Made a rookie mistake

[mearly65]

I just posted this in the transmission section but wanted to post it here too for more exposure.

Alright, so l picked up my rebuilt transmission today and was in a huge rush to get it in before dark. Like a dumbass l forgot to pour a quart of tranny fluid in the converter before putting it in the trans. The only thing l have left to do is put in the driveshaft. Can someone PLEASE tell me l'll be ok if l just crank the car over for awhile before starting it? I really don't want to have to take the trans out again just to pour some fluid in the converter. Thanks

 

[Phoneguy]

Its not that big of a job to slide it back far enough to remove the converter. Definitely not worth taking a chance to me. Spend a half hour and do it right.

Bryan

 

[standupjskiguy]

I've only done a few trans installs. But I never heard of putting a quart in the convertor. I would think it would spin out to the edge of the inside and do nothing anyway.
If you fill the trans with fluid, when you start the car, it starts pumping fluid right into the convertor first thing so it would only be running "dry for a few seconds at worst.
Unless this was a brand new convertor that had no fluid whatsoever, I'd be tempted to do like you said, pull the plugs, fill the trans and crank it a bunch before starting it.
If a spanking new convertor that never had fluid in it, yes I er on the side of caution.

 

[Red C5]

I'd pull it. Yea it's a hassle but I wouldn't want to risk hurting it.

 

[INEEDAGN]

Most tranny shops install them dry and let them fill with the pump. I'd bet the factory did it that way and still does to this day. You can't possibly get it full before installing it anyway. It'll be fine. BTW I was a trans R&R guy for 6 years and never once tried to fill a converter before install.

 

[bison]

Most tranny shops install them dry and let them fill with the pump. I'd bet the factory did it that way and still does to this day. You can't possibly get it full before installing it anyway. It'll be fine. BTW I was a trans R&R guy for 6 years and never once tried to fill a converter before install.

Spot on.

 

[haywire4130]

if youre that nervous, you can disconnect the orange ecm wire and crank it a bunch to fill it up, only takes a second. i do this every time i change my oil so it fills the filter quicker and eliminates the dry start. beware that if you have an adjustable chip and have made adjustments they will be erased when you disconnect the wire. you'd be suprised how much fluid the pump moves just at cranking speed, years ago when i put an external trans cooler on my gn, i removed one of the stock lines and cranked it to confirm which line was supply and return, i was rewarded with quite the bath of trans fluid!

 

[YouLikeThat]

I usually try to put a quart in, but I have also forgot and didn't worry about it or have any problems. (low 11/high 10 second car)