need advise on installing a transmission cooler

[youngnretired]

The mechanic that I use for things I dont want to do said he hasn't used a trans flush machine for over 15 years. He said that sometimes it will flush the dirt from places and speed up the demise of a transmission. I would have used the multiple steps you used for a fluid change. You have essentially changed 85%+ of the fluid and any trapped dirt in corners etc likely remains where its at.

The filter shouldn't be sitting on the pan. Sounds like its come loose from the pickup. There should be some clearance between it and the pan.

 

[booster]

The filter should not be laying in the bottom of the pan when you take it off. The filter is held in by the seal that is up in the block and hard to change, but should have been a new in the fllter kit. If the filter was loose, you probably should go back in and replace the seal.

Don't run it with zero fluid on the dipstick as it is too low. Put more in.

 

[booster]

The mechanic that I use for things I dont want to do said he hasn't used a trans flush machine for over 15 years. He said that sometimes it will flush the dirt from places and speed up the demise of a transmission. I would have used the multiple steps you used for a fluid change. You have essentially changed 85%+ of the fluid and any trapped dirt in corners etc likely remains where its at.

The filter shouldn't be sitting on the pan. Sounds like its come loose from the pickup. There should be some clearance between it and the pan.

He is right about the machines but it can also happen when doing a pan swap that can break loose debris in the transmission. The big thing is how long it has been without a fluid change and how gummed up it is. If it had never been changed you never know what exactly is going to happen.

When they do a full swap with the machine, they should also be changing the filter for a good job.

I do pan drain fluid change every 3 years when I also change the coolant in the radiator only and all the brake fluid. I still need to do the power steering/hydroboost fluid as it has been a long time on that.

 

[THEBRAIN]

The filter should not be laying in the bottom of the pan when you take it off. The filter is held in by the seal that is up in the block and hard to change, but should have been a new in the fllter kit. If the filter was loose, you probably should go back in and replace the seal.

Don't run it with zero fluid on the dipstick as it is too low. Put more in.

when I dropped the pan is when the filter was laying inside the pan. when I shoved the new filter in place it wasn't as tight as previous filter swaps. like when i bumped the filter w/ the pan it turned diangley a bit. so i straightened it out an was more carefull not to bump it again.

I think I pumped out a tad more than I than I planned maybe 2 extra quarts so esentley I'm low probaley this 2 quarts.

I only ordered 3 gallons of the 9305 type fuild.
would it be OK to mix the universal type castrol in w/ the AC delco? thanks for advice.

 

[THEBRAIN]

The mechanic that I use for things I dont want to do said he hasn't used a trans flush machine for over 15 years. He said that sometimes it will flush the dirt from places and speed up the demise of a transmission. I would have used the multiple steps you used for a fluid change. You have essentially changed 85%+ of the fluid and any trapped dirt in corners etc likely remains where its at.

The filter shouldn't be sitting on the pan. Sounds like its come loose from the pickup. There should be some clearance between it and the pan.

the filter was sitting in the pan when removing the pan. I had the understanding that w/ the deep pan that the nipples on bottom of filter actely do rest on the pan. the nipples are designed to allow fuild to pass under filters case.I maybe wrong.thanks

 

[booster]

Maybe it had the wrong filter in it as there were two, a long and short stem.

Filter difference link

In any case the filter should not be laying in the bottom of the pan when you take it off.

 

[THEBRAIN]

Maybe it had the wrong filter in it as there were two, a long and short stem.

Filter difference link

In any case the filter should not be laying in the bottom of the pan when you take it off.

the filter that was in there is thrown out so I can't confirn it was the short but this wouldn't surprize me a bit. what I didn't like was the new filter not being tight inside case bacicley just tight enough to hold it in place that's untill I accidently bumped it which I corrected shoving it back up.
I believe I have the correct deep pan filter w/ the nipples underneth.

what do you think about adding a few quarts of the uiversal to the AC delco fuild. not driving her untill I see fuild on the dipstick thanks Booster

 

[booster]

Yep, the filters snap in pretty firmly so that they stay in place.

