99 4l60e change to Dexron VI troubles

[PT1]

Originally Posted By: 99TA
Rude? because i have made it clear the fluid is not foaming or the seal leaking but the same thing gets posted over and over?I don't think so,i want suggestions not the same thing over and over.I think its rude yu posted up like this!


Hey, no big deal. Just a suggestion that is easy to try. As a matter of practice I replace that seal with a new one on every filter R/R. Your description sounds like you have some type of hydraulic pressure leak or air intrusion and since someone was just in there doing work it makes sense to go back and check that work first especially when it is way too easy to drop the pan and replace that seal with a new one. I am sure the guy who did the job is going to tell you that is not the issue because he doesn't want to take the time to re-check his work. But that is what I would do. But this is your party.

I might even go as far as to replace both the seal and filter while in there just to eliminate that possibility.

 

[99TA]

Yeah i get it! i've seen this solution posted over and over

 

[onion]

I can't decide if the problem is a bad filter/seal, or an overactive imagination. Leaning towards the latter.

 

[99TA]

I added some K&W Trans-X to the transmission....WOW did that improve the shifting,it slams into gear now!

 

[Whitewolf]

Can you just give us the VIN number so that we can all avoid buying it when you have done with it?

 

[99TA]

you don't like trans x ? Trans guy said its really good stuff.

 

[Kindergardener]

Slamming into gear is an improvement?, it contradicts to what I read and learn from this site so far, I am confused now. well whatever makes you happy counts, you are the driver.
Just curious, when you push on the break pedal, do the breaks make a reporting noise to your authority?

 

[99TA]

I'm serious the Trans x improved the shifting alot,its hard again like it was before i changed the oil.Its easy to arm chair and criticize,make some real suggestions or please don't bother posting.TY

 

[unDummy]

Were you underfilled prior to transX? or just overfilled now?

Where is this thread going?

 

[SWHeat]

Originally Posted By: 99TA
I'm serious the Trans x improved the shifting alot,its hard again like it was before i changed the oil.Its easy to arm chair and criticize,make some real suggestions or please don't bother posting.TY


Great to hear your transmission is working as the designers meant. Finally. Whew. Now maybe you can stop yanking everyone's chain. Not to say that your ongoing saga has not been slightly entertaining....but you can only take so much before you are in consensus with onion's post.

Some "real" suggestions: 1) Don't listen to anybody who knows anything about fluid dynamics. 2) Don't use a superior fluid to help your transmission last longer. 3) Ignore repeated posts re: mechanical problems. 4) Don't bother with getting a shift kit to get the "feel" you want with said superior fluid. 5) Ask your transmission shop buddy if you need a rebuild. 6) Get a rebuild on your transmission to see if that will give you the feel you desire.

Hope that helps. Ugh.

 

[99TA]

Originally Posted By: unDummy
Were you underfilled prior to transX? or just overfilled now?

Where is this thread going?
i overfilled it a bit.I put in about 3ozs of the Trans x and 4ozs of DexIII with it.

 

[99TA]

I start the car up this morning and it lurches forward hard while in park.I guess the Trans x makes the clutches sticky,anyway i figure i'm going to drive it and see how it performs with the DexIII and trans x in there and then drain it and put in DexVI again to see the differeance.I can say now without any doubt that the DexVI causes the shifts to change drasticly in my transmission.With the DexIII the shifts are very firm,drained and refilled with VI and they go soft.So this confirms what i said all along that there was no leakage at the seal.I also tried running it 1/2 qt overfilled and it didn't change a thing.

 

[gregmp]

I hate to say this, but here goes.

All the fluid experts on this site are not LS1 F-body experts. I have one and I am very knowledgable on this car, some other cars, and a mech. engineer to boot. 99TA obviosly knows what he likes and although he may not show respect to others all the time, what he has been trying to get across is being ignored.

Actual first hand experience of Dex.6 not optimized for an older type tranny. The tranny was not designed with this fluid in mind, so why is it hard to believe that the shifts will be slightly different or even slightly worse when using it in this aplication? I don't care, well actually I do, but what GM says on theis subject should be taken with a grain of salt.

GM wants to only have to stock one type of fluid. GM wants its new cars to have the best shifts and life possible. GM does not care if an old car may not run quite as good on the new fluid as the old fluid as long as it doesn't cause a lawsuit. So the new fluid will not kill normal cars with normal drivers, but who knows when is come to trannies that are pushed to the limits or non-stock power.

Dex.6 may not shift the same way as Dex.3. Correct? Or am I am idiot using this reasoning and knowing that 'a' does not always equal 'b'. Even if 'a' is greater than 'b'.

a = DexVI
b = DexIII

TransX just throw another curve ball into the main subject. I wouldn't trust that stuff unless I hated the way the car shifted without it.

 

[99TA]

Thank you,you hit the nail on the head!I think gm is kidding itself if it thinks people can use this in any transmission.I'm really not rude...just not feeling very well and was getting frustrated with this thing.I've used Trans x for over 20 years in all kinds of things including my floor jacks.Just don't use much its very powerful stuff.I put in 1 or 2 ozs in my cars once they go over 100k,it really helps to keep the seals getting too hard.At 20k already the rack steering in this car was leaking badly,i put a few ozs of Trans x in with new oil and it hasn't leaked since.I apologize to anyone who felt i offended by my comments but i felt like no one was really reading what i was posting.Thanks gregmp for the good honest post.

 

[99TA]

WAKE UP EVERYONE!!!

I just changed the fluid to dex VI in our 02 firebird with a the 4l60e and sure enough the EXACT same thing happened. It shifts softer and smoother AND when the convertor locks it does it softly. With the 50k mile dexIII that was in it the shifts were rock hard and the convertor lock up was hard!

THIS TIME i'm leaving the dex VI in for a few thous miles and see how it works out.

 

[unDummy]

TES295 it and see what happens.
If on a budget, flush with TES389.

 

[Buffman]

From what I've read the older 4l60es that are just a standard daily driver should take DEX VI with a good flush just fine. When they get into high performance cars, many 4l60e builders still recommend the DEX III..

 

[sciphi]

Reading this entire thread has been informative. I hate the way my 4T65E shifts after draining/filling with Dex/Merc fluid a few months ago for the 3rd time in 1.5 years. Looks like I'm doing a cooler-line flush with Dex-VI next time it needs a change.

 

[RF Overlord]

OK, I'll pour some more gasoline on the fire.

My company-issued work van is a 2001 GMC Safari with the 4L60E. I had it serviced at the dealer at 50,000 (now has 73k) and they used DexVI...unfortunately, this particular dealer doesn't believe in fluid exchanges, so they only did a pan-drop and filter. I do think the shift feel changed, but nowhere near as drastically as 99TA's experience.

On a side note, from day one it has done the same forward lurch when started. I've NEVER felt this in any other vehicle in my 36 years of driving and I'm interested to hear that 99TA has the same thing.

 

[JackFish]

I just flushed mine, and there was no way I wanted to mix brand spankin' new Dex6 with some old worn out Dex3 with just a pan drop. That's just stupid.
I found that the 4L60E is very sensitive to fluid levels, especially when low.