Trying to check the transmission fluid level on a 99 Cavalier with the 4
speed automatic. The owner's manual says you can't check it, then says to
flip the lever on the dipstick and remove it?? As far as I can tell there is
no dipstick. There is a screw off red plastic cap that says transmission
fluid. I took it off, seems to be a fill hole and vent.

While we on Cavaliers. Where is the back up light switch on a 2002 5 speed
manual?

Al

The filler hole is on the side of the trans somewhere.

Once you remove the plug, the oil lever should be level with the bottom
of the hole. You really can't over fill it.

good luck


harryface

I have a 2000 Cavalier 4dr 2.2L engine and it has automatic transmission
dipstick. i can check the oil anytime i like.
I never heard or would buy a car that you cannot check and replace -
easily every type of fluid in it..
Brian from Hot Las Vegas NV.

"Harry Face" <Harryface9105@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:27554-44EB17F3-61@storefull-3315.bay.webtv.net...
> The filler hole is on the side of the trans somewhere.
>
> Once you remove the plug, the oil lever should be level with the bottom
> of the hole. You really can't over fill it.
>
> good luck
>
>
> harryface
>

It's an automatic. The fill hole is at the top.

Al

"Brian Bower" <FlyinBrianSR71@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:14544-44EBD713-263@storefull-3336.bay.webtv.net...
> I have a 2000 Cavalier 4dr 2.2L engine and it has automatic transmission
> dipstick. i can check the oil anytime i like.
> I never heard or would buy a car that you cannot check and replace -
> easily every type of fluid in it..
> Brian from Hot Las Vegas NV.
>

Are you quite sure it has a dipstick for the tranny? My daughter's 2000
Sunfire with a 2.2/automatic does not. Basically the same car. There is a
red cap on the tranny for the fill port, but no dispstick.

The way that you check the fluid on these trannies is like the way you check
the fluid in a differential. There is a plug on the passenger side of the
tranny that you remove to check the level. Fill is through the port on top,
until it begins to pour out of the inspection plug hole. This is very
common for GM cars for the past several years.

--

-Mike-
mmarlowREMOVE@alltel.net

Yes , My 2000 Cavalier 2.2L , 4dr with auto trans and old fashioned hand
crank windows has an Automatic Transmission Dipstick. It is NOT the
oil dipstick.
I can check the oil and the Transmission.
maybe because it was assembled in Lordstown Ohio is why there is a red
color handle Transmission dipstick. Even shows the trans dipstick in
the owners manual. I cannot believe that there are cars without auto
trans Dipsticks that GM is putting out there.
When I was buying the car I always inspect the engine and look for all
the fluid fill locations.
Would you believe when I bought the car the transmission dipstick showed
that it was not up to the fill mark. had to add alittle trans fluid.
It also has a small power steering reservoir that has a very small cap
and tiny dipstick.
Like I said If the car did not have the appropriate dipsticks and stuff
normally found on cars I would not buy it.

Brian - Very Hot , Las Vegas, NV

I wonder if Cadillacs have a Auto Trans Dipstick ???. With the Money
they charge you for a Cadillac these days - They better have an Auto
Trans Dipstick and all the other appropriate fluid dipsticks.

Brian - Very Hot, Las Vegas, NV

"Brian Bower" <FlyinBrianSR71@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:16039-44ECCF6F-7@storefull-3338.bay.webtv.net...
> I wonder if Cadillacs have a Auto Trans Dipstick ???. With the Money
> they charge you for a Cadillac these days - They better have an Auto
> Trans Dipstick and all the other appropriate fluid dipsticks.
>

Nah - Caddy owners pay someone else to worry about that stuff.

--

-Mike-
mmarlowREMOVE@alltel.net

FlyinBrianSR71@webtv.net (Brian Bower) wrote:

>I wonder if Cadillacs have a Auto Trans Dipstick ???. With the Money
>they charge you for a Cadillac these days - They better have an Auto
>Trans Dipstick and all the other appropriate fluid dipsticks.
>
>Brian - Very Hot, Las Vegas, NV

Brian,

Yes, the 4T80E has a dipstick, as does the 4T60E & 4T65E.

Regards,
Bill Bowen
Sacramento, CA

FlyinBrianSR71@webtv.net (Brian Bower) wrote:

>I have a 2000 Cavalier 4dr 2.2L engine and it has automatic transmission
>dipstick. i can check the oil anytime i like.
>I never heard or would buy a car that you cannot check and replace -
>easily every type of fluid in it..
> Brian from Hot Las Vegas NV.

Brian,

I checked my All-Data Transmission manuals just to refresh my
memory, and as I remembered GM used 2 different automatic transaxles
on 2000 Cavaliers.

The first one is the 3-speed 3T40, which is the old THM125C first
produced in 1980. THAT transaxle has a dipstick.

Some Cavaliers where equipped with the 4T40E 4-speed transaxle. That
transaxle does NOT have a dipstick. It has a vent/fill cap just
forward of the manual valve shaft and a oil level check plug that has
to be accessed from underneath (it is next to the torque converter
housing on the passenger side of the main case).

The 4T40E is not the only GM automatic that does not have a
dipstick: the 4L30E RWD transmission and the Saturn automatics don't
either.

BTW, I sure do wish GM would adopt for all the automatics the neat
system for transmission filtering used on the Saturns: an external
spin-on filter like the oil filters on modern cars.

Regards,
Bill Bowen
Sacramento, CA .