[70GMCer]

...smell the fluid. Should not smell burnt. If you can, drop the pan and look for visible signs of big pieces of metal or fiber fillings. You're still taking a change on finding no visible signs and still be bad. On more thing, try and date the tranny. Don't get one that was made from 1985 on back. They're junk, unless they've been rebuilt and with the 30 spline input shaft. Usually, when a trans shop rebuilds one, they mark something on the case in crayon or paint.