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Another dead transmission post.. :-(

4xcrazy

4xcrazy

3/4 ton status
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Just killed the transmission in the '05 Avalanche on our way back from SoCal vacation to Six Flags, Universal Studios and the BEACH :D

Guess the trip just got a whole lot more expensive.

Apparently, the "AUTOMATIC" transmission, didn't like the hundreds of hills it had to climb up and down through while out there, it kept going in and out of lock-up for one, I would manually downshift it into 3rd on the larger hills, but most of them were not seemingly enough for a 3rd gear drop to maintain speed.

Got the "transmission hot" dash warning on the climb on some hills entering Arizona (I-10) slowed it down a bit and dropped it in 3rd to maintain a locked gear setting, warning went away, didn't smell anything, but now it slips betewwn gears and slips if you hit it for passing gear situation.

Just called the trans guy I had do the Burb, $975 for a bench rebuild with minor mods to assist with slightly firmer shifts than it came with from the factory. Said there really isn't much else you can do to overly modify them since they are primarily computer controlled.

125,000 miles,,, kind of short on the life cycle, but I also don't know how well it had been maintained before I came around and did a doule fluid change within a weeks time to clear up a dirty fluid condition, so i'm guessing it was already on it's way out, we just finished it off. :doah:
 
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What transmission is it?

If it's a 4L60E you may want to opt for a 4L80E or even a 4L85E
 
tow haul mod helps if you have it.

and fyi in gm if overdrive dont leave it in OD position. this gets you less line pressure . put it in 3rd / drive this tells the tranny i will be working harder and need to bump the line pressures.

and no mods to electric trannys BULLSH!T lots of stuff you can do to them. go read up at bowtie overdrives website.

NEVER EVER let a 700 / 4l60 / 4l60e hunt back and forth - QUICK DEATH
 
NEVER EVER let a 700 / 4l60 / 4l60e hunt back and forth - QUICK DEATH
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And, if you are going to be doing trips like that a lot, consider a big transmission cooler.
Probably once you got the transmission hot light, it was too late.
Of course, the heat may have been caused by slippage to start with.........
 
The heat was due to the already slipping, this trans was already acting alittle funny at times between gears since it was bought, I did a double trans fluid/filter change last year about this time, 2 changes within a week of each other because the fluid was already looking alittle on the dark side, it did clean it up a lot.

This trip just finished it off.

I don't normally let the transmissions slip in and out of lock-up or changing gears too much while climbing hills, I can usually adjust this by the amount of throttle/position I give it, or just manually drop to 3rd,,, nothing really seemed responsive though this time around, either in OD it would slip no matter what throttle it was at, or place it in 3rd and rev the crap out of the engine, or slow down and be a traffic problem.

There was a bit while out there, during a transition from one freeway to another, where we slowed down, naturally it downshifted, but when I got back on the throttle, it wouldn't go into overdrive, and when the throttle was let off, it acted like it was in neutral, just idled the engine down.

It had issues basically...

And when I said there are very few mods to do to these transmissions, I guess I didn't type that statement very well, this is NOT a hot rod by any means, so it is not desired to have a hard shifting transmission. I simply asked him if we could speed up the shifting, but not make it a super harsh shift. I have had transmissions in the past with shift kits in them, and after running around with them for a bit, I wished I had never had them installed.

Yes I'm sure there a bunch of mods to be done to them, but without going into high performance, or crazy shifting, I'm guessing here, that there are few mods to be done, to keep a modest shift pattern within a comfort range. I'm getting too old for hard shifts.

anyways, we just talked it over this evening over dinner, and apparently, I'm removing a transmission tomorrow morning... :doah: yay me :smirk:
No finances for a 4L80e, just going to get it rebuilt, with a few upgrade mods and call it good. :D

We already knew the trans was going to be an issue with this thing, we were just hoping it would last a bit longer until the funds were available alittle easier. I even mentioned starting to put money into a seperate bank account for repairs, mainly for the trans when it decided to crap out,,, too late :doah:

tiss all good though, will have a new-ish trans next week and be back in business again. :D

oh yeah, and yes, a big cooler is on order as well.. :D
 
Dont feel bad at 125 k miles. I killed a allison at 84,000 miles. I guess it didnt like a tuned dirtymax lol
 
Well, like I said, 125k miles, I personally believe was short, with my driving habit anyways, but as previously stated, this transmission was not maintained very well by the previous owners. I was trying to make it last, and believe I did get it to last longer than it would have if I hadn't changed the fluid twice last year to help clean it up.

I got the 700r4 in my '89 Burb to last till 225k before it just quit shifting into 3rd or 4th gear..

More annoyed at myself for not actually stating that savings fund to help pay for it. :doah:

No biggine though, it's coming out today.

out to have some fun!! :doah: :rolleyes:
 
Thoughts & prayers today, as a good friend of ours, who has been there every morning for us, taken us to places near and far, trouble free, has become ill and is requiring a decent sized requirement for surgery. I'll keep everyone posted as to her progress and how things progress. Let us pray for a quick and speedy recovery, with minimal setbacks and few vulgar words.
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thats nothing buddy. . . . . :whistle:

pulled a 700r4 pan 1 time with 3/4 inch thick layer on bottom.

drove fine dead cold. warmer tranny got the gears started droping off till no go. :eek1:
 
Removing ANY transmission is a PITA,,,as far as I'm concerned.

Just had a few different procedures than I'm used to with the older setups and as mentioned, I'm just getting too old to be rolling around under a truck like this. :D
 
Has anyone EVER been successful at removing the factory drain plug,in the later GM automatics??...every one I see come into my friends shop has the drain plug's SUPER THIN "hex head" completely rounded off,and nothing he tries using to grip it will grab well enough to unscrew it!--(much like the filler & drain plugs on NP 208's Imight add!)..................................................................................................................seems like they put super locktite on the dran plug on day one,to ensure it'll NEVER come out..the few he's had luck removing,were the ones that were never touched by a wrench yet--and they only came out after the pan was off,and heated up with a torch...WHY did GM bother to put a drain plug in,that cant be removed 99% of the time??...............................Friend did a tranny filter & fluid change on an '06 GMC yesterday--wasn't fun,the crossmember had to be dropped,and some other stuff was in the way too..took 2+ hours to do a "simple" job,that should take 15-30 minutes tops....the more I look under newer vehicles,the LESS I want to ever own one!..
 
I always put an aftermarket aluminum pan on my trans with a drain plug that comes out easily. Toss the stamped GM one in the trash.


Also once the fluid is dirty like that, best case is to leave it alone until the trans takes a dump. But putting in fresh fluid you replaced all the fluid that had clutch material in it from wear and accelerated the trans dying on you.
 
i can get the rounded off head drain plugs out every time .

IF you know how to use a air hammer/chisle then its easy with a good sharp bit and correct angle of attack to cut grove part way in flat around rounded off head then twist bit and spin the bolt loose super easy .

JUST dont go threw the pan and have to fix that.

have even done this by hand with hammer and chisle .

also works for lug locks if no key to remove and can get at the lug lock nut.
 
Same here, I have yet to meet a nut or bolt that beats me.:D
sweetk30 said:
i can get the rounded off head drain plugs out every time .

IF you know how to use a air hammer/chisle then its easy with a good sharp bit and correct angle of attack to cut grove part way in flat around rounded off head then twist bit and spin the bolt loose super easy .

JUST dont go threw the pan and have to fix that.

have even done this by hand with hammer and chisle .

also works for lug locks if no key to remove and can get at the lug lock nut.
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