Blew the tranny...HOW?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,126
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From: Hudson Falls, N.Y. 76 Vette Modified L-48
Blew the tranny...HOW?
Was doing figure 8's to help the rear end...then decided to do them in reverse for a while....stopped the car, hit the gas...didn't move...long story short it eventually moved but only made it down the street...I heard what sounded like a muffled carb backfire and the tranny was dead....how could this happened? 
It'll go to the trans shop today, I hope
It'll go to the trans shop today, I hope
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Hudson Falls, N.Y. 76 Vette Modified L-48
well...I don't think so....on the stick, running, it was about six inches HIGHER then the full mark, like something was pumping fluid into the pan but not pumping it out...well, it's time, 101k miles, I just don't understand what I did...I suspect reverse 8's had something to do with it...or it was just coincidence....just pisses me off...
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Hudson Falls, N.Y. 76 Vette Modified L-48
This was in to a (I'll call it a mid-nite auto shop) "transmission shop" for a fluid flush, change/filter change a month ago and has run fine since, this blow-up took me completely by surprise...last time I checked it, maybe a week ago, tranny fluid was right on....so, I'm taking it to a ASE tranny shop the next town over to get it done right...nothing I did, I thought, could have caused this....I was just slowly making figure 8's at a local K-mart parking lot and then..... ....after the reverse 8's...
....after the reverse 8's...
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Hudson Falls, N.Y. 76 Vette Modified L-48
I would hope there was no debris in there after a trans service, but as I said, this guy with the Hawaiian shirt, cigar and weighing about 300 lbs could have just hooked me out of $189 bucks....I mean, the fluid level was easily 6 to 8 inches above the bend in the stick...makes no sense at all....so off she goes...to a service shop all the guys at work rave about....when she comes back, she will be better, one way or the other...
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Hudson Falls, N.Y. 76 Vette Modified L-48
Here's a theory....give me some comments...
When I had it into the "Hawaiian shirt" service, this guy brings out the pan with a ton of metal filings in the pan with a little fluid mixed in, he sez, "tranny's shot...it'll be $1900"....well, the car drove in fine...I sez "clean the pan, put in fluid and filter and if it die's I'll get a $412 tranny from Advanced Auto"....
Could it be possible this f**ker just put the pan back on with the filings in it, and when I did the sharp 8's, it kicked them up and plugged the filter???
If that's it, I'll sue the bastard...
When I had it into the "Hawaiian shirt" service, this guy brings out the pan with a ton of metal filings in the pan with a little fluid mixed in, he sez, "tranny's shot...it'll be $1900"....well, the car drove in fine...I sez "clean the pan, put in fluid and filter and if it die's I'll get a $412 tranny from Advanced Auto"....
Could it be possible this f**ker just put the pan back on with the filings in it, and when I did the sharp 8's, it kicked them up and plugged the filter???
If that's it, I'll sue the bastard...
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Carbondale Pa.
I've never seen it fail when a transmission service is done on a higher mileage vehicle that we have no knowledge of its previous service work performed that the transmission will soon $hit the bed. I worked many years for Chevy and other G.M. dealers and then afterwards local parts stores and can remember this happening,, and I know for a fact that the mechanics,,,'scuse me "technicians", didnt sabotage the transmissions,,,but it sounds like your wanna-be Boyd Coddington might be less then scrupulous, at least in his approach and demeanor.
Peace,,,,and good luck,,,Moosie
Peace,,,,and good luck,,,Moosie
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Scottsdale Arizona
Originally Posted by moosie982
I've never seen it fail when a transmission service is done on a higher mileage vehicle that we have no knowledge of its previous service work performed that the transmission will soon $hit the bed.
Good theory. No idea if it's true.
If the level in your tranny went up that much, I would think that one or more of the internal seals must have failed.
Last edited by CA-Legal-Vette; May 30, 2006 at 09:09 AM.
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Sorry to hear your tranny died while doing the figure eights I recommended. Doing them in reverse was not what I envisioned but if your tranny really did go by doing this it was probably ready for a rebuild anyway. Maybe the bloated tranny guy was honest. If there really was a lot of metal in there, it might be an indication that the tranny was ready to go. Bring it to a shop that someone you trust recommends and Good Luck!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
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My Mercedes tech friend once told me that if Auto trans fluid gets old enough, you can actually hurt the trans by changing it. I don't know how or why, but that's what he said. So maybe changing the fluid doomed your already near death trans? Anyone else heard of this? Well, I'll ask him why again tomorrow.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,341
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From: Connecticut
Originally Posted by CA-Legal-Vette
I've heard this as well with auto trannys. The theory is that particles of worn clutches build up behind worn seals. When the tranny is flushed and new fluid is put in, the "dust" is cleared away and the seals fail.
High milage automatics, flush is one of the worst things you can do..the crud actually holds everything together 
Is it a T400 or 350 Bill?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,126
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From: Hudson Falls, N.Y. 76 Vette Modified L-48
update
Yes, it's a 350...yesterdays update, office lady sez the "pump" went south on her, I can only assume at this point that is why the level was so high..I am ignorant to what makes an auto go, I just put in gear and go...waiting on that part to arrive, other "parts" installed yesterday...she sez hoping for completion by Friday...
So maybe I AM a bigot about fat men in Hawaiian shirts w/cigars and the old girl was living, but with one foot in the grave, and she finally expired, maybe I pushed her to die with a fluid swap, who knows..I will ask many questions after it's done...I had given some thought about upgrading to a bigger, better tranny and installing myself, but in reality, this decission to have it rebuilt is more realistic...I'll keep ya all updated, and thanks for lettin' me cry on your shoulders...you guys are the best
So maybe I AM a bigot about fat men in Hawaiian shirts w/cigars and the old girl was living, but with one foot in the grave, and she finally expired, maybe I pushed her to die with a fluid swap, who knows..I will ask many questions after it's done...I had given some thought about upgrading to a bigger, better tranny and installing myself, but in reality, this decission to have it rebuilt is more realistic...I'll keep ya all updated, and thanks for lettin' me cry on your shoulders...you guys are the best