Found chunk of metal in 4L60E Pan
02-11-2012, 11:19 AM
#1
Found chunk of metal in 4L60E Pan I'm doing winter upgrades on my 02 SS (28k miles) including a Circle D stall and a shift kit. I just pulled the pan on the tranny and found a half moon-ish chunk of aluminum about half the size of a dime and twice as thick.
I assume that being aluminum its probably not *that* important but I have the entire car torn apart doing major upgrades on everything and now I'm wondering if I should be thinking about a trans. . .not sure if the wife is going to allow that on top of everything else. Anyone have any thoughts?
I assume that being aluminum its probably not *that* important but I have the entire car torn apart doing major upgrades on everything and now I'm wondering if I should be thinking about a trans. . .not sure if the wife is going to allow that on top of everything else. Anyone have any thoughts?
02-11-2012, 06:28 PM
#4
OK, here are a few shots and those are my wife's fingers so no wisecracks.
It doesn't appear to be machined but it does have a chamfer on it like it was some kind of tooth. . .a very poorly cast one. Only about 1/3rd of the thickest edge shows fresh metal, like there was a gap in there. The back side is very rough, like 80 grit sandpaper rough.
The pan magnet is pretty full and I'd say the free-floating particulate in the pan was in line with what I've seen in the 6 or so trannys I've had apart. Anyway, I appreciate any comments.
It doesn't appear to be machined but it does have a chamfer on it like it was some kind of tooth. . .a very poorly cast one. Only about 1/3rd of the thickest edge shows fresh metal, like there was a gap in there. The back side is very rough, like 80 grit sandpaper rough.
The pan magnet is pretty full and I'd say the free-floating particulate in the pan was in line with what I've seen in the 6 or so trannys I've had apart. Anyway, I appreciate any comments.
02-11-2012, 06:47 PM
#5
Well I can't make it out. The machining on it is not clear to me.
If I had to take a stab at it, I would say it's off the input drum. But hey if it's operating properly, run it! But, I'm concerned it's wounded to be honest.
You mentioned debris in the pan... how much debris?
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If I had to take a stab at it, I would say it's off the input drum. But hey if it's operating properly, run it! But, I'm concerned it's wounded to be honest.
You mentioned debris in the pan... how much debris?
g
02-11-2012, 07:36 PM
#6
After I drained the pan there was 1mm or so (the thickness of the magnet) of fluid left in the bottom and that fluid was a little more black/brown than red. It's not burned up, it was particulate. There may have been some finer white/shiny metal particulate on the hole in the filter (which I assume is the pick-up). I'll pull the filter tomorrow and have a look at it off the car.
Dont think it matters much but it has 28k original miles and this is the original as-shipped in August 2001 fluid.
Yeah, I'm a little concerned too. This thing is going to wake up with at least 100 more horsepower. . .and I really dont want to pull that tranny again in the near future.
Dont think it matters much but it has 28k original miles and this is the original as-shipped in August 2001 fluid.
Yeah, I'm a little concerned too. This thing is going to wake up with at least 100 more horsepower. . .and I really dont want to pull that tranny again in the near future.
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02-12-2012, 10:01 AM
#8
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It doesn't appear to be machined but it does have a chamfer on it like it was some kind of tooth. . .a very poorly cast one. Only about 1/3rd of the thickest edge shows fresh metal, like there was a gap in there. The back side is very rough, like 80 grit sandpaper rough.
Last edited by mrvedit; 02-12-2012 at 10:07 AM.
02-12-2012, 10:06 AM
#9
It looks like something I just encountered - a piece of flashing from the case in the area of the manual shift mechanism. On my case it looked like the mechanism had occasionally hit the flashing and I therefore took pliers and ripped off the flashing - several pieces the size of your picture. If that is the source for you, no problem at all.
g
02-12-2012, 02:43 PM
#10
Now that it's out of the car I pulled the filter and had a look at the hole with a jewelers loupe. It looks like what I thought might have been whitish metal was just glistening in my drop lights. Whew! When I pulled the filter I did get more darkish fluid. . .but I am thinking this is fairly normal, right?
With the filter gone I was able to look in the hole just behind where the filter plugs in and in it and a few other holes there are some significantly sized pieces of casting flash ******* the holes. In a couple of places the flash appears to have been broken out, but the metal doesn't look as fresh at the breaks as what I see in the piece I found.
Since I'm putting in a shift kit I think I'll see if I can find where the piece came from and hope for the best. . .God help me if I get the car back together and it gets a case of the comeaparts, but at least I'll know what I'm getting into a little better.
With the filter gone I was able to look in the hole just behind where the filter plugs in and in it and a few other holes there are some significantly sized pieces of casting flash ******* the holes. In a couple of places the flash appears to have been broken out, but the metal doesn't look as fresh at the breaks as what I see in the piece I found.
Since I'm putting in a shift kit I think I'll see if I can find where the piece came from and hope for the best. . .God help me if I get the car back together and it gets a case of the comeaparts, but at least I'll know what I'm getting into a little better.
02-12-2012, 05:18 PM
#11
Yeah don't over think it... I get spooked every now and then when I see something like that myself. But, I do not recognize that little chunk. Of course as sure as I say all that... oh nevermind! haha!
Good luck with it! Stay in touch....
g
Good luck with it! Stay in touch....
g
