June 13

6:40 I know how frustrating for newer transmissions with no gauge is not to be able to figure the fluid level. But i think i found the only way to measure the transmission fluid level in a "sealed" transmission (no gauge). It should take less than an hour.

Get one of these or similar (i have used it for years) and one of these. Build an adapter using a short piece of oil resistant rubber hose of suitable size and attach the thin one from the second to the intake port of the first. The pump also works for oil changes, without needing to remove the plug, eventually the panel that covers it and replace the crush washer and to torque (resulting in what i call the plug torque anxiety).

Heat up the engine and transmission to nominal temperature (for better flow of transmission fluid, mandatory for oil changes). Remove the cap from the top of the tranny and insert the thin hose. Be careful not to add contaminants (wipe the hose with a clean rag before insterting). Most likely will not go straight down but at an angle. After it heats up at tranny temperature will become less stiff and easier to insert.

Carefully insert the black thin tube and twist it to change direction if you hit an "obstacle" until you reach the bottom. There might be electrical connectors in the way so be careful not to push hard.

Pump whatever you can, ideally about half of the capacity (the rest remains inside the torque converter) in a clean container (water jug). Look at the capacity in the manual, you should be able to pull about half. Measure. Look at the color. Should be red, not brown.

If it is red, just measure it and pour it back in using a funnel. If it is brown, pour in new fluid of the type specified in the manual, the same amount should be about half capacity from owner's manual, drive a few hundred miles and repeat the procedure until it becomes red. You need to drive because the newly added fluid contains fresh detergent additives that will dissolve the sludge from the bottom or filter and turn it brown.

A worn out fluid of the color brown will impact negatively the functioning of transmission, build up sludge in the solenoids, etc..

If you pulled less, should figure the reason you have less it should be only leaks, but those are rare in newer vehicles. Could only be a bad maintenance job done earlier.

In the case of my car (2018 Elantra 2.0 SEL) there is a compartment that do not communicate with the rest of the bottom of the tranny. I would assume if you hit that one with the thin hose, will not be able to pull all the fluid out (i mean the half that is not inside the torque converter).

11:00 Recunosc că am fost destul de vag în legătură cu posibilitatea unui cutremur săptămâna viitoare în România. Având în vedere că miercuri luna ajunge la 93% iluminație, cu distanța în ușoară scădere de la apogeu iar presiunea are un vârf de 30.8 (miercuri, 1043 mb, foarte mare) m-aș mira dacă marți nu s-ar produce un cutremur de până la 4 grade iar miercuri unul de până la 5.

Însă nu știu, nu am mai făcut niciodată corelații cu presiunea atmosferică din România, din lipsă de date din trecut. În sudul Californiei este mult mai ușor de prezis un cutremur, pe bază de maree și presiune atmosferică, mareele însumând atracția soarelui și a lunii.