What do you find in your transmission pan?

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Does anyone have photos of what they find inside the transmission pan after dumping the fluid. I understand most pans have magnets. How "furry"do they get? Also anyone have photos of a cutaway transmission filter to show what's inside? Thanks.
 
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I don't have a pan picture however I change the AT fluid in my Honda Civic every 20,000 miles. There is a very, very small amount of metal on the magnetic drain plug and the metal is so very fine that it has no abrasion at all. Its more like very very fine dust kind of like flour. If you are getting very much metal shavings there is a problem with your transmission.
 
On the last 2 pans I opened up that were both probably their first, I found about 1/16-1/8th of shavings on the magnet. It was fully engulfed in the stuff so you couldn't even tell it was a magnet with a hole in the center. No other debris in the pans though. One of them did have like a thin light to medium gray syrupy ooze on it that flowed like molasses. I had to wipe it out as it would barely move.

My filter fabric starts off a nice vibrant yellow.....and ends up a dark gray.
 
Here's my dead 700r4:

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My 2005 Impala's 4T65E has been opened up twice, I'd imagine. The first time came at about 100k miles by the P.O. (don't know what it looked like then), then again by me at about 119k miles. In the 19k miles in service, the magnet was completed covered in extremely fine metal. As was stated a few posts back, this stuff is so fine that you could rub it between your fingers and not feel any abrasion. No large chunks/shavings present. It was about 1mm thick. Sorry, but I don't have a picture of it.
 
Dropped the pan on my F150 after 20k kms and there was a bit of fuzz on the two magnets in the pan. I added a magnefine filter into the hose going to the cooler so hope it catches that stuff in the future.
 
I remember 40 years ago I'd open up a Ford transmission pan and find a dreidel looking thing in the pan. The first time took me by surprise.
 
Used to see this in our $sprinter vans at 40k and with the proper fluid$. One of the reasons we don't run them anymore. These pics are from units under 100,000 miles.

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Originally Posted by Kestas
I remember 40 years ago I'd open up a Ford transmission pan and find a dreidel looking thing in the pan. The first time took me by surprise.



little plastic plug thing laying in the pan?


i believe they put those in up until the last 90's early 2000's a plug at the transmission/dipstick tube to keep debris out till it was assembled and then it would just get pushed into the pan and would stay there harmlessly until the first pan drop/filter change.


it was a way to tell on a vehicle that you have if the filter had ever been changed before or not if it was still laying in there
 
Here's the one from my friend's '97 F-150.

'Twas funny. He had a heart attack when he saw it and called an old friend who was a Ford guy.
We were both relieved to learn it wasn't a working part.

I don't know what kind of dirt (or from what source) is kept out being the plug is on the dipstick tube's "south end".

Re the OP's question: I've only seen the above described "non-abrasive feeling" black goo on a dozen or so transmission magnets.
Several magnets were absolutely clean...even after 50K and more miles of service.

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I was told this is impossible. 4L65E. The only one thats been in there since new was me. Still runs and shifts. Has a "TCC stuck open" OEM enhanced code, which is not a ODBII code so there's no light. So its not clear if its related.

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Originally Posted by LeakySeals
I was told this is impossible. 4L65E. The only one thats been in there since new was me. Still runs and shifts. Has a "TCC stuck open" OEM enhanced code, which is not a ODBII code so there's no light. So its not clear if its related.


This almost looks like a valve body check ball. Don't know if this was a factory mfg assembly issue or truly one of the necessary balls regulating the passage orifices in the body. Very odd.
 
Originally Posted by Kira
Here's the one from my friend's '97 F-150.

'Twas funny. He had a heart attack when he saw it and called an old friend who was a Ford guy.
We were both relieved to learn it wasn't a working part.

I don't know what kind of dirt (or from what source) is kept out being the plug is on the dipstick tube's "south end".

Re the OP's question: I've only seen the above described "non-abrasive feeling" black goo on a dozen or so transmission magnets.
Several magnets were absolutely clean...even after 50K and more miles of service.

I wonder how people brought those "plugs" to their tranny shop fearing the worst? How many shops took advantage of someone with one of those plugs in their hand?
 
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Originally Posted by Black_Thunder
Originally Posted by Kestas
I remember 40 years ago I'd open up a Ford transmission pan and find a dreidel looking thing in the pan. The first time took me by surprise.



little plastic plug thing laying in the pan?


i believe they put those in up until the last 90's early 2000's a plug at the transmission/dipstick tube to keep debris out till it was assembled and then it would just get pushed into the pan and would stay there harmlessly until the first pan drop/filter change.


it was a way to tell on a vehicle that you have if the filter had ever been changed before or not if it was still laying in there

My 2002 windstar had one. They were installed to keep stuff out until the dipstick tube was put in. Was a good idea i think
 
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I don't have pictures but I've found valve body bolts in the pans before and chunks of planetary gears where they have chipped, O-rings and of course lots of clutch material.
These transmissions were still functioning fine.
 
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