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How do I properly maintain my 4T60e?


will_s95

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I really don't want to run into expensive transmission problems down the road, and I don't know how much service the transmission in my car has seen before I purchased it.

 

I know to change the fluid I need to do a pan drop and filter change, but what filter do I buy? What fluid do I buy? How many quarts do I put in?

 

Also, lots of mechanics are recommending flushing it. Is it worth it to get this done? I've heard it causes problems.

 

Thanks!

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Thank you sir. One question I still have is exactly how many quarts I need to put in. I can't go by how much I took out because the dipstick shows that the fluid is actually over filled.

Is the engine running when you pull the dipstick?

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Is the engine running when you pull the dipstick?

 

Yes, isn't it supposed to be in park running when you check it? Gonna feel so stupid if it isn't. A mechanic also told me it was over filled.

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Yes, isn't it supposed to be in park running when you check it? Gonna feel so stupid if it isn't. A mechanic also told me it was over filled.

 

I always kept the 4t60e in my 95 a bit above the full reading at operating temp. When Its right to the full mark I would still have loss of line pressure In hard corners resulting In It dropping out of gear for second or so.

 

Yes In park Is fine.

Edited by EGTGP
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  • 1 month later...
Transmissions been downshifting a little rough lately and the fluid kinda smells. Time to get the job done. So i will be good with anything that says Dex III on it?

I wouldn't expect a fluid/filter change to affect the downshift.

 

Dex III is fine in a '95.

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I wouldn't expect a fluid/filter change to affect the downshift.

 

Dex III is fine in a '95.

 

So I should maybe pick up a new vaccum modulator too just to be sure? Ive read that they're pretty easy to change out and can smooth out shifting.

 

How many quarts of Dex 3 should I buy? I'm just gonna do a pan drop.

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If you can afford it, I would use Dex6. Its miles ahead of DexIII. Also, when my car was an auto, a pan drop and filter change was ~7qts.

 

Thanks so much. And just to clarify, it's okay to use newer Dex fluid even though the transmission will still be 50 percent full with whatever other fluid was in there?

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Sigh.

 

1. If the modulator isn't defective or out-of-adjustment, changing it won't help. Why not TEST the modulator before you blow money on a new one?

 

2. Why would there be any significant amount of old fluid left in your transmission if you've followed my procedure for home-flushing the fluid?

 

3. While Dexron VI is supposed to be "backward compatible" according to the GM Official Press Release, the fact is that it is much lower-viscosity than prior fluids--which themselves are lower-viscosity than what came before. Your trans is calibrated to work with Dex III. Dex III is half the cost--or less--of Dexron VI. The important part is to get the oxidized fluid out, along with whatever impurities and contaminants it has picked-up in the prior hundred-thousand miles.

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Sigh.

 

1. If the modulator isn't defective or out-of-adjustment, changing it won't help. Why not TEST the modulator before you blow money on a new one?

 

2. Why would there be any significant amount of old fluid left in your transmission if you've followed my procedure for home-flushing the fluid?

 

 

3. While Dexron VI is supposed to be "backward compatible" according to the GM Official Press Release, the fact is that it is much lower-viscosity than prior fluids--which themselves are lower-viscosity than what came before. Your trans is calibrated to work with Dex III. Dex III is half the cost--or less--of Dexron VI. The important part is to get the oxidized fluid out, along with whatever impurities and contaminants it has picked-up in the prior hundred-thousand miles.

 

:confused:

1. In the forum post that was linked too, the guy just swapped it out. So I had no way of knowing that you could even test to see if it works. If its not too much trouble, it would be great if you could tell me how.

 

2. I read a few things saying that this can be bad because there's no pressure going back in while the line is dis connected? I wouldn't think that would be an issue but again I don't really know.

 

3. Thanks. I'll go with dex 3 then.

Edited by will_s95
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If its not too much trouble, it would be great if you could tell me how.

Pull off vacuum hose from nipple of modulator. Look for any trace of trans fluid. Modulator is held to transmission with a forked retainer and one bolt. Leave bolt alone, but spin modulator so nipple is facing down. Does any trans fluid come out? ANY trans fluid is a sign that the modulator is defective. No trans fluid? Rotate modulator nipple back up, put a clean chunk of vacuum hose on the nipple of the modulator. Suck on it with a vacuum gun (or your mouth. Have mouthwash handy) When you've got vacuum built-up, plug the hose with your tongue. Modulator should hold vacuum. If it leaks, it's defective. It would be better to do this with a transmission pressure gauge attached, and the engine running--you could watch the pressure decrease as you sucked on the modulator. You don't have a pressure gauge, so don't worry about this.

 

Instead, with engine and trans fully warmed-up, remove vacuum hose from modulator nipple, PLUG THE HOSE with a golf tee or something similar, and drive the car around the block. Trans should hold first gear, until finally shifting very hard into second. In town, you probably won't even get into third gear. Re-connect vacuum hose to modulator. You've just tested the modulator and the modulator circuit in the transmission.

 

2. I read a few things saying that this can be bad because there's no pressure going back in while the line is dis connected? I wouldn't think that would be an issue but again I don't really know.

There's nothing in the transmission that needs fluid flow coming in from the cooler circuit when idling in "Park".

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Pan drop, filter, and filter gasket change are done. I used Castrol Dex/Merc and filled it to right in between the two dots. Should go slightly above at full operating temp per EGTGPs suggestion, but it isn't nearly as overfilled as before. Drove around a little and checked the dipstick. Perfect red color sitting right were its supposed to be, and shifting great. But man, that was a lot of bolts!

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If you do a pan drop it should take 6-6.5 quarts for future reference. Normally mine takes 6, but the most recent time I did it, I did it while it was hot so I assume more was in the pan that usual? And it took 6.5

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Don't overfill it.

 

turns out with some driving around it was only halfway up the cross hatched section on the dipstick so i filled it to operating temp while the engine was at operating temp

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If you do a pan drop it should take 6-6.5 quarts for future reference. Normally mine takes 6, but the most recent time I did it, I did it while it was hot so I assume more was in the pan that usual? And it took 6.5

 

Yeah took about 1 1/2 of the dex/merc gallon jugs to get it exactly where it needed to be at.

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