ussva

My automatic transmission is slipping in first gear, I have to step on the gas to get her going......Fluids are full.
It all started about 2 weeks ago when I got hung up on some deep snow. Tried the Drive/Reverse method several times and finally got it out.
It started making a whining noise when taking off the next day then it would clunk into gear. Next, week gone by, It starts slipping and won't go fast when slowly accelerating. Now, today, oh boy...... It started off slipping but then put it in park to run into the store and came back out to put it in reverse, no reverse! Put it in Neutral and it started to go forward! Had to turn off the engine, put it in Neutral so I could push it back from the store!
Now I have my Drive gears but no reverse. Checked the fluids again, full cold and hot. BUT........ Now I have particles in my fluid that makes it not so red anymore......The gears are grinding, that's what that's telling me.

Any ideas other than a rebuilt or new tranny?

maxxman04

uh, sounds like you already figured it. you could try flushing the system, putting in a new filter and fluid, but that might be pointless by now.

indyrob

Your low- reverse clutches are bad. Possible sunshell broken. If you have no reverse or no manual low the sunshell is busted. The low reverse clutches and sunshell were probably messed up from getting stuck in the snow. Unfortunately, the transmission has to come out and be rebuilt or repaired. If you don't know anybody personally that can do it, go with Chevy rebuilt unit from GM or Jasper because the quality is there. It will cost a little more but it's worth it. If you want to get prices, the tranny is a 4L60E. Hope this helps. Indyrob

mudmaniac

Dosen't the Burb 2500 have the 4L80E?

nauticstar87

A k2500 should have a 4l80e. Unless its a light duty 2500.

indyrob

You tranny should be a 4L80E. Hit the wrong key-sorry. In any case, I would advise against changing and flushing out trans. fluid if it is cloudy, has particles in it, or just plain filthy. Once you do that, particles break loose and you can pretty much kiss your tranny goodbye. we had customers sign a waiver if they insisted we change the fluid. Most of the ones who ended up doing it barely made it to the end of the block. Hope this helps. Indyrob

ussva

I'm almost thinking that it's my linkage....... No reverse, Neutral is a drive gear. Maybe the linkage got pulled or stretched?

PastorK

So, if I bought a used suburban and don't have a clue when the last time the fluid has been changed, then I'm better off just not changing it? I've heard something like that before, but I didn't really believe it.

indyrob

It depends how the fluid looks. If its cloudy, has particles in it, filthy then no-I would not recommend changing it. When the dirt and particles get loose in the tranny it's almost impossible to keep them from depositing somewhere in the trans. I learned over time that at least with trans. fluid, change is not always good! Hope this helps. Indyrob

vester

Everyone has different opinions about flushing high mileage transmissions. The prevailing theory I have heard is that doing a flush stirs up all the contaminants and makes the trans worse.

On my vehicles, I do not do the flushes, but change as much fluid as possible by dropping the pan and replacing the filter. This will only get one-third to one-half of the fluid because the rest is stuck in the torque converter. Changing the fluid in this manner will remove contaminants that are in suspension and give you a refresh on the fluid. This year, I am planning on purchasing a fluid extractor and sucking out all the fluids on both of my vehicles.