Sign of a weak FMX or just the way that it is?

• Kats66Pny
• GTA6T7
• tarafied1
• turq66
• KBMWRS
• ITLRUN
• edgar
• JeffTepper
• Dennis Harrelson

[DeadStang]

So I sold a '69 Grande OVER 1 year ago, and then I ended up storing it, keeping it insured, and keeping the plates current for him...  Never again will I make that mistake in selling a vehicle!  Anyway, I took it down off jack stands and checked the oil, water, and PS fluid and topped off as needed.  But since I don't mess with ATs that much, I didn't think to check the fluid level. 

Went to drive it over an hour down to the airport to meet the clown so he could finally pick it up and get it out of my hair, and it paused before going into gear, but went in and I took off.  Went down to the end of my road, stopped, and it rolled backward just a little bit!  WTF?  And then it paused again before going forward as I ended up kind of stomping on it to get it going.  Still not realizing what was going on, I kept driving another couple of miles before the transmission started obviously slipping, as the motor revved while I slowed down!  Yikes!  I pulled over immediately and checked the fluid level, which ended up being 2 quarts low.  Once I added the ATF-F, it dropped into gear and we proceeded down to the airport and it drove just like it always had.

So, does being 2 quarts low make all FMXs not shift/slip clutches?  Don't these things hold like 8-9 quarts?  Not that it's a good thing, but with a capacity of that volume, shouldn't being low a couple of quarts not affect the performance to that degree?  Or is this a sign that this particular transmission is weak?

[johnpro]

Yes, they hold 8-9 quarts.  But they need that much for proper operation. 

Two quarts low for any automatic transmission would be enough for slippage.

[DeadStang]

OK, thanks.  When I bought the car, the tranny had allegedly been rebuilt, but no receipts were supplied so I was always suspicious--although it shifted fine and never gave me any problems.  So when this happened, it just made me wonder...and I guess it doesn't say much for the seals and such to have leaked out 2 quarters over 13 months or so.

[Midlife]

So where did the 2 quarts go?  Did you find a puddle on the floor?

[RyanG85]

So where did the 2 quarts go?  Did you find a puddle on the floor?

[DeadStang]

I sold the Mustang last spring mainly because I don't have space to keep it indoors and appropriately cared for, etc(!!!).  I had picked up another that took over as my daily driver and the Grande just was getting parked.  So, since the dude kept putting me off, and putting me off, all last summer and fall w/excuse after excuse of why he couldn't ship or fly out out get it, I put it up on jack stands in the back yard and triple tarped it.  The stain is in the lawn, beneath the car.  Which is why I didn't notice it--it just soaked in, unfortunately.  I had no idea it leaked like that; never had any issues while driving it.