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Is my tranny going bad? (pics)


THe_DeTAiL3R

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I dropped the pan today to change the fluid/filter. I'm not sure but to me this looks like alot of metal shavings. Mind you, this is the first time I've ever serviced this car (I don't know when/if it was ever done before). Car currently has about 135k miles on it. Trans was shifting a little hard on the 1-2, other than that no slippage or anything. I haven't drove it since I changed the fluid tonight so I don't know if the shifts are softer or not. Anyways, tell me what you think.

 

As you can see the square magnet is completely covered in crap.

 

S2400024.jpg

 

Lots of pictures: (some are right after I dropped the pan, other pics I cleaned some of the fluid up)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/dave64/S2400025.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/dave64/S2400027.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/dave64/S2400028.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/dave64/S2400029.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/dave64/S2400030.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/dave64/S2400031.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/dave64/S2400032.jpg

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Is that metal hard pieces or simply goo?

 

The goo is just clutch material.......a normal item over time. Metal is bad, typically if there is metal the trans is inoperative.

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Yeah those shavings look pretty big to be just normal wear. I'd think that if something hasn't already failed it may not be far away, but then again it could be just fine for another 100K. Either way I'd drive it till it drops and just get another one to replace it.

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Either way I'd drive it till it drops and just get another one to replace it.

 

That's about all you can do, and that is a LOT of shavings and metal chunks. Cross your fingers and give it hell, hopefully it lasts you.

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I guess I'll baby it for a month or 2 drop the pan and see how it looks, maybe those shavings have been there for the past 10 years :think:. I'd like to sell the car anyways, before it goes boom. :bash:

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How dark was the fluid, BTW?

 

The fluid was quite dark, basically looks like it just hasn't been serviced in a long time. It does NOT smell burnt though, which is a good thing.

On my 1988 when I dropped the pan it was just as dark, and that car had more mileage. But, that car had very little shavings and goop inside.

 

If it still shifts hard on the 1-2 I'm gonna dump a bottle of Lucas in it...

 

I'm thinking that the 3100 with more low end power is alot harder on these trannies than having to rev the crap out of them with a 2.8.

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How dark was the fluid, BTW?

 

The fluid was quite dark, basically looks like it just hasn't been serviced in a long time. It does NOT smell burnt though, which is a good thing.

On my 1988 when I dropped the pan it was just as dark, and that car had more mileage. But, that car had very little shavings and goop inside.

 

If it still shifts hard on the 1-2 I'm gonna dump a bottle of Lucas in it...

 

I'm thinking that the 3100 with more low end power is alot harder on these trannies than having to rev the crap out of them with a 2.8.

 

I feel the opposite. My 3.1 had more power down low, whereas I like to rev the hell out of the 3100, since w/ the Vin J manifolds, I'll be pulling still at 6k rpm's.

 

I'd stay away from Lucas. Try a bottle of transmedic first. If that doesn't work, then I GUESS try out Lucas, but maybe avoid using a whole bottle of that honey.

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I feel the opposite. My 3.1 had more power down low, whereas I like to rev the hell out of the 3100, since w/ the Vin J manifolds, I'll be pulling still at 6k rpm's.

 

I'd stay away from Lucas. Try a bottle of transmedic first. If that doesn't work, then I GUESS try out Lucas, but maybe avoid using a whole bottle of that honey.

 

I agree that the 3100 has lots of power in the high RPMs, I guess what I meant to say is that I don't have to take it past 4K to get it moving (on the 2.8 it had no low end so I was always flooring the fucker :mrgreen:)

 

I'll have pics tomorrow of the metal shavings I filtered the goop out with varsol. I gotta break into the filter and see what it looks like in there too..

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thats bad, i just did mine a little while ago and it was no where near like that.

 

we replaced a tranny VERY shortly after a fluids change. and it had not even half the junk that yours does in it.

 

it's anyones guess really, could be good for another 50 miles, could be good for another 50k

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Try putting in this stuff called "Lubeguard." My former auto teacher's father is a transmission repair man and he said to do this. My car would constantly miss the shift into third I'd say 90% of the time. After I did a full service and put that stuff in, it misses no more. Also, all the other shifts are smoother. All of those chunks though have me concerned. I guess keep on driving it until it blows up.

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Trans service will not cause a transmission to fail. It was on the way out before you came to it.

 

I also hate transmission additives (any additive for that matter)......the vechile was not designed to operate with it. You are simply dealing the repairs to a later date......and you could very well be costing yourself more money in the end.

 

But what do I know......

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yeah thats more shit that I had in my '95 Cutlass when I dropped the pan. If only people would do the recommended maintenance on there tranny fluid and filter you wouldn't see half of that shit! Since my Prix just hit 27K I'll either drop the pan and change the filter or I might have the fluid flushed out.

 

Hopefully you'll be ok and not have to deal with a dead 4t60e in the near future...

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For the ultimate transmission service I recommend the following.....

 

-Pan drop and filter replacement.

-Add 5 quarts of fluid.

-Remove cooler line.

-Start car (fluid will come out line), immediately dump in 2 more quart.

-As soon as the fluid coming out the line turns new, shut off car.

-Fill transmission to proper level.

 

This will use approx. 12 quarts of ATF.

 

This replaces all the fluid in the transmission (something you don't get with a pan drop)...........and you get a new filter and to inspect the bottom of the pan for debri (something you don't get with a flush).

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For the ultimate transmission service I recommend the following.....

 

-Pan drop and filter replacement.

-Add 5 quarts of fluid.

-Remove cooler line.

-Start car (fluid will come out line), immediately dump in 2 more quart.

-As soon as the fluid coming out the line turns new, shut off car.

-Fill transmission to proper level.

 

This will use approx. 12 quarts of ATF.

 

This replaces all the fluid in the transmission (something you don't get with a pan drop)...........and you get a new filter and to inspect the bottom of the pan for debri (something you don't get with a flush).

 

does it matter on the cooler line...incoming or outgoing?

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  • 2 weeks later...

little update... I finally got around to smashing open the old filter. Wasn't any metal in it. The paper material in it had grey "liquid" on it, I guess the same stuff as the normal sludge, but it was more liquidy. So I guess that's a good sign. Also added some fluid. I was too lazy today to install the tranny cooler so just though I'd check on things...

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