rivman05

Afternoon folks. I have never had a transmission go out on me ever, I have had them rebuilt long before it needed to be addressed. Question tho is after it being -22 for a week, we are now +32. It was acting like its slipping, or searching for the correct shift point, and decel is like someone dropped an anchor out the back, but its not constant but becoming more and more frequent. At first I thought it felt like a torque converter lock up issue. I have had to play in water lately (2"-8" deep), and we have combo ice, water (overflow on the river at both ends), and now snow. Does this sound like a trans in need of a rebuild? I let it warm up for about a half hour before I go anywhere, so Im looking for guidance. I would love not to have to send this trans out as I don't think I would trust anyone here in Bethel to do this. Anchorage has many trans shops that I could send it to. I would love this not to be anything I have to drop it out and send it out for. 176k on the odo, and not sure if its ever had fluid dumped. What trans fluid would I want to use if I did drop the pan, and put in a new filter. Sorry for the length but I would rather not have it die on the river.

dave1123

The only thing I can tell you is it takes ATF+4 and nothing else. If it's a quart low, it will act strange. At extremely low temps, the diff oil is like glue and will pull your speed down like you ran into mud until it warms up. I'm using 75W-140 Syn in both of mine and it still acts that way. Also that first shift out of 1st gear takes forever and 3rd seems to just slide in. After it's fully warm, it's fine.

97grand4.0

Not only that but there I think is a thermistor in the tranny that modifies shift points in the cold. On the 42re it is part of the lockup solenoid.

rivman05

Thanks, I have to that it out today....I ran straight into about 10" of standing water at 50 this morning...thanks mother nature. Ill check to see what its level is at, and go from there. I did try the put it in neutral during the time I let it warm up, and it seemed to make a huge difference today.

dave1123

Oh Yes, That makes a BIG difference! In park there is no fluid circulation in the trans because the converter isn't pressurized. In neutral, the fluid going thru the cooler warms up from the coolant in the radiator. The thermistor is immersed in the fluid and won't allow a shift to 4th gear unless it's above 32*F. It also will kick it out of 4th if the temp is above 240*F. The torque converter solenoid is controlled by the TCM/PCM reading data from wheel speed and the MAP and throttle position sensors, as well as the rpm and output shaft speeds. When you lock out the O/D, the torque converter will lock up the 3rd gear.

I'm sorry, I should have mentioned that earlier. I've said it so many times, I thought it got around already.

My brother put a big aux trans cooler on his Chevy truck, but didn't plumb in the rad cooler. As soon as it got cold outside, he had trouble with it not shifting right until it warmed up completely. Most of the heat in an automatic trans is generated in the torque converter by slippage. That's why the temp skyrockets pulling a heavy load.

rivman05

Thanks, it would make sense then why when its above freezing I have never seen this, and when it went to -22 for a week things were goofy for about 5 miles. So maybe I dont need to have it rebuilt, but put a pan heater on the trans pan and add it to the block heater, and oil pan heater set...

dave1123

Good idea! Another one is Katz makes a battery wrap heater that might be a good thing for you.

rivman05

It has a battery blanky, but doesnt usually need it. When its that cold out usually 1-1.5 turns and its fired up.

rivman05

Kinda a moot point now, I kinked my radiator crawling over ice chunks and stuff last night, and it ripped my bumper off. I have to get it towed to Bethel now to replace the radiator, and while I am at it, the header panel and also get my 2" budget boost lift in as I will have access to the schools only vehicle lift.