Hi all - having never seen an intermediate plate from the AX5 (other than pictures), I wonder how transmission oil / fluid added from the shifter tower gets past the intermediate plate to the "guts" of the tranny?

I topped off my transmission today (I added 1/2 pint or so via the shifter tower). After looking at pictures, I'm curious if there are holes or something to allow fluid transfer between part of the transmission forward of the intermediate plate (where the shifter tower is) and the part to rear (where the drain & fill plugs reside).

I'm sure this method has been done countless times (and will be done on this transmission as the fill plug is on there for good), but I wonder if filling via the actual fill plug gets more fluid to the rear part of the transmission? Or is that ridiculous...

 

It would be the same as though you filled it through the filler plug, but it would be possible to put too much in so be careful that you measure how much you put in. 3.5 qts.

 

Every time I replace the clutch on my Firehawk, I fill my T-56 this way.
Just dump it all in the shifter tower...............It all ends up in the same place...............

 

How many times are you going to ask the same question about filling that trans after you screwed up the correct fill plug and refuse to replace it?

 

Drilling out the rounded out bolt would risk getting metal shards inside the xmission. If the filler bolt is fused in place and the head is rounded, what would be the best way to get it out?

Until he can get the xmission out of the vehicle to do it 'right', filling it through the shifter would be just fine...as long as he puts the right amount of oil in.

 

Thanks for the replies - I suppose I was more curious about the route the fluid takes through the intermediate plate to get to the rear portion of the transmission.

I filled with 3.3 quarts.

Ok - I'm just here looking for some useful advice. I got my transmission filled using a method (filling at the shifter) suggested by many. I was just curious about the mechanism of fluid transfer in the fore and aft part of the transmission. As stated prior, If I was able to get the fill plug out, obviously I would have preferred that route. The fill plug is still intact - efforts to remove it by me AND the shop (using "proper tools", etc) stopped prior to when we thought rounding of the bolt was going to take place. It's just not budging after soaking w/PB Blast and all the effort to remove it.

I probably don't have the resources you have at your disposal, and I'm not afforded the time and expense it may take to drop the transmission, etc, etc, particularly when a seemingly reasonable alternative exists. If this alternative isn't reasonable in your view, please enlighten us. That might be useful information.

 

Filling through the shift tower sucks ***, too many things to remove! I've done it twice.

But yes it dribbles down through holes in the various shift arms.