'Trust'

iTrader: (24)

I have a mildly built Stage II 4L60E, Trans-go shift kit, SSF-3500 and a B&M deep pan, usual Dextron III fluid. I've been having an issue with a delayed/varying shift for my 2-3 shift for quite some time. Its like if it was an M6 that it was powershifted almost, it will 'grab' the gear, rev a lil, then go back down. I have a hard time believing the tranny is letting go as its less than a year old, its not beat on much, and the tranny is rated for the power, but it does scare me that that may be it. I have a couple of vids below that a friend of mine took when I did some WOT runs. As you can see the 2nd vid the shift is decent, the last it nicks the limiter, and the others it has the delayed issue. I would appreciate any thoughts on what to do. Thanks guys!

http://video.ls1tech.com/video/8efd6...1700b48e16.htm

http://video.ls1tech.com/video/591d3...1700b64f85.htm

http://video.ls1tech.com/video/bae24...1700b77275.htm

http://video.ls1tech.com/video/56227...1700b862d7.htm

staringback05

iTrader: (8)

whats your fluid leveling looking like? and the fluid color/smell?

'Trust'

iTrader: (24)

I'll check that ASAP. I've got to run to get groceries so when I get back it should be hot so I'll let you know then. I honestly didn't even think about that!

VORTECFCAR

iTrader: (2)

Thats the same thing mine is doing, only mine whacks the rev limiter at WOT.

'Trust'

iTrader: (24)

^ if yours is banging it may be internal.

This is how I checked the fluid, I went for a drive (about 10 mins) got to Target, got some groceries (I was inside about 10 mins) and drove home 10 mins again. I unpacked the stuff then checked the fluid when the car was off (engine was giving off alot of heat so it was definitely close to operating temp). Fluid was right at the top of the 'HOT' section. I turned the car on and let it idle, checked it again and it was between the 'WARM' and 'HOT' line, basically where it said 'HOT' was a little shiny, but so was most of the dip stick. There was a good amount of fluid covering the 'WARM' section, but it stopped there. Fluid was a good red color and smelled semi-sweet, no burnt smell. My question is, should the fluid have been at the 'HOT' marker with 20 mins of driving and testing it at idle, or where it was was ok? If I need to add some, how much would get it where it needs to be? Thanks!

ChocoTaco369

FWIW, when you check your tranny fluid, you are supposed to check it on a level surface, car in park with the car ON. the car must be running in order to get an accurate reading. btw, tranny fluid takes a while to heat up. remember, there is 10-11 quarts of fluid in that bad boy - double the amount of the motor - and it's harder to head up a tranny than a motor since there's no internal heat source. to get a good reading, you should take it for a 30 min or more highway run.

engine temp has nothing to do with transmission temp. if you start up your car and let it run for 30 minutes at idle, the trans will still be ice cold. driveline components only heat up when you move them. the transmission has no internal heat source like the motor. the motor can be idling at 400 degrees, the tranny temp won't change.

'Trust'

iTrader: (24)

Thanks Choco, it was on a level surface and idling when I checked it. So would 20 mins of city driving (stalling up at lights, low speeds etc.) not be enough to show a valid level? I did drive it earlier in the day too. Should I not add fluid right now then? Thanks.

Yea I know that part, I just said that as a measure to how long I had been home.

ChocoTaco369

20 mins of city driving could fully warm up the trans, but it depends on a lot of things. i see you live in oaklahoma. on a blistering 90 degree day, yea, it probably would if there was bad traffic. however, in the middle of april - and since it's oaklahoma, i doubt it's that warm out - and just going through a few stop lights and catching an occasional red light, i would say IMO the trans was not fully warmed up.

i wouldn't add any fluid if i were you. i would wait until i had to take a nice drive before i trusted my tranny fluid level completely. but i may just be paranoid. it should be OBVIOUS if the trans fluid is SIGNIFICANTLY low after your drive, but if you're looking to fine-tune it:
a.) your trans wasn't likely warn enough and
b.) if it's a question of fine-tuning, it's probably not your trans fluid level causing the strange shift.

a few questions:

- did this potential problem just start happening? i see you have an aftermarket stall. do you have torque management removed? the combination of the lighter stall + softer shifts + torque management (remember, the shifts FEEL softer with a stall but they are in fact harder on the trans) may make it feel like the trans is slipping.

