Patent ID: 7766126

Claim:
A transmission having a gear-side with dynamic transmission components lubricatable by a fluid and a valve body-side having a transmission valve body assembly, the transmission comprising: a case at least partially defining a main sump volume containing the dynamic transmission components and an auxiliary sump volume containing the transmission valve body assembly, the case defining an upper fluid gate near the top of the case and a lower fluid gate near the bottom of the case, wherein the upper fluid gate and the lower fluid gate each allow fluid to flow from the valve body-side of the case to the gear-side of the case; and a stand tube positioned within the case on the valve body-side, and adapted to direct fluid through the lower fluid gate before the fluid reaches the upper fluid gate; wherein the stand tube defines an internal volume having a top opening in the auxiliary sump volume, and a bottom opening in direct fluid communication with the main sump volume through the lower fluid gate so that the fluid by-passes the dynamic components by passing through the stand tube to the lower fluid gate.