tranny guru's.... need help with a 4l60e

[Fabrimacator21]

My brother just called me and said his tranny is acting up...

Heres the symptoms.

Brown fluid... (he said it was almost clear on the dipstick but when he wiped it with a paper towel it was tan/brown)

Shifts into first ok but won't shift into second.

Reverse will BARELY engage and it doesn't want to move.

Any ideas? It's been a long time since he's changed the fluid... at least 30k miles and who knows how long ago it had a fluid change before he bought it.


Sounds like water in the fluid to me... he got stuck in a creek and had to wait 20 minutes to get pulled out. Can't remember how deep it was. Is there anything else that could cause the fluid to be brown/tan? Could burnt clutches cause brown fluid?

I guess my question is what to do from here? I told him to drop the pan and see if he has a clogged filter or can see any junk in the pan, then change the fluid and see if it helps.

Also is there a way to suck all the fluid out like tranny shops will do? I used a drill pump and some hose to change the oil on my boat sbc... any way to use that on the tranny? Would you hook it up to the dipstick?

Also, I'm trying to find out what trannies he could swap in. It's a 1998 s-10 jimmy with a 4l60e.

Does gm still make 4l60e's?

Sorry for all the question.

 

[Kjunky5]

How was the fluid level? Need to put a scanner on it and make sure 2nd is being commanded. One way is to disconnect the trans electrical connector and see if you have 2nd. You will have to manually shift to 2nd and 3rd as those are the only 2 forward gears you will have. Just know that you will have MAX line pressure. I would do all that after a fluid and filter change. Might even have to do it twice to get any water out. Once you pull that pan that will tell you alot. When the frictions break down the fluid turns darker not lighter unless it has overheated big time. If water got in there you need to also flush the cooler lines with Koleer Kleen or similar. Compressed air won't do it. The converter will need to be flushed as well. So it might be easier to change the fluid/filter twice.
Don't know if GM still makes them. They became 4L65e then 4L70e with an input speed sensor.

Don't waste your time doing it through the dipstick. It might be easier but it won't get all the fluid out and you still have to pull the pan to change the filter. Drop the pan and let it drain for a while.

 

[Fabrimacator21]

Fluid level was a little high.

Ok. When you say scanner do you mean just a code reader or actually hooking it up to a laptop? Would the electronics also effect reverse?

Also won't the pan need to be on for vacuum to suck it out? Would trying to suck it out through the cooler lines be better? Just trying to figure out if it's possible to get all the fluid out of the torque converter withouth dropping the tranny.

Thanks for the info...

 

[Kjunky5]

A code reader won't do it. It needs to be like a Tech 1 for example that can show you the intimate details of what the PCM is commanding. If you are not able to find one to use. Do the method I described above. Both A and B solenoids stay on in Park Reverse Neutral and First. So no, if you have first, you're good. You'll never suck out all the fluid in the converter no matter which way you do it. Unless you have one of those fancy pants setups like at a dealership.