Enough tranny fluid?

[czo79]

Hello all...
Yesterday I changed my tranny oil. I put in amsoil series 2000 70w90 synthetic. My method was to jack up the front a bit, get under open up drain, lower the front and continue draining, so I didn't get oil left because I had the front jacked up. I then raised it and put the bolt back in, and tossed in 3 quarts. When I checked the dipstick, there was a thick clear coating of oil on the bottom of it, but not even up to the low indicator, and then and very thin hard to see coating that was over the full indicator...but the capacity is 3.7 no? I often have trouble getting clear dipstick readings from my engine oil too, maybe I'm just stupid. I don't really know how to handle this situation though. My car is shifting much better, but I'm worried there isn't enough in it. Any suggestions? comments? whatever?
mucht thanks
micum

[mikec]

Did you check it when the fluid was warm, with the engine running, and after running through all the gears from P -> 1 and back to P?

That's the only way it can be properly checked, from what I recall.

[czo79]

I suppose i should have mentioned that I have a 5 spd. I did do some figure eights and check it, but not with the car running, didn't know that was cool. Hmmm.... It still seems that there is a very thin coating of oil that goes to just above the full mark, and then a rather thick coating of oil that goes up to just below the low mark...I hate this...I feel like such an idiot not being able to check my fluids, I can do my brakes, change the fluids, do lots of other stuff, but I often have such a hard time checking my oil...with the engine oil, often the oil goes high up the dipstick on the sides, but only coats across the dipstick much lower down...does that make sense? Sometimes I wonder if its cause amsoil synthetic is so "slippery" that it just slides of the dipstick weird...ok...nevermind, I'm the wierd one. Any other suggestions guys?
Much thanks
Micum

[evolutionmovement]

Don't feel stupid, I fix complex SMT machines as part of my job, worked on all kinds of cars, and I can't check the oil in these things either. I have to let the car sit overnight in order to get any kind of reading that makes sense. The rest of the time it just goes all the way up the dipstick and wiping it makes no difference. I don't know if it's boxer engines as my two EA81s were the same, the Mobil 1 I'm using, or just Subarus. I'll have to ask Porsche guys if they have the same problem (Testarossa owners probably don't check their oil).

Steve

[czo79]

I heard it costs 800$ to check the oil on the new Ferrari Enzo Ferrari...Crazy...the oil costs over $60 a quart! I can't remember exactly how much, but brake rotors and pads were each many thousands of dollars. Crazy...
I'll try checking after the car has sat a night...seems to help with the oil occasionally. Does anyone see any problem with the way I changed my tranny oil leading to not all of the oil draining? I probably let it sit close on a half hour. Check the first post for my procedure...but basically I had the front (behind front wheels) jacked up to get under there, opened her up, and then got out and let the car down, so I wouldn't have any left in the rear of the tranny that couldn't drain. Is there normally a significant amount that doesn't drain? I can't remember last time I did this...but I might of had a similar problem. I only put in 3 quarts this time....
Thanks
Micum