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OT: GM Transmission question

L

LonM

Member
I have a 1990 Chevrolet 2500 (the light 3/4 ton version) with 150,000 miles on it. The automatic transmission has never been worked on. I was pulling 10000# of gravity box and corn up a hill today at 10-15 mph in drive (probably should have been in low), and it started to smell like something was getting hot. Engine temp was normal. What have I begun to destroy? I appreciate any help!
Lon
 
Does the transmission oil look/smell burnt?

Is there an engine or transmission oil leak that contacts the manifolds or exhaust system?
 
The oil looks and smells okay. The trans lines are leaky, and the left exhaust pipe crosses under them, so you probably nailed it. Why I just noticed it while pulling the trailer must have been coincidental. By the way, is there any good fix for those darn lines? I bet I'm on my third set. Something made out of hydraulic hose and better crimping would be a big improvement...
Thanks.
 
My 1995 GMC, I vas hauling a tractor up a steep hill and it stalled oat. Should have had it in low range. Fryed the transmission, cost $1,500.00 to have it rebuilt. That vas aboot 10 years ago, no problems since. I always pull trailer in the D position on quadrant, instead of Over-Drive.
 
Wasn't that the years they had a problem with the trans overheating and burping fluid out of the dipstick? An '89 I owned had a latch on the dipstick.
 
It has been serviced regularly by the small-town dealer I bought it from at 72000 miles, so I assume they have kept up on the trans fluid maintenance. It has a good reddish color to it yet. The dipstick tube does have a latch on it.
 
talk to a local hydraulic shop someone that makes hose there are many options A hydraulic hose will out last the truck
 
Drip some fluid on a white paper towel. If the color from the drip is all one color the fluid's good. If it's brown in the middle and red on the edges, it's fried.
 
Keeping it in the "D" rather than "OD" has NO EFFECT other than to keep it from shifting into 4th gear. Does not raise or lower pressure, does not change powerflow within the unit, or modify the shifting pattern.
This is just an old myth that refuses to die. There are no deep mysteries inside an automatic trans. Been rebuilding them for 42 years.
The "hot smell" could come from any number of sources - the most common being the catalytic converter. That is the part that gets the most stress under a hard pull. It only takes a little bit of road dirt/oil drip/greas to make a smell when it gets hot.
 
That will help much more than gear selection. The leading cause of failure in automatic transmissions is HEAT. Next in line is lubrication issues - blocked passages, oil breakdown, and even poor design all contribute to lubrication issues.
 
There's a chance you've fried it. It's worth trying to save it though. If the transmission continued to work properly, change the fluid and filter. The best way to change the fluid would be to drain the oil in the pan and add new oil, then repeat. The second time you pull the pan, install a new filter, and be sure to remove everything from the magnets both times. USe a good quality oil, preferably a DEXRON-VI spec oil.

If you do this(pull heavy) on a regular basis, you should add a larger transmission cooler(150sq.in. x .75" thick minimum) and add a temp gauge. Auto Meter #2640. Don't ever let the temperature get above 210F. No more than 190F on a regular basis.
 
Towing capacity on that year with a 5.7L and Z82 trailering special package was:
- 5500lbs with a 3.08
- 6500lbs with a 3.42

So just a guess, if you had a 10K gravity box hooked on a 150K mile trans, you probably started to smoke it.

Rick
 

I"ve never heard that it changed the shift pattern or pressures. It simply keeps it out of over drive. If od can be kept in lock up it actually creates less heat then drive does when in lock-up.
 
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