Help Please!!!

I have an 2001 Isuzu Rodeo. We've only had it about 6 months and already have had to pit a new engine in it. Then the transmission was shifting hard in 1st gear and I was advised that I should change the filter and fluid. Wow! What bad advice. I drained about 3 quarts of fluid out and now have no clue where to refill. The resevoir on top will not drain or I could fill through that. First time I've ever come across a vehicle that uses the same fluid for the power steering and the transmission. If anyone can help figure this one out I'd appreciate it. I'm sure there is some easy explanation, but it's got me stumped. Thanks to anyone who can help!:banghead:
D Campbell

There is no dipstick on these transmissions. To refill this auto tranny, you're going to need a lot of shop towels, a liquid pump, some patience, and a strong neck!

There are two bolts on the drain-pan, the one you're not seeing is on the passanger side on the back of the pan, this is your refill plug. After draining 3-4 qts, insert your drain bolt with a new washer/gasket, then take out your refill bolt, and pump in as much ATF as the tranny will readily accept prior to starting the truck, it will probably start to stream out after taking in a little over 2 qts.

At this time, put your refill bolt back in, but do not torque it down - you're not done, ... start the truck, let it idle for a second or so, then slowly shift through the gears, stopping in each gear for 3-5 seconds or so, leave the truck running and in park - do NOT shut off the truck at this point, or it will dump out all the ATF you just put in.

Crawl back under your truck, take out the refill bolt, you will need to start pumping in more ATF, you'll have to move kind of fast on this, because as the tranny heats up the ATF expands, and you need to refill the fluid level prior to the tranny reaching a hot temp.

The tranny is considered full when ATF starts streaming back out; at this point, button her up. You should have replenished nearly the same amount of fluid as what came out, if more went in, it was likely a little low.

You really can't over fill this design, but you *can* underfill without truly knowing that you have, and this GM 4L30-E auto tranny does NOT like to be low on fluid. So, if in the next day or so, your tranny has not smoothed out, I would double check your ATF level, but you can NOT pull the refill plug on a hot transmission or on a truck that's not running at the same time - both incidences will send ATF covering yourself/drive way into a blood bath.

Do some searches here, there are a lot of threads here on the proper way to refill this tranny.

Forgot to add: if you dropped the pan and changed the filter too, your truck is going to need about 5qts or so of new ATF.

If you just did a partial drain, should be somewhere close to 4qts that it takes back in.

Remember though, there is NO dipstick, no nothing in the engine compartment that's going to help you refill this tranny.

:) Its not uncommon for a hydrolic system to use ATF. The log splitter here does. ATF is just another type of Hydrolic fluid. Thou the transmission and the power steering use Dex III ATF, they are not the same system, they both have to be drained and filled separately. I hope I read your question right and this helps. Andie:)

Thank you for your quick relpies and help. I think I can figure it out from here. It's much appreciated.