7
78SilvAnniv
Guest
The only reason I am posting this, is because Bud (Rare81) told me this is NOT the bone-head question I thought it to be, and if anyone else is having similar tranny symptoms...it may help to prevent a serious problem and promote a closer look at automatic transmissions.
I have been smelling a 'hot oil' smell that I thought was engine oil, so we changed the PCV valve, but the smell did not go away. No block leaks, no loss of motor oil and I just figured any hot oil smell would be the engine.
It wasn't until I noticed the color of the tranny fluid was no longer red that I suspected the transmission. Of course, I used a 'brown' gas station paper towel...but when I came home I pulled the tranny dipstick and wiped it on a white kitchen paper towel, and it was sure enough brown.
(I check motor oil every other week and the tranny fluid about 1x/month or 6 weeks.)
There has been no difference in the tranny's performance in the 6+ years I've been driving her. Maybe I've caught this in time before permanant damage has occured? Her regular oil change is tomorrow, and I will be asking them to perform a tranny flush and filter change on the tranny, also. I didn't know if a flush would remove all of the bad fluid (I know a torque converter holds a lot of fluid, but was unsure if the tranny would need to be pulled to empty the t.c.) but Bud suggested that a flush would be the best way to be assured of removing all of the bad fluid.
My bone-head questions come next:
What has caused the fluid to turn brown?
Did I 'cook' it?
Is there a contaminant in the fluid?
If the system is flushed and refilled, will it too, turn brown?
What caused this and what can I do to prevent this problem in the future?
Is the tranny cooling system suspect?
Sorry all, I'm just throwing out questions as they come to me...
I have never had any problem with a tranny before now. I have installed a B&M shift kit in a tranny many years ago (it worked just fine, even being installed by a 'girl') but I have no clue as to what to do about this problem.
Am I on the right track with the flush and refill?
What can I do to prevent this in the future?
I am dreading the possible replies of all the things that I have done wrong, and of all the things wrong that could possibly be. But I need to know what I've done, and how to not do it again.
Heidi
I have been smelling a 'hot oil' smell that I thought was engine oil, so we changed the PCV valve, but the smell did not go away. No block leaks, no loss of motor oil and I just figured any hot oil smell would be the engine.
It wasn't until I noticed the color of the tranny fluid was no longer red that I suspected the transmission. Of course, I used a 'brown' gas station paper towel...but when I came home I pulled the tranny dipstick and wiped it on a white kitchen paper towel, and it was sure enough brown.
(I check motor oil every other week and the tranny fluid about 1x/month or 6 weeks.)
There has been no difference in the tranny's performance in the 6+ years I've been driving her. Maybe I've caught this in time before permanant damage has occured? Her regular oil change is tomorrow, and I will be asking them to perform a tranny flush and filter change on the tranny, also. I didn't know if a flush would remove all of the bad fluid (I know a torque converter holds a lot of fluid, but was unsure if the tranny would need to be pulled to empty the t.c.) but Bud suggested that a flush would be the best way to be assured of removing all of the bad fluid.
My bone-head questions come next:
What has caused the fluid to turn brown?
Did I 'cook' it?
Is there a contaminant in the fluid?
If the system is flushed and refilled, will it too, turn brown?
What caused this and what can I do to prevent this problem in the future?
Is the tranny cooling system suspect?
Sorry all, I'm just throwing out questions as they come to me...
I have never had any problem with a tranny before now. I have installed a B&M shift kit in a tranny many years ago (it worked just fine, even being installed by a 'girl') but I have no clue as to what to do about this problem.
Am I on the right track with the flush and refill?
What can I do to prevent this in the future?
I am dreading the possible replies of all the things that I have done wrong, and of all the things wrong that could possibly be. But I need to know what I've done, and how to not do it again.
Heidi