Apparently I didn't check my transmission fluid level good enough after I put my new pan in & I've been running for a few days about 2 1/2 quarts low on transmission fluid.....I never saw my transmission fluid temperature get over 172F but last time I pulled the dipstick out to check it I could see some smoke coming out of the dipstick tube.....What kind of damage could it do to the transmission running it low on fluid like this for a few days? Wouldn't the temperature have gotten a lot hotter than 172F if anything bad had happened?

 

I think you're fine. If it functioned fine and didn't over heat you should be OK. Join the club.

 

well...i don't know about the functioning part 100%....i noticed it shifting odd every once in a while....usually would not shift well until the fluid warmed up good....i guess it was because there just wasn't enough fluid to go around in the system.....i just didn't put two and two together.....hopefully no damage was done....smell of burnt transmission fluid definitely isn't good thing....

 

What does the trans fluid smell like? If it has a burnt smell, obviously I would be concerned. If it's just normal trans oil smell, don't worry about it.

Was it actual smoke coming out of the dipstick tube when you checked?

Unless you were hammering on it or towing, I don't feel there is an issue to worry about if the trans fluid is clean.

Jeff

 

i would get it to the correct level if it is still shifting funny i would flush more fluid through it just my .02

 

no, trans fluid isn't burnt or anything....it's still a nice red color....I was driving a couple of days ago & I noticed that the trans temp was showing 172 which was higher than I'm used to seeing it....I pulled over & checked the fluid & it was obviously low cause it was barely showing on the dipstick....it didn't have a bad smell to it but I could see some fumes coming off of the dipstick tube....i had a quart of atf with me & i put some in & then drove to autozone to get some fluid.....

I've got the trans fluid at the right level now....It looks like I was probably running it close to 3 quarts low.....it seems to be shifting really good....I can't notice any sign of a problem, so I'm hoping that I didn't do any damage to it.....

 

I'm starting to get a bad feeling like some damage may have been done to the transmission running it low for a few days.....I've noticed that there is a slight rocking motion in the truck from side to side when i first do a cold start & it idles for a few minutes.....it's not a lot but you can feel it when you sit in the cab.....after you put it in gear & drive it goes away.....

i'm wondering if something could have gotten warped or damaged.....does that sound like maybe a torque converter or something? something out of balance now? it drives really good & shifts well but i'm wondering about the idle problem....

 

I think this issue is unrelated. Low oil usually takes out the transmission by preventing the clutchpacks or band actuators from locking things down, so they spin and burn the friction lining up. In theory the low oil is bad for the gearsets, but in reality, the hydraulic issues will cook the friction linings LONG before the gears will get damaged. If it didn't slip the linings are fine.

Low fluid levels will also make the torque converter smoother and create more fluid friction. Again, won't hurt anything unless the fluid gets hot enough to break down, which would be obvious.

My humble opinion is that it's making you more nervous and observant. I don't think you have anything to worry about.

 

I ran mine about 300 miles or so really low, Dodge's 'grommet' rubbed a hole in a trans cooler line. I got the line ordered and put on and added a bottle of Lucas and it took about 6 quarts of ATF (synthetic) and it is doing as good as it was before now. I will probably notice every little thing it does now though and wonder if it had something to do with the fluid being ran low. I think with stock Dodge transmissions though one should not be surprised if they blow up under any conditions.

 

lately, I guess I was just worried that between the low fluid and seeing a little bit of smoke coming off of the dipstick tube that possibly something in transmission may have gotten warped or out of balance.....it just seems like there is a little more vibration when it idles & very low rpm's....i would have thought that it would need to get pretty overheated to ruin anything like the clutchpacks or bands....it does seem likely to me though that the smoke was from too much friction and not enough fluid...

 

when it was low on fluid was it shifting weird? first thing i thought when i had some weird shifting issues was that i had the apps noise interference problems that some folks have with these trucks but like a dummy i wasn't checking the fluid the correct way....

 

TC would un lock and it would downshift a lot easier. check the fluid with it warm, idling in neutral.