I've done some searching prior to making these thread but couldn't pinpoint an answer. The truck is an 05 v6 crew cab (45k miles) and it belongs to my brother in law. We did a basic tune up (spark plugs, brake pads, rear diff fluid change, and tranny fluid/filter change--the round and flat one). Spent the whole day doing it in his garage.

Buttoned everything up, started the truck, ran and idled fine, went to move it out of the garage and it was clunking into gear and the CEL came on. Brother in law's neighbor came by who was supposedly a mechanic and started flooring it in reverse/drive to try and get it to move. He did this for about 2-4 minutes before I was able to get to him and make him stop. At that point the truck wouldn't move at all. So we pushed back into the garage.

Let the truck sit for a while, and figured the filter must have slipped off. Pulled the pan, and it had. The metal/rubber gasket that slips inside the valve body had come loose and the filter dropped off, so there was no pressure and likely not a lot of fluid in the system. Fluid smelled burnt as well. Anyways, get everything back together and seated correctly, put in brand new fluid (5 quarts which is what Alldata showed as the capacity). Cycle it through Reverse/Neutral/Drive to get everything flowing and the truck goes into all the gears just fine. Checked the fluid level and I couldn't get a clean reading on the dipstick as the tube still had residual draining down.

We went for a 10-15 minute drive, the truck shifts smooth and great, and we figure everything is fine. Come back and eat dinner, let the fluid settle and it was still showing barely on the first dot of the Cold mark. So we added 1/2 a quart more, and the line barely moved. Moved the truck and then it was hesitating when shifting to drive. Would take a 1/2 second for to go in, which it never did before.

I had him leave the truck overnight to check the fluid the next morning, and of course it looked like it was overfilled as it was above the hot mark. I had him check it again once truck was about half way warmed up (alldata states to check it starting at 70 degrees F) and it still showed low. So he added 1 more quart (total of 6 1/2) and it still is about halfway between hot/cold on the stick and the hesitation is still there.

Im worried his neighbor did some internal damage to the clutch bands or something else in that brief window where he revved the **** out of it trying to get to move. Im reading conflicting things about fluid capacities as well. Any ideas? Should he add more fluid? I feel partially responsible as it was such a stupid mistake and I just want to help him out.

Sorry this is so long, I just am hoping there is something easy I can do to fix this mess.

 

Sorry to say it but after what you describe I would think he f**d it up. I'd take it to a shop or have qualified mechanic look at it and keep that idiot away from the truck.

 

Agreed^^^^. Heat and Low fuild pretty much kill a automatic transmission.

 

I had trouble getting a accurate reading after I serviced my trans too. I checked the truck in park after cycling through the gears and it read full, but I knew it wasn't. My buddy at the dodge dealer said the truck has to be in R N D 2 or 1 while you check the fluid with the truck running. I can't think of any other reason you'd have a messed up reading. Please keep the so called mechanic away from that poor truck. Could you smack him for me, for being an idiot. Thank you.