My tow rig/daily driver is a 2009 Chevy 2500HD with a 6.0. The truck has over 230K miles but still pulls my K5 on a goose neck trailer fairly easily. At least it did until a few days ago. The truck is modified, of course, and we do live in the mountains so the majority of the truck's life is spent driving up and down mountain passes. A few days ago I was driving up the pass, without a load of any kind, when smoke began poring out from under the cab. I pulled over and to my disappointment the entire undercarriage was covered in trans fluid. After limping the rest of the way home, I put the truck on the lift but could not locate the source of the leak. So I filled the transmission and started the truck and found fluid bubbling out of a nearly circumferential crack near the tail of the trans. My first thought would be to re-case the trans, but I have not been able to locate a distributor having a 6l90 case and my options seem to be narrowing down to having Chevy do the R&R at a huge expense. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated or point in another direction other than the Chevy dealership!
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
Help, cracked 6L90 transmission, Any suggestions for options?
- Thread starter saygone
- Start date
What area of Colorado are you in?
Go to Car-part.com, several in the $1k to $2k range. Most you can call and verify fitment by VIN. Maybe try local to avoid shipping.
I agree, Having 230K on yours and the expense of re-casing (parts and labor) would make that the least expensive option.
Only time I've seen a 6L90 get the case cracked at our dealership was when we traded for a truck from some oil rig firm out of NM. They literally beat the snot out of that truck. I was told it had a pretty heavy trans leak and we had to send our wrecker to NM to bring it back. Heavy leak my foot, the case was busted.
If I remember right, I had my parts guy look for the case as it was split from one side to the other. We couldn't locate just the case. I priced out a GM reman to the sales department and watched them freak out. We ended up wholesaling the rig.
I'd locate a used trans via Car-part.com. Chances are you will find something with less mileage than what your truck has.
If I remember right, I had my parts guy look for the case as it was split from one side to the other. We couldn't locate just the case. I priced out a GM reman to the sales department and watched them freak out. We ended up wholesaling the rig.
I'd locate a used trans via Car-part.com. Chances are you will find something with less mileage than what your truck has.
Thanks a lot, I was able to locate one Springfield, IL. It should be here by week's end for a fraction of the cost of the dealership. In my search this week at a number of local transmission shops, one possible cause for this happening keep coming up. The drive shaft splines were ceased to the transfer case's output shaft and every time the rear axle moved, it was trying to push
the transfer case through the transmission. As I am now preparing to remove the broken trans, no kidding, the driveshaft is stuck in the transfer case. I guess I didn't realize this was possible. I have seen numerous drive shafts pull apart and a few push in too far, both from too much flex, but never one ceased. Lesson learned! And fairly expensive one!
Thanks again.
the transfer case through the transmission. As I am now preparing to remove the broken trans, no kidding, the driveshaft is stuck in the transfer case. I guess I didn't realize this was possible. I have seen numerous drive shafts pull apart and a few push in too far, both from too much flex, but never one ceased. Lesson learned! And fairly expensive one!
Thanks again.
Glad you were able to locate the cause and a replacement trans, thanks for posting the "fix" 
once the slip yoke is off the tcase make sure to clean it / wire brush it out . then check for pitting on the teeth and if any time for new one . and grease the splines to help avoid this again .
I've seen splined output shafts twist like spiral barber poles on a few mud bog trucks,and some drag cars before !..
..always thought they would shear off first,but nope..
..always thought they would shear off first,but nope..
