brown transmission fluid - what to do?

[DOUGGN]

I have an 87 GN with 77000 miles basically stock except for exhaust - The transmission fluid is a reddish-brown color and does not smell like normal ATF. I dont know the history of service other than it is an original car and not been apart. It seems to operate correctly. It has firm shifts but does not chirp the tires.

Is this just old original fluid or does this sound like a problem?

I suppose at minimum I should drain the trans and replace the fluid, filter and gasket. Is there anything that I need to make sure I don't forget when doing this and is there any recommendations on brand and type of fluid, filter etc?

any help is much appreciated - I would prefer to do the job right the first time.

DOUGGN

 

[bogies87]

I think I can help..... transmission fluid should not be brown....... ok thats it the end of my knowledge..... Just kidding.... As far as transmission fluid goes there are lots of oppinions here and I am sure you will hear a lot of them. I prefer Dextron VI. I would say get a cork transmission pan gasket, 6 quarts of your favorite fluid and a TCC solenoid. I would change it while you are there just for sake. I hope that helps. Oh install a transmission pan drain plug. Just in case you have to drop the pan again for any reason.

 

[DOUGGN]

I think I can help..... transmission fluid should not be brown....... ok thats it the end of my knowledge..... Just kidding.... As far as transmission fluid goes there are lots of oppinions here and I am sure you will hear a lot of them. I prefer Dextron VI. I would say get a cork transmission pan gasket, 6 quarts of your favorite fluid and a TCC solenoid. I would change it while you are there just for sake. I hope that helps. Oh install a transmission pan drain plug. Just in case you have to drop the pan again for any reason.

Sorry - I'm a transmission idiot - what is the TCC solenoid?

 

[Dabigguy]

If it's that nasty, the converter needs to be drained and the lines and tranny cooler needs to be flushed too. You may have to change it again in a few hundred miles to get all the residual "brown" fluid out.

 

[Dabigguy]

Sorry - I'm a transmission idiot - what is the TCC solenoid?

GBodyParts.com Online

 

[GNeric]

Agreed. If you change the filter, gasket and fluid at home, make sure there isn't a LOT of clutch material in the pan and/or copper/silver. If it is pretty clean in that respect, do your filter change and go to an reputable garage that has a fluid flush/exchanger and have them do the flush with the machine. Not a Lube N Go type of place. Seen too many damaged lines and lines that come apart after they "service" it without the correct fittings. Don't do it with the old filter in place. We have saved customers a lot of money and prolonged the life of the trans before it got damaged.

If it's that nasty, the converter needs to be drained and the lines and tranny cooler needs to be flushed too. You may have to change it again in a few hundred miles to get all the residual "brown" fluid out.

 

[DOUGGN]

Agreed. If you change the filter, gasket and fluid at home, make sure there isn't a LOT of clutch material in the pan and/or copper/silver. If it is pretty clean in that respect, do your filter change and go to an reputable garage that has a fluid flush/exchanger and have them do the flush with the machine. Not a Lube N Go type of place. Seen too many damaged lines and lines that come apart after they "service" it without the correct fittings. Don't do it with the old filter in place. We have saved customers a lot of money and prolonged the life of the trans before it got damaged.

So I drain my trans by removing the pan, change the filter, refill with good fluid and then take it to a place to flushed? Do I need to drive it a while before doing this? I assume they replace the fluid again at that point? Will the filter need to be changed again after the flush? Do I drain the torque converter or does the flush take care of that? Also, what if there is copper/silver clutch matl. in the drained fluid?

 

[GNeric]

Change out the filter and fluid at your house and make sure it is topped off. Being as how GM used a filter and not just a screen, it is best to make sure it is fresh. Take to the garage and have them do the exchange if there is no "trash" in the pan. If there is "trash", flushing the fluid will only quicken the demise of the trans with all the fresh detergents. Usually if the trans if too far gone, it will start peeling layers off the clutches and then you will have to rebuild it after the cost of the exchange. If there is only discolored fluid, should not have to change out the filter again afterwards.

