unique (i think) w123 transmission problems
 

about two months ago i changed my transmission fluid. i put a little less than the recommended amount in (or so i thought). recently it started to leak around the seal. i tightened the bolts, but it continued to leak. i went out of town for a week, and when i came back and checked the fluid level, it was twice as high as the top notch on the dipstick (that was when the engine was cold). it shifts really smooth now (i didn't add any fluid), but it did flare maybe 3 times in the course of 100 miles. it doesn't seem to be leaking anymore (if it is, it's definitely not doing it as bad as before) i don't know what to make of it. any insights?.

Transmission fluid should be checked with the motor running, HOT, and preferrably after a run, within a minute of stopping, so that the fluid has not had time to drain back to the pan.

If you did this cold, with the engine off, or without selecting D and R, you WILL get higher readings on the dipstick.

thanks...i'll check it the right way tomorrow and post with the actual level.

I thought it was the other way, if you checked it cold and filled it to the marks, it would expand as the fluid heated and be overfilled?

I believe that this is also true. If the fluid is cold and you fill it to the mark with the vehicle running, it will expand when heated and be overfilled.

But, if you fill it to the mark with the vehicle not running, it will be quite a bit below the mark when running, even though the fluid heated and expanded. Apparently, it distributes quite a bit of fluid when running and the level on the stick is reduced accordingly.