2020: Transfer case and Trans drain & fill odd things

So I've been doing a 60k service on my 2020 and today I did the transfer case and transmission drain and fill. Some strange, but minor, things I thought I'd see what your thoughts are on.

First, the transfer case drain and fill plugs were extremely loose. I mean, I almost could have turned them without a ratchet if I just used the socket and and extension. They were not leaking at all, but they were nowhere near the torque specs. They hadn't even been torqued enough to get into the teflon tape on the plug threads. Just thought that was odd.

Secondly, when I drained the transmission pan for a "drain & fill", I opened the fill hole first and nothing came out, which I expected. When I drained, exactly 3.5 qts came out according to my graduated bucket; that was at pan/shop temp of 90F. When I filled, I only got about 2.75 qts in before it started coming out of the fill hole. I reinstalled the fill plug, heated the trans temp up to 105F, and it trickled out of the check plug like it was at the right level right away. I checked to make sure the truck and the pan were level as well. The only thing I can figure is that my graduated bucket markings may have been off? I drove with the scan gauge for 30 minutes after and the temp was 200 plus or minus and seemed to shift fine. Fluid was Toyota OE WS.

 

I've done many drain and fills, one that when I did the check I was almost a quart over, I have never once seen fluid come out the fill hole. In order to get fluid out of the fill hole you would have to severely overfill it. Im just guessing but maybe the tube you where using to pump in was pressed up against something or not all the way in? There is absolutely no way you could drain out 3.5 and only get 2.75 in, you can always drain the entirety pan and then get 4 quarts in no problem, I do 4.5 because I added a cooler and it all goes in.

 

Something isn't right for sure. I used a slippery pete pump and it has a clip so you don't jam the hose in too far, so I'm baffled. Had 4 qts all ready to go in as expected. I'm going to recheck it again today. I have a flexible scope camera too; I think I'll take a peek in that hole and see what I see.

 

Something very weird to get fluid out the fill. I agree something blocked to opening and fluid falsely came out. I have gotten a little more than 4 QTs out during drain and fills.

 

Take that clip off for starters. I seen Amazon reviews about that clip breaking and falling in so the first thing I did was take it off when I got mine. Just shove the tube in the hole.

 

I thought the same thing when I was using it "what if this thing fell in there". I did remove it because it feels flimsy.
So today I leveled her out again and filled her up with 2 more quarts, heated the fluid, and re-established the dribble. I only got about a 1/4 of a qt. I think I'm good to go. Driving around temp was in the 190-195 are but it is cooler here today to. Shifted just fine. I think I'm good now. I'm just chalking it up to aliens or not paying attending the first time. I don't know. I didn't chew gum this time either.

 

This works great for the fill especially if you do a complete fluid exchange.