I would not mix fluids that way. Putting in a couple of quarts of Valvoline true Dexron VI would be fine, though, I am sure.

 

[THEBRAIN]

Evidently I didn’t wait long enough for the fluid to get down on the dipstick.

Vans been sitting undriven in backyard for a couple weeks bc I thought there wasn’t enough fluid.

Today w/ engine turned off I have this much fuild on dipstick or is this fake readings bc engine is turned off?

I now have more of the AC delco 9395 fuild. I assume I should crank her up then start at low#1 and shift to each gear a few times check dipstick while she's in park still running?.

The amount on the DS right now doe’s this indicate one quart low? There are no cold/warm/hot levels on this DS.

Lastly for right now is there a trick to keeping the DS secure in it’s tube? I’m thinking the procedure is 1.push in. 2.twist pointing the lever downward. 3. lock level down. thanks

 

[youngnretired]

Other than locking the dipstick down, there's not a twisting required.

The transmission is supposed to be checked with the fluid and transmission up to operating temperature and vehicle running. It's typical to have a sitting transmission show more fluid than full. I'd add fluid, half to 1 quart, start, check the dipstick and add so that it's on the dipstick while it's running, and get it up to operating temp and then check if it's full.

 

[booster]

Other than locking the dipstick down, there's not a twisting required.

The transmission is supposed to be checked with the fluid and transmission up to operating temperature and vehicle running. It's typical to have a sitting transmission show more fluid than full. I'd add fluid, half to 1 quart, start, check the dipstick and add so that it's on the dipstick while it's running, and get it up to operating temp and then check if it's full.

Interesting, as on ours it seems to like me to start about 90* of and take that much back when it binds. Our tube was repositioned a bit when I added the second alternator and went to the smaller overflow tank, though.

The Dex VI fluid is very thin and hard to check when hot and if you just pull it out, wipe it off, and then back in to check, you might not get any good reading at all as it will pick up fluid dragged up when you pulled it out the first time. I pull the stick out about 3-4" and then drive it until it is up to trans temp and then push it in and pull out to check. With it pulled out while driving any fluid in the tube runs back down and the stick doesn't drag out any new to mess it up. Some folks even keep a cut off stick to cap the tube and the regular one for checking.

 

[THEBRAIN]

how long doe's it take for the fluid to drain off the tube an provide an accurate reading?ambient temp. is 45*. w/ engine warm I shifted though each gear. when she was still a bit cool she would stall out going to reverse that subsided as she progressively got warmer.
same story when shifting down to first she stalled out. not so much stalling from drive to 3rd an 2nd just to first. now this subsided the warmer she got.

after all the shifting I say cycled three times though each gear,I started adding fluid half a quart. waited a few minutes then checked I believe I got fake reading bc dip stick was scraping fluid off the tube like the reading area then dry for 2' then covered for 10" the dry.
waited a few minutes still fakeish reading. so how many minutes should I wait to check after adding?
now since I have cycled shifted though all the gears I assume the valve bodies of each gear is pumped full an is unnecessary to continue shifting for next add an check? just add wait x amount of time then check.
I certainly want to avoid adding to much.
so is the bent twisted part of dipstick the full at hot?
an what the heck is hot after 100miles of cruising or just after rad.s water temps say operating temp. 190*
what the heck is cold temp.just after ignition an not driven?
my car has hot an cold printed on it differnt story w/ the express3500.

I think the dipstick stays a bit more secure when locking in up position. thanks for advice.

 

[booster]

The dipstick is wiping off the fluid on the way up and putting it back on when you go back in so you get a bad reading. If you get a gap that is below the fluid line, it is very likely it is low if that gap is in between the dipstick lines, which signify hot and cold like all other dipsticks unless they decided to use hot only and an add line. Download the Chevy user manual on line as they are free a lot of places and read it.

