Auto Gearbox Oil Level?

[watson]

I've owned my VR4 Galant for just over 6months without any problems what so ever. In the last month the auto-box shifting has become a bit slugish, and when accelerating sometimes there is a second or 2 delay from the gear light changing to when the box actually changes.
The car was imported only last year and has loads of genuine Misubishi service stickers and invoices, (in Japanese) including a recent ATF change.
When i check the oil level with the gearbox cold, the levels nearly 10mm above the plastic level marker on the end of the dipstick??! Is this as strange as it sounds? Why would Mitsubishi do this?
The oil is still a nice red colour. Do you think draining some oil off untill within the 'cold' level would make a noticeable difference? or maybe an oil change?
Any help and advice would be appreciated.
Ben

[Nutter_John]

check it when it is hot , there is a guide on here

[Davezj]

you must check the auto box oil level with hot oil and the engine running.

Make sure you cycle the gears through the box R then N then D the N then R then N then D then N the R then P and then check your oil and it will probably be right. don't slam through the gears just select one wait a second then the next, etc, etc.
hope this helps

Edit you beat me to it John.

[watson]

Cheers for the help guys. If i find that the oil level is o.k when hot and i've cycled through all positions, do you think an ecu reset would have any effect or would an oil change be recommended? I'm a bit reluctant to change the oil yet as still looks like new, but i'll have to do it if will sharpen the gear shifts up.

[Davezj]

an ECU reset will not do any harm.
but it will mess up the changes even more for the first 50mile or so then it will settle down.
i am not saying this will fix your problems but it won't do any harm.

[Nick Mann]

It might not upset the gear changes. That depends on how worn your box is.

I would check it when hot, as described above, but your symptoms sound like you might be a little down on oil, rather than high. If it is too much oil, why is it only just becoming a problem? (Unless the oil fairy is adding some at night!)

If it is low, then the first place to look for oil is the bellhousing. There is a handy inspection plate at the bottom of it, when looking from the engine side.

[Physician]

I'd just add one point to this ......... when checking the oil when hot make sure the car is on level ground.

[Davezj]

very well said most people would forget about a slopping driveway, and lets face it all driveways are design to slop to tack the water way after rain.

[amsoil]

You have little to loose by resetting the ECU. Do your invoices indicate what ATF fluid was put in at the change It needed to be Mitzis SPII/III Dextron wont make the grade.