BEWARE...Tranny filter kits all not the same

[tntcorvette]

I got a tranny filter kit for my 700R4 from autozone and put it on the car. Filled up the tranny with 4 quarts of fluid, started the car and topped it off.

What do you know? The damn thing starts to leak. Turns out the p.o.s. gasket is too f'n thin to hold its own. I forget what kind of kit it was but it is/was in a white, red and blue box...sort of the generic kind but its what came from behind the counter at autozone.

So off to Murrys for a Fram tranny kit and the gaskets look like night and day. The Fram has a much thicker gasket that will hold the bolts when the gasket is laid on top of the tranny pan. The other one would not hold the bolts due to it being so thin.

Just though i'de warn you guys/gals that all tranny filter kits are not the same and if I had driven my car to work, I would be out of a transmission.

 

[Eagle85C4]

There are those that will disagree....but I always use a THIN coat of rtv on all gaskets and never have I had leaks. And to prove it to some friends of mine I made a tranny pan gasket out of paper, newspaper to be exact, coated it with a thin coat of blue rtv and once it was surface dried I installed it and filled it and ran it with no leaks.30 days later still no leak. Of course I took it back off but that was just to prove a point. Now if you just gob it on there then you are asking for trouble, logic would dictate. But a thin coat does wonders, just run it on the gasket with your finger and wipe all excess off. A few minutes in the sun or under a heat lamp usually dries the surface, then flip it over ans do the other side. Let it dry then install.

 

[Interceptor430]

Good Post...thanks for the info...I'll probably hit Napa for a tranny filter and seal...and will use a very thin coating of RTV.

 

[Eagle85C4]

Anymore I find myself going to NAPA for parts, especially after finding they are owned by Dana Corp. The folks that make the best rear ends also own Spicer, Mr. Gasket and several other automotive related companies.

In addition to my vette I also own a full size 86 blazer that I try my best to tear up every chance I get, hey it saves the vette!
But everytime I would break an axle or u-joint or tranny yoke I replaced it with a Spicer part that does not break.
Now I use Spicer/NAPA/DANA parts exclusively for both vehicles. I learned my lesson, you might pay a bit more but they last longer and stand up to abuse. And you can tell the difference just by looking at the parts, they are beefier, heavier and made in the USA.

 

[Alex D]

Been thru that too .... there is only one way to go: See your friendly Chevy dealer and buy the OEM kit. I am serious. All aftermarket kits I looked at are inferior, INCLUDING the NAPA kit. The filter configuration is different, often the oil inlet opening in the filter is in the wrong place (i.e. NAPA kit where the inlet is on top of the filter and not on the bottom like in the OEM kit). Honestly in some of these items I would stick ONLY with OEM. Besides, the OEM Chevy kit at the dealer was $29.95 same price NAPA wanted for their POS.

Good Post...thanks for the info...I'll probably hit Napa for a tranny filter and seal...and will use a very thin coating of RTV.

 

[tntcorvette]

The Fram kit seems to work pretty well. I have never used RTV before but for now i'll stick with the FRAM kit since it seems to work the best for me or go with the GM OEM model next time.

 

[94 Octane]

The Fram kit seems to work pretty well. I have never used RTV before but for now i'll stick with the FRAM kit since it seems to work the best for me or go with the GM OEM model next time.

OEM is the only way to go with the tranny filter. Believe me I know the temptation to go with what are very reputable companies like Fram. They make excellent products. However for some things for our cars, you are better off staying with OEM.