The transmission temp will lag the engine temp by quite a long time. Stop and go driving for 20 minutes with stick pulled part way out should let the oil drain out of the tube and have the trans warm enough. The push it all the way in, pull it out and check the level which should be between the lines. The difference between the lines is probably under one pint so be careful adding so don't put in too much.

If it stalls in gear until warm you probably have and engine control problem.

 

[THEBRAIN]

The dipstick is wiping off the fluid on the way up and putting it back on when you go back in so you get a bad reading. If you get a gap that is below the fluid line, it is very likely it is low if that gap is in between the dipstick lines, which signify hot and cold like all other dipsticks unless they decided to use hot only and an add line. Download the Chevy user manual on line as they are free a lot of places and read it.

The transmission temp will lag the engine temp by quite a long time. Stop and go driving for 20 minutes with stick pulled part way out should let the oil drain out of the tube and have the trans warm enough. The push it all the way in, pull it out and check the level which should be between the lines. The difference between the lines is probably under one pint so be careful adding so don't put in too much.

If it stalls in gear until warm you probably have and engine control problem.

excellent advice as usalle thanks
need image of 05 Chevy 3500 4L80 express transmission dipstick, mine has no readings on either side.
I've been pouring in 1/2 of quart waited one hour then checked (while running in park) after adding just over two quarts I have just under one inch same as when checked unstarted

this is a 07 dipstick. so if its the same as mine I have a undriven cold level?I assume the other reading is warm maybe the 0 is warm?
link for manuel would big help

 

[booster]

We have a 2007 and have had it since new, so our stick has not been changed. I just went out and looked at it and I had to to get very good light to see the markings on it because they are very faint, and I don't know if I ever saw them because it also had 4 small, deep, punch marks on it at the ends of the ranges to go by.

The van is sitting in what right now is 43* temp and at that temp, not run for weeks, the fluid if up the the beginning of the spiral. It was at the top of the hot range after driving in the summer the last time I checked and that what I see now is like it always has been cold.

 

[THEBRAIN]

We have a 2007 and have had it since new, so our stick has not been changed. I just went out and looked at it and I had to to get very good light to see the markings on it because they are very faint, and I don't know if I ever saw them because it also had 4 small, deep, punch marks on it at the ends of the ranges to go by.

The van is sitting in what right now is 43* temp and at that temp, not run for weeks, the fluid if up the the beginning of the spiral. It was at the top of the hot range after driving in the summer the last time I checked and that what I see now is like it always has been cold.

right now undriven shes at cold, after driven say 10 miles expect fluid to grow to hot section?

 

[booster]

right now undriven shes at cold, after driven say 10 miles expect fluid to grow to hot section?

10 miles will not do it. It takes a long time to get up to full temp in a transmission compared to the water temp.
I would suggest you get a Scangauge for it or one of the phone apps that can check the PCM seen trans temp. Guessing at these things is just a shot in the dark.
What you showed would be normal for a cold tranny running, but not for a hot one. The thick coating would indicated it was cold as I mentioned earlier. How you can add 1/2 quart of fluid and not see a change is really odd. Dex VI at 180*F will be so thin you can barely see the level on the stick in good light.

 

[THEBRAIN]

10 miles will not do it. how many miles to heat up trans.? How you can add 1/2 quart of fluid and not see a change is really odd. Dex VI at 180*F will be so thin you can barely see the level on the stick in good light.

fluid was low by just over 2quarts after adding 1 1/2 just barely got to that end round piece.
I think shes safe to drive an keep checking.when can I expect fluid to grow to hot section? will report back.

 

[THEBRAIN]

I cruised around about 20 miles the other day an she's shifting fine. but dam it's hard to see the fluid level on the dip stick. this new fluid isn't very red.

 

[youngnretired]

Sometimes it is difficult. I'm not trying to put you down for not being able to check the fluid level, but maybe this is a time to take it to your mechanic and have them check it for at least a second opinion. They do this all the time, and those if us who service our own vehicles sometimes struggle with things because its not what we do all day. A second opinion is rarely a bad idea.