 

[IrvJr]

See i'm of the opposite thought. Flush the fluid out first and then change the filter a few hundred miles later. That way you dont run old fluid thru the new filter. Where are you located? I have a T-Tech machine in my garage.

 

[GNeric]

Only problem is that if it is a felt type filter, it could come apart and either clog the inlet to the pump or destroy the pump. Seen a few of these from the Jiffy Splooge places and had to build lots of transmissions because of this. Worked before the flush and destroyed after. That $89 turned into $1800 for the customer. :frown: If it is a hi-flo filter like the white nylon mesh, flush away but, only after checking what is in the pan. No sense in flushing a damaged trans. :biggrin:

 

[DOUGGN]

I'm in the St. Louis/St. Charles, Missouri area - anyone know of a reputable shop in this area for this type of work?

 

[DOUGGN]

Only problem is that if it is a felt type filter, it could come apart and either clog the inlet to the pump or destroy the pump. Seen a few of these from the Jiffy Splooge places and had to build lots of transmissions because of this. Worked before the flush and destroyed after. That $89 turned into $1800 for the customer. :frown: If it is a hi-flo filter like the white nylon mesh, flush away but, only after checking what is in the pan. No sense in flushing a damaged trans. :biggrin:

Do you recommend a GM replacement filter or something else?

 

[GNeric]

Check out CK Performance's site and I think he has a pic of what the filter you buy should look like. It will have white mesh visible in the inlet instead of the yellowish felt material. I have found these at different auto parts stores and they work fine. Just ask to see the filter before you buy it. I have used Purolator and never had a problem with those. Just the cheap thin rubber gasket they put with it is terrible.

 

[IrvJr]

With a T Tech machine the pressure is the same as normal because the trans pump powers the exchange. So you are as likely to have a filter be damaged by driving it around as you are have the fluid exchanged. BUt in this situation having a drain plug on the pan would be ideal, then you could drain a few quarts and replace it and do that a few times to get some new life in it first.

 

[GNeric]

Exactly. The machine we have uses the trans pump pressure to keep the exchange rate the same. Pump pulls thru the filter and if the filter is on the edge of collapse, replacing it at the same time as checking the pan can elliminate that possibility. Too many vehicles towed in for repair because they just do the flush without checking into the pan first. Lil precaution goes a long way.

 

[Mr.Spool]

drain the fluid and drop the pan then go from there.i don't want to alarm you but these 200's don't like the heat and you already have burn't fluid:frown:

 

[DOUGGN]

I purchased a filter and non synthetic valvoline ATF. I'm going to pull the pan and see how it looks inside. Assuming I don't see in shiny particles, I will clean it out and replace the filter. I will then fill it back up and see how it works. If it seems to be ok I will try to get it pumped out to get rid of the rest of the dirty fluid.

I still have not heard from anyone in the st. louis Missouri area with any recommendation on a reputable place to have this done.

Anyone from st. louis out there????

 

[DOUGGN]

I found a shop near me that comes well recommended that is owned by a guy that specializes in GM vehicles. This is what he recommended - what do you guys think?

He recommends that the trans be flushed before the filter change and in this manner: The "in" and "out" trans lines are disconnected at the radiator and hooked to the machine. The car is run and the transmission pumps itself empty of the the old fluid and is replaced by new fluid at the "in". when all the fluid is changed the pan is then dropped and cleaned and the new filter installed. He says that by doing this nothing is pulled thru a new filter and no particles are picked up from the pan that would not normally be picked up because it is the transmission that does the pumping(same pressure, flow direction etc).

Any thoughts?

 

[IrvJr]

Are you sure both lines are disconnected? With mine just one line is disconnected and one end is fluid out and the other side is fluid in. That way the radiator or cooler or both get flushed as well. I dont know what machine they are using. But the procedure sounds fine to me, GNeric may not agree. :wink:

 

[DOUGGN]

Are you sure both lines are disconnected? With mine just one line is disconnected and one end is fluid out and the other side is fluid in. That way the radiator or cooler or both get flushed as well. I dont know what machine they are using. But the procedure sounds fine to me, GNeric may not agree. :wink:

Yes - I think it is how you said - one line is disconnected and the out is the fitting on the rad.