Delco one on Amazon went up $10 since I purchased it a few months ago and O'Reilly's is cheaper even before that price raise.

Also, I might just drill and tap a Fumoto valve that I purchased for another car and never used. But, I'm not sure where to drill it. I don't think it would be wise to try and drill it where the original hole was or maybe even use the original plug bolt (I purchased an OEM one from the dealer. I try to shape the putty around a smaller diameter bolt but I couldn't work the stuff around it efficiently and just decided to completely close it off. Should I just drill a new hole somewhere else but at the same height of the original whole?

Lastly, when checking the fluid, after putting however many quarts in and then starting the engine to get it up to temp/shifting through gears, should the engine remain running while I add fluid until it starts pouring out the check hole?

Thanks


There is also a kind of hard to see hairline crack

Inside of pan

Part that broke off wit wrong bolt 🤦‍♂️

 

The trick is getting that to seal now that the case is cracked. You might be able to tap that hole all the way through and put a bolt in from the inside and seal it with jb weld. No pressure just oil splash. Oil level is easy. The transmission holds seven qts with a pan removal. Put seven in it and take it for a drive, get it warm and make sure it shifts properly. If it is good, drop the pan and put seven back in, you’re done.

 

I would use this and a simple propane torch and fill and drill. Works great for this kind of stuff.

 

I almost decided to go this route but the person who suggested it also suggested that since the aluminum putty approach is easier that I should try it first and if it fails then do the aluminum rods. Hopefully the putty holds and there is no leaks

Thanks!

 

I probably should have mentioned that I didn't use the broken off piece. I just covered the cracked part on the case with putty. I also used a dremel tool to carve out and at the crack on the inside and hairline crack on the outside so the putty can have something to grip onto, I guess. Just a note

So, seven is always in the transmission and the pan also holds an additional seven? When you say "drop the pan and put seven back in" why do I dripping the pan to drain the seven qts of fresh fluid I just put in just to fill it back? Sorry of its obvious lol

Thanks

 

A drain and refill is seven quarts. If the pan has been off for some time more can leak out of the converter. You do not have any way to check the level now. Make sure by adding seven quarts to an empty transmission, verify proper operation, drop the pan one more time and then add seven measured quarts to verify that it is full. You can use what you drained out over, you just need to measure what you put in.

 

Don't put 14 quarts in the transmission it what 02 LW300 is saying. You drop the pan, drain the fluid and approximately 7 quarts should drain out. You put the pan back on and put in 7 quarts and drive it and see if it feels normal. If it shifts okay, then drive it and make sure it's up to temp and check the level. You may or may not have to add a little more.

 

Aahhh I see what you mean. I was thinking of about the fact that on top of hard shifts, probably due to the fluid bing low Initially, (before the initial drain and fill and me screwing up using the wrong bolt) and there being more fluid in the pain that got drained every time I opened it up while working on it/trying to figure out how to repair it, that it would be even lower.

This is probably why when i but two gallons (about 8 quarts) of fluid in it yesterday and took it for a drive it was still jerking when I put it in drive and when it shifts while driving most times. When I first started up and shifted through the gears it was smooth but eventually started to jurk. I have one more gallon and will gradually add more, maybe a quarter at a time, and hopefully it starts shifting correctly. Fingers crossed🤞

I first but one gallon and it shifted smoothly but eventually it started shifting hard right when I was about to test drive it, so I added another gallon. It still shifted hard but I wanted to wait until I found out if hard shifts are symptoms of overfilling....? I was afraid of not only that but causing foam and from adding too much fluid. How fast can a transmission get damaged beyond repair if overfilled?

Thanks for a your help!

 

Got it. I've added approximately 8 qts already and it shifts hard. It was already shifting hard before the initial attempt to drain and fill Hopefully due to only being low. I think over time with me dropping the pan multiple times more than 7 quarts drained out. I will add a quart and see if anything changes. If not, you think it would be a bad idea to keep adding? Or should I just drop the pan and measure what comes out after that?

Thanks

 

There may be more than just insufficient fluid level at play, so I would not just keep randomly adding more and more fluid.. Andy's method will work. I suggest you follow Andy's advice. He's been doing this for quite a while. Even if it doesn't make 100% sense right now, it will by the time you are at least halfway through. That's just how it goes sometimes.