Dr.Tranny's instant shudder-fixx?

[97tbird]

Anybody use/d this product?
it's made by the Lubeguard people.

A fellow T-bird owner with 4R70W swears by it: it cured his torque converter shudder for good...

I've heard a lot of Tranny shops use this cure Tc shudder...

any feedback/advice/experiences?
Thanks.

 

[punisher]

If you have done a complete ATF fluid change, including draining the converter and changing filter and reprogramming the PCM with the "latest and greatest" calibration update, then additives are uneccessary.

For hot climates, an add-on trans fluid cooler does wonders for fluid longevity/shudder. Ford has a very neat factory add-on cooler it put out as a TSB fix for overheated fluid/shudder problems.

As far as additives, we never really ran across anything that had a noticable effect on converter shudders, except for the above fix.

 

[55Test]

I wonder if that would do anything for the GM 3t40 and 4t60 transmissions which have the tendency to shudder when the torque converter is locked up.

 

[Big Jim]

Ford made it quite clear that the primary cause of torque convertor shudder on those transmissions was "tired fluid" and that matches my experience.

I found that adding friction modifier to "tired fluid" sometimes got rid of it for a while or at least reduced it, but a complete fluid flush was the better answer.

So I guess that an additive package that restores some of the depleted components of the fluid may help, but I doubt that it is a complete or best answer.

 

[iceberg]

I swapped a motor and trans on my 94 lincoln mark viii. The trans was a 98 model 4r70w from the same car. I also threw in new torque converter from ford with it just to be safe. Changed ALL the fluid to mercon V and added a trans cooler. 1500 miles later got the shudder. Tried lube guard and a bunch of additives and nothing worked. Removed torque converter AGAIN. Ford gave me another and I installed it. 800 miles later got the shudder again. Frusterated and ready to blow the car up I read on a mustang website about this dr. trannys instant shudder fix. Ordered a couple of bottles online and put one in. Shudder went away and I was ready to throw a kegger! 20,000 miles later the shudder has not returned but I do have that extra bottle if it comes back. Point being that all the posts about adding a cooler changing the fluid could be the torque converter reprogram the pcm ford does not have a reprogram for a lincoln mark viii etc etc. Give this stuff a try It's $5 sometimes it works sometimes it does not.

 

[97tbird]

Thnaks guys.

I know that the main thing is a flush/drain incl. the TC; I've already done it, and the shudder I had at 72k miles is almost fully gone (now at 105k); the flush and Mercon-V made a huge difference, but sometimes I can feel the tranny rumble/faint shudder at 45 mph. However, the 3-4 shift-shudder never came back.

To Punisher:
PCM Calibration: my car is one of the very last ones made in July 97, and as far as I know, it already had the better calibration. Unless there was another one, which I've not heard of; Can you perhaps check when this "latest/greatest" calibration came out, and what the code for is, so I can ask a Ford dealer if they can do it? I know that's a lot to ask, but would be a great help...

The guy who added the Dr. Tranny thing to his t-bird tranny had a Mercon-v flush done, and it was pretty good, but then he added the Dr.Tranny on top of the Mercon: that's when he got the great results. According to the website, this thing has 5 times the normal ATF friction modifier concentration, so I guess it can't hurt at least.

"?":
The Dr.Tranny tube is about 2 oz. and should be added via the dipstick tube; Is it a small enough amount that I don't have to worry about over-filling? or would you not advice to add it to the existing fluid? The Lubeguard website doesn't mention anything about removing ATF before adding this...

Compared to some othet t-birds, I'm grateful that my 4R70W is still ok.

Thanks again.

 

[iceberg]

Just dump it in it is a small tube you won't over fill.

 

[MolaKule]

quote:

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The guy who added the Dr. Tranny thing to his t-bird tranny had a Mercon-v flush done, and it was pretty good, but then he added the Dr.Tranny on top of the Mercon: that's when he got the great results. According to the website, this thing has 5 times the normal ATF friction modifier concentration, so I guess it can't hurt at least.

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On the contrary , too much additive can cause slippage or hanging between shifts. It is similar to those people who overadd FM's to their LSDs and wonder why they don't get power to both wheels on slippery surfaces.

You want your shifts to be smooth but crisp, not "slushy." Too much FM can increase the "Slush" factor.

Both LubeGuard and Smartblend have warnings on their labels not to overdose with their products.

I would say the replacement of the MerconV alone did more to improve shifting performance than anything else. Friction Modifers, like detergents or dispersants in ATF, don't last forever. Additive suppliers (aka Ethyl or "Afton" as it is now called) are building better FM's that last longer; DexronIII(H) is one such improvement.

 

[97tbird]

quote:

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Originally posted by 97tbird:

quote:

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Originally posted by MolaKule:

too much additive can cause slippage or hanging between shifts. It is similar to those people who overadd FM's to their LSDs and wonder why they don't get power to both wheels on slippery surfaces.

Both LubeGuard and Smartblend have warnings on their labels not to overdose with their products.

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Thanks, MolaKule: good advice.

I wasn't planning to overdose the Dr.Tranny thing. Just thought of adding the recommended dosage, actually. I just thought that the addition of FM additives in "recommended amounts" could be a good thing, perhaps.

I know what you mean by the "slushy" shifting

I call it "rubber-band" shift.

Ford/Motorcraft also has their own FM suppliment for Tranny/TC shudder...I wonder if that's a better or safer product.

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[GT Mike]

quote:

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Originally posted by 55:
I wonder if that would do anything for the GM 3t40 and 4t60 transmissions which have the tendency to shudder when the torque converter is locked up.

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It's usually a TCC solenoid that's getting tired that causes these trannies to shudder. With regular fluid changes, my 4T60E has never shuddered once. I added LubeGuard red once, but didn't like the way ithe shifts felt afterwards. Too soft and "sloppy" feeling.
Only time I've experienced TCC shudder on these trannies was in a 200,000 mile Grand Am that the TCC solenoid wasn't working correctly. Since it was as much a PITA to change just the solenoid, the whole tranny got removed and a used one we had laying around installed. Worked perfect.

 

[Annihilator]

Actually, Ford put out a TSB on this subject. Its usually not the TCC, rather, the fluid. All you have to do is dain all your trans fluid, including radiator and TC, and replace it with MERCON V fluid. I have done this on 3 vehicles and it cured the problem.

 

[Jerry]

I had '93 Dakota 5.2L, and around 100K put some in and solved the shudder. I did fluid changes (pan only) every 20-25K. Worked fine for me and no side effects. JR