- did you get the trans tuned after the stall?

- do you have a shift kit?

- do you have a trans cooler?

maybe we can narrow things down and take it from there, but as things sound right now (since you're only having a problem with one shift), i'm leaning towards a cracked accumulator piston causing a decrease in pressure and a softer shift. do you still have the stock plastic accumulator pistons? if you have the aluminum ones, that'll blow this theory out of the water.

btw, i don't know **** about automatic transmissions. i couldn't fix one if i my life depended on it. i'm pulling most of this out of my ***. just being honest. these are just the little things i'm trying to teach myself. please don't take any of this as definite, because it's just one man's best guess.

'Trust'

iTrader: (24)

My answers in bold, I appreciate the help!

ChocoTaco369

no problem at all.

i'm really at a loss, now. the only two things i can think of are:
1.) low fluid of course
2.) cracked accumulator pistons

when you got your stall, shift kit, trans cooler and whatever else installed, did you bother to update the plastic accumulator pistons to the aluminum ones? if i had to take a wild guess, i'd guess if you have plastic ones, they cracked. that would cause a loss of pressure and would cause a delayed shift in the specific gear that the piston cracked. this could lead to a big problem. since the pressure is reduced, the shifts are lagging. this causes a lot more stress on the bands since the shift time is increased. think what happens to the clutch in a manual transmission car if you never take your foot off the gas when you shift. it beats the crap out of the clutch, and the slower you shift, the more damage happens. if an accumulator piston is in fact cracked, you're heading down the road to premature band failure and a rebuild.

do yourself a favor and take a nice, long drive on the highway to get your tranny 100% heated up. then, check your fluid with the car running and in park on a level surface. if the fluid is low, top it off. if the fluid isn't low, i suggest getting a set of aluminum accumulator pistons. FLT sells them here:

http://finishlinetrans.com/store/pro...products_id=67

they're a whopping $21. if you never updated the stockers, it can't hurt to replace them. even if that's not the problem, it's a good thing to do and helps prevent one less failure that could happen down the road. of course, i have no idea how much it'll cost to get these installed as i don't know crap about automatic transmissions and how to fix them. i'd shoot vince a PM and ask him the estimated labor time for swapping accumulator pistons. if it takes less than an hour, i'd go ahead and do it.

unfortunately, problems like this are hard to diagnose and it's all trial and error. you may as well start with the cheapest parts first, and this is a good place to start (and it thankfully doesn't get much cheaper).

i asked you in the last post, but i guess you missed my question. are your accumulator pistons stock, or did you update them?

performabuilt

iTrader: (25)

Try this , Replace the PCS and before you put it on turn the torx screw in the center 1/4 turn clock wise .

'Trust'

iTrader: (24)

Choco, I would assume they were replaced, the tranny has been rebuilt twice, and the second time it had a Stage II kit, I would hope those are in there but I will have to check.

Do you know the p/n for the PCS? Also, is this something that can be replaced with the tranny in the car?

performabuilt

iTrader: (25)

yes it can be changed with trans in car is no more dificult that a filter change and the OEM part number according to alldatapro is 24227792

'Trust'

iTrader: (24)

Is that it? If so the dealership said it is 24220158. Does that sound right?

performabuilt

iTrader: (25)

Thats it , There may have been a part number change they do that from time to time but the picture you have is the PCS

'Trust'

iTrader: (24)

Ok awesome, they change their p/n's so much! Thanks for the help I may take a stab at that this weekend.

performabuilt

iTrader: (25)

definatly worth a try anyway , good luck