More Tranny Info

[Long Knight]

Here is what I've got. 350 transmission with a 9" tail housing. The tranny got a filter change about a month ago. There was some metal dust and a few shavings in the mix of things. Gave my friends a call and they said it was probably normal and not to worry about it (thanks Slammed!). It always shifted a little hard into gear. Now I only have low and reverse. I can get 2nd if I start in low and then shift up, but once I start moving I can't find second gear. Fluid is full and there's no metalic in it... yet.

Sorry I didn't give this info before.

The wife almost blew a gasket, so I need all the help I can get.

[1971Stepside]

First off let me begin with the fact that I am no transmission specialist. I will just pass along what I have learned along the way. My brother had to replace the engine in his truck so while he was at it he decided to change the oil and filter in his transmission. He wanted everything to be fresh. Anyway, the transmission began doing things like you are experiencing. It then began slipping and getting worse and worse on his drive from Texas to Missouri.

We took the truck to a trans shop in town and the first question the guy asked us was if we had recently changed the fluid. When we told him that we had he said we shouldn't have!! He said that unless your transmission fluid is changed on a normal basis you shouldn't mess with it. The fluid gets small particles in it from the clutches and if removed the new fluid is too slick to get the clutches to work properly. He said you are best to leave the old oil in and just make sure it is not leaking and topped off. $1000 later we were rolling again. This was a 4L80E transmission in a 94 Chevy 4x4.

I will bet by changing the fluid you have exposed worn plates in your tranny. It isn't good news for you, but at least a 350 is only about $300 to have rebuilt. That 4L80E was very expensive!!

[Slammed67]

I found this on the Internet...

How Often Should the Automatic Transmission Fluid be Changed?

(The following is excerpted from Carley's Car Care Guide, c1996 Larry Carley)

Most owners manuals say periodic fluid changes are not necessary. Yeah, right. That's why transmission shops are making a fortune replacing burned out automatic transmissions.

For optimum protection, change the fluid and filter about every 12,000 - 30,000 miles, depending on your owner's manual recommendations.
CAUTION: If the fluid in your transmission has never been changed and the transmission has more than 50,000 miles on it, it might be too late to change it! Changing the fluid on a high mileage transmission can sometimes lead to transmission problems because of accumulated varnish deposits and wear in the clutches.

[yellowgmc]

this might explain the probs my wife's bonneville is having. seem like the torque converter isn't unlocking. if i take my foot off the gas quickly with the tranny in gear the engine dies. also when it's just been started if you hit the gas the car sputters and chugs along and the the tranny engages and the revs climbs to 5500 or so. i can feel the converter slipping for 4-5 secs before it upshifts. had the tranny fluid changed last summer. probs started then. sh!t!!!

[COBALT]

Yeah I've heard this is a quick way to find out if your transmission in the vehicle you just bought needs to be rebuilt, and you don't know how many miles are on it.

Back to your original post -- shavings are not good. Pan can have a small amount of particles, or debris, but no more than a teaspoon. If you have shavings, or recognizable hard parts you need a rebuild asap. Fluid should be relatively clean (not deep red, but transparent red) with no brownness or chocolate pudding (sludge) at the bottom of the pan. Usual wear is the thin grey film on the bottom of the pan under the fluid. Yellowish splotches on the pan indicate overheating. Silver paint in the pan indicate converter failure.

[ckhd]

Yeah, T-350s are cheap to rebuild. Thank goodness! They are probably the most common auto tranny out there!

The best way I've found to eliminate autmatic tranny probles is use a stick. If I possibly can in any situation, I'll get a stick instead of an auto. EVERY auto tranny I've owned or drove on a semi-regular basis has made me walk (except for the 'burb, but I've only had it for a little while, and the tranny is going out in it). There has not been one single stick that I have owned or drove on a semi-regular basis that has made me walk. I have always gotten home with a stick.

Just my opinion, auto=trash, stick=treasure.

OK, sorry to vent on autos...