Transmission fluid type problems

[ShortRoundChief]

So I started to go to class today and my car wouldn't shift. After further inspection it was bone dry and apparently I had a leak that I put off. Well I can't put it off any longer.

My questions are: It turns out that these things have transmission filters that need to be replaced every 30k miles. I didn't know that so needless to say it's due. I'm unable to do it myself so I need to take it to a mechanic. How much does that normally cost and could the lack of proper maintenance have caused the leak?

I appreciate the insight and will promptly die in an AIDS fire .

[Radar Chief]

Thanks El Jefe that makes senses.

[Radar Chief]

Originally Posted by Cochise

I guess it makes sense that anytime you have metal parts that wear, you will have some debris, no matter how small. The question would just be if the material in yours is normal or abnormal.

I think most of the debris he’s talking about is coming from the clutch pack.
You’re a motorcycle guy, ever get into the clutch of your motorcycle? An automatic transmission has a clutch assembly that looks identical to the wet clutch assembly you’ll find in a motorcycle, same type of basket, drive and driven clutch plates.
From there my automatic transmission knowledge gets sketchy. I’ve been into enough standard transmissions I understand how they work but automatics are black magic to me.

[El Jefe]

Originally Posted by Radar Chief

I think most of the debris he’s talking about is coming from the clutch pack.
You’re a motorcycle guy, ever get into the clutch of your motorcycle? An automatic transmission has a clutch assembly that looks identical to the wet clutch assembly you’ll find in a motorcycle, same type of basket, drive and driven clutch plates.
From there my automatic transmission knowledge gets sketchy. I’ve been into enough standard transmissions I understand how they work but automatics are black magic to me.

No problem man! I don't know everything, but I know enough to try and help some people who don't.

[ShortRoundChief]

Originally Posted by El Jefe

No problem man! I don't know everything, but I know enough to try and help some people who don't.

Yeah, I'm going to need you to dumb this shit down considerably then.

[Warpaint69]

Thanks for the correction and information. Never really ventured into the additives with transmissions. Most of my experience with transmissions comes from Racing and previously 15 years of Demolition Derbying where we abuse the crap out of them. Either the trans is completely roached or rebuilt for the new racing season to prevent the inevitable failure of a power glide.

Originally Posted by El Jefe

Good post. However Lucas will not fix a front seal issue. We call Lucas liquid Gold at our shop and we have saved a lot of people money by using it. Lucas Stop Slip is a common remedy for internal seal issues. Very common in Jeeps to see a slipping symptom when the vehicle is cold, once the trans fluid heats up the seals expand due to the heat, Lucas helps revitalize those seals. Axle seals, front seals, pan gaskets, solenoid gaskets, pump seals, they will not be helped by adding Lucas. That being said, it wouldn't hurt anything putting it in there, but I just wanted to clear that up for someone who may get their hopes up.

***Also a note for any DIY'ers, if you are servicing the transmission on a vehicle do not use several types of pan gaskets ie a cork gasket and RTV, I have even seen people use a fiber pack gasket and a cork gasket with RTV in between them. On A604 transmissions we use Cork only. Some people will use RTV only, which is ok if done properly, but choose one or the other. Don't use fiber pack they are junk gaskets that seem to always leak IMO. We have a Wal-Mart down the road from us and they buy the filter kits from Advance Auto and it comes with a fiber pack, and I betcha we fix 2-3 of their services a week.

[El Jefe]

Originally Posted by Warpaint69

Thanks for the correction and information. Never really ventured into the additives with transmissions. Most of my experience with transmissions comes from Racing and previously 15 years of Demolition Derbying where we abuse the crap out of them. Either the trans is completely roached or rebuilt for the new racing season to prevent the inevitable failure of a power glide.

Have you seen the new COPO Camaro's? 800 horsepower in a 2013 chasis and they use a 2 speed power glide, one great things about power glides is the abuse they can take. I agree wholeheartedly with you about going through the transmission before each race year (if you are a serious racer).

[El Jefe]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

Yeah, I'm going to need you to dumb this shit down considerably then.

If you have a question, fire it.

[ShortRoundChief]

Originally Posted by El Jefe

If you have a question, fire it.

at this point I do not, however, I think this weekend my lil brother is going to come down from Warrensburg and help me change it and check it out. He's mechanically inclined, I can turn a wrench solely out of necessity.

[El Jefe]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

at this point I do not, however, I think this weekend my lil brother is going to come down from Warrensburg and help me change it and check it out. He's mechanically inclined, I can turn a wrench solely out of necessity.

Make sure you have a 10mm socket.

[Warpaint69]

Yes I have, those Power Glides very much a simple, but rugged design. I'm a huge Camaro fan. I have a 2013 2SS RS Victory Red Camaro I ordered last March.

Totally agree, if you're serious about racing you better have a top notch maintenance program with your equipment. Those Glides while near bullet proof have a life expectancy in a racing application and when your times up, its up. Seen plenty of guys chance it and then their car won't move come feature time late into a season when points are on the line.

Originally Posted by El Jefe

Have you seen the new COPO Camaro's? 800 horsepower in a 2013 chasis and they use a 2 speed power glide, one great things about power glides is the abuse they can take. I agree wholeheartedly with you about going through the transmission before each race year (if you are a serious racer).

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

My late racing buddy, Rucker Massey was the owner of a top transmission shop, and built racing converters.
He taught me early on, just like you said, all you need is a good clean surface, a flat pan, and a cork gasket. Of course, you can't be an idiot and over tighten the pan bolts or you ruin the gasket.

Some of the older converters had a drain plug, so you could drain the fluid out of the converter when servicing the tranny. This is how they sell trans flushes now, as all of that old fluid is left in the converter by just changing the filter and fluid in the tranny.

For my wife's CR-V, Honda recommends doing a drain and fill on the tranny, run the car through the gears, do another drain and fill and then repeat the process one more time (three drain and fills in total). The theory is that most of the old fluid ends up getting flushed and the little bit that's left isn't a problem. It's a pain to do, and seems wasteful, but you don't have to do it very often. It's also easy to do at home, though the filler tube is a bit of a bitch to get to.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by Frosty

For my wife's CR-V, Honda recommends doing a drain and fill on the tranny, run the car through the gears, do another drain and fill and then repeat the process one more time (three drain and fills in total). The theory is that most of the old fluid ends up getting flushed and the little bit that's left isn't a problem. It's a pain to do, and seems wasteful, but you don't have to do it very often. It's also easy to do at home, though the filler tube is a bit of a bitch to get to.

It must have a drain plug on the pan, correct?

Most cars don't, or didn't, and the way to drain the fluid is to remove the pan. That procedure would suck without a drain plug.

That sounds like a pretty good procedure actually, kind of a manual flush and a good compromise between the other two alternatives.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

It must have a drain plug on the pan, correct?

Most cars don't, or didn't, and the way to drain the fluid is to remove the pan. That procedure would suck without a drain plug.

That sounds like a pretty good procedure actually, kind of a manual flush and a good compromise between the other two alternatives.

Yes. There is a drain plug on the pan, right in front of the car. It's even pretty easy to get to. There is no way to get to the filter, though.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by Frosty

Yes. There is a drain plug on the pan, right in front of the car. It's even pretty easy to get to. There is no way to get to the filter, though.

When we owned our Toyota, I swore at it a lot about the bastards that made it must have small hands.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

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When we owned our Toyota, I swore at it a lot about the bastards that made it must have small hands.

You'd have to have really small hands to get to the filter since it's inside the tranny and not serviceable. The small hands thing is true for the filler tube, though. It's kind of buried back and down behind the battery. I had to use a funnel with a long tube.