wmiller1337

So my tranny has started to slip. Fluid is gray and smells funky (not burnt smelling though)... Yes, I am fully aware that I am in a fast moving line to a tranny rebuild. And I have heard a million stories about a tranny flush finishing the job even faster for me.

My question is, should I just drop the pan and replace that fluid with new, or I have read that you can unhook the tranny fluid line at the radiator, put it in a drain container, run the engine in park, while pouring new fluid in the dipstick tube, then when the fluid stops coming out discolored, change the filter. Would that be just as harmful as a flush? At this point, which is more harmful, rotten gray fluid or fresh fluid with damaging detergents? Is there a fluid I can buy w/o those detergents maybe?

Any one had any success with one of those stop-slip additives? Normally I don't trust miracles in a bottle, but I really need to make this thing live as long as possible. I somewhat trust Lucas and might go with their formula.

RacerX

You re done. I have never heard of grey fluid. So I m sure its a real bad thing.

I dont even know how you can get grey colored fluid.

wmiller

Overheating causes gray fluid from what I read. Water does also, but it also makes it look milky which is does not.

Like I said, I already know it is cooked, just trying to figure out which way will yield more life. I don't expect either to save it.

RacerX

Nope. Overheating causes the fluid to get brown and black. And also changes the viscosity from 5w to real syrupy.

Water mixing with the tranny fluid gives you a strawberry shake appearance to the oil. Water wouldnt turn it grey. It would actually make it rust.

Your fluid is grey...because the previous owner put a bunch of additives in there to "save" it. Most additives are colored for marketing purposes to look like they doing a Superman job when they are just Captain Caveman'ing it up big time.

wmiller

Seems the issue was caused by the 96 VCM grounding issue. Installed the jumper wire and shifting seems to be bueno again. But that nasty fluid is still in there. (TSB says it is oxidized fluid. Blot test supports that theory)

The slipping only started 1 1/2 weeks ago. I have put about 300 miles on it in that condition. I don't think I did to much damage to it. So again I ask: Full flush, pan drop only, or leave it alone completely?

RacerX

grey isnt the color it is supposed to be. so you know you gotta change that out. And look in the pan to see if there is the wickedness in there.

country_09

I've heard that a full flush will cause it to slip on many older vehicles with quite a few miles on them...I'd go with the pan drop and a new filter. that's what I did with mine(184000 miles) and it's good to go now

wmiller

That's what I have been saying RacerX, just seeing if anyone had input as to whether I should remove it all and take that risk or replace half it and risk it that way.

Country, I know flushes can be harmful, that's why I am asking this question. Oxidized fluid can't be much better than a flush. But I do think I have decided to just do a pan drop and refill and see what that does. If it helps my shifting, I will keep draining/refilling every couple months until its the right color again. If not, then I will just drive it till it craps out on me.

MDTAHOE

Gray is metal shavings from the trans coming apart. I have seen it many times. If you change(at all) that fluid the truck most likely will not drive any more. Do nothing if you want to keep driving a little longer.

BigBadRed

I agree with country_09 I'd drop the pan and change the fluids thats what we did with my cousin's monte carlo which we found 1 inch chunks in the bottom of the pan and was slipping really bad and has no slip now after dropping the pan a new filter and fluids.