mrnorm_hemicide

iTrader: (17)

Hey all,

I just bought a '98 Z28 w/ 101k miles on it. I checked the trans fluid after it had been running in stop and go traffic and it appeared not quite red but not quite brown. It definetly was not pink like it should be. The tranny shifts fine when the car is running in cool weather, but after some stop and go in 80+ degree weather, I would get home, shut it off and turn it back on like five minutes later only to find it shifting a little lazier than it did before, almost like its starting to slip. My question is: would anyone recommend that I change this trans fluid (I don't know if the previous owner did it regularly), or do I need to prepare for a new trans Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

382ssz28

iTrader: (24)

As a rule of thumb, (your color is probably a burgundy), Dark brown, black, etc... should never be changed as the detergents in the atf may/will do damage to the weekened parts. Your color is normal to change. As far as the trans not working right, it's possible there could be something starting to fail. There may be strategies that are heat related that may adapting and causing the lazyness, (long shot). Hope this helps.

5301113

iTrader: (18)

Color change is normal in hotter weather the car does back off some timing so it mit feel to you its shifting lazier
change the fluid it better to be safe then sorry. If they didn't change the fluids change all of them. 2 cents. If the trans is going out you would notice alot of delayed shifts maybe hold the gear longer, higher RMS .

mrnorm_hemicide

iTrader: (17)

The delayed shifts is the kind of symptom that I was describing when the car has been driven in stop and go traffic when the temperature has been over 80 degrees. However, it shifts pretty smooth throughout the trip and then after it has been parked, turned off, and left for a few minutes, I start it back up and notice the trans holding gears for a bit longer than usual and giving me a firmer shift when it finally does. I had orginally thought this to be a computer problem, but when I noticed that the fluid was not pink and not really red either after the above driving conditions, I began to suspect otherwise. So you guys think that changing the fluid is acceptable under these circumstances? Thanks again for the help.