Thursday, September 22, 2011

On my 2000 honda odyssey there's no writing on the transmission dipstick. How do I know when it's low?

We think we need to change the transmission fluid in our 2000 Honda Odyssey. When checking the fluid there are no markings on the dipstick except for 2 small holes. How do you tell when it's low?On my 2000 honda odyssey there%26039;s no writing on the transmission dipstick. How do I know when it%26039;s low?
. The two small holes or notches%26quot; The one closest to the tip of the stick, maybe 1-2 inches?, is where the fluid level should be when the engine is Cold. The top hole, maybe 1/2 incher higher UP the stick, is where the Hot fluid level is.On my 2000 honda odyssey there%26039;s no writing on the transmission dipstick. How do I know when it%26039;s low?
The two holes measure the transmission fluid level at normal operating temperature, not %26quot;cold/hot.%26quot; The space between the two dots measures 1 pint of fluid. if the fluid only comes up to the bottom mark and your engine is at normal temperature, you should add one pint of the manufacturers reccomended grade of ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid.) Your owner's manual will have that information. Also, before you get your fluid changed, you will want to go to several mechanics to make sure, I say several because some will smell the fluid (smelling for burnt - smells) or judge the fluid by it's color. NEITHER of those are good indicators of the fluids wear. You can flush a transmission completely, change the internal filter and fill with fresh fluid and it can still come out black a week later. The best judgement is to go by the mileage in your vehicle. Your owner's manual should be able to tell you the reccomended interval for having the fluid/filter changed in your transmission.