Can I ask those of you who have done a automatic transmission fluid change what you used to check the fluid temp to ensure the correct level a believe it has to be 60 degrees my old obd2 reader does not have this function, I was wondering if a laser infrared thermometer would do the job.

I used a laser infrared thermometer to check mine when I did it.
Seemed fine afterwards.

OBD2 reader can do it with a little bit of tinkering through a program like Torque.

https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic36146.html

I understand that the specification is 60C, what difference will it really make?

Try it, put a liter in a pan, mark the height at 15C and warm it to 60C, the difference is negligible (I couldn't see any). Changed the oil a couple of times, never bothered with the temperature even though the scanner that I had would actually tell me what it was.

If like me you drop the oil (a liter?), top up, start engine and select all gears, drop another liter or so, top up, select gears, drop the oil, top up, select gears - until the oil runs clear. This takes about 11 liters first time, think about it you would have to drop the car off the axle stands between top ups, you would be at it for a couple of days rather than an afternoon.

You could of course always measure the amount out and put the same amount back in, but this only works if you are absolutely sure that no oil has leaked out and you know that it was filled to the correct level originally. Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

I remember according to my gap tool oil temperature got to 60 around the same time the engine temp gauge needle showed at it's normal place. Just short of halfway on the gauge.

From what Ive read ATF expands about 0.07% per C.
So lets say you start with 7L of ATF at 10C and then warm it up to 60C.
The expansion is (60-10) x (7 x 0.0007) = 245ml

So as long as the gearbox has been warmed up when you take a level reading it wont be far off. Jules

Replaced mine, took it for a 3 mile drive, came home and checked the level, didn't measure temperature. No issues . Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

jules wrote:

From what Ive read ATF expands about 0.07% per C.
So lets say you start with 7L of ATF at 10C and then warm it up to 60C.
The expansion is (60-10) x (7 x 0.0007) = 245ml

So as long as the gearbox has been warmed up when you take a level reading it wont be far off.

Checked mine this afternoon whilst checking for any faults
using my GAP11 BT,
at idle with the coolant
showing 61deg with the auto box showing 40degs,
bearing in mind, the motor had only been idling so I would imagine
to bring the box to temperature you need to drive it a reasonable amount.
Dave DAVE.

If you start the engine and let it idle I think the engine will be warming the ATF (via the ATF cooler) as the autobox is doing little work.
If you take it for a quick spin, the autobox will warm up much quicker - think of all that friction in the torque convertor. Jules

That's what I would have thought Jules,
I did have the motor idling for quite a while (checking for faults and updating the camera system)
and had been out driving a couple of hours previously (engine not completely cold)
so would have thought the temperatures would have been comparable to each other.
Dave DAVE.

p_gill wrote:

Only thing is that I change mine at 25C not 10C

Quote:

If only!
Its nearly end of May and we are struggling to hit 12C this week.

You too Paul Jules