So I changed my trans fluid yesterday along with the hydraulics (prestone dot 4).

I've read all over here that just throw in regular dextron/mercon III and forget about it. So I did just that. Right away this morning I'm backing out of the drive way and I noticed it shifts hard as hell, noises are going on in there and I can't even shift to 3rd gear? WTF?

I have a 00 LS1 SS with 69K miles, so I threw in Valvolines 75K mile Dextron 3 ATF. Of course it doesn't say that anymore. All the bottle says is that it can be used on Dextron III vehicles. But that's the standard 75k mile bottle of Dex from Valvoline.

This stuff must be total ****. The car shifts absolutely terrible, knotchy as hell. I literally can't shift into third gear, it just grinds. What the hell is up with that? If I shoved some weird synthetic or some crap *** Walmart brand fluid in their I could understand. This is suppose to be what's mean't for our cars.

What fluid should I go with now? Because this **** is coming out of the car tonight when I get home. I'll never run it again, something is very wrong.

 

GM synchro, Stock stock stock.

Otherwise my buddy runs redline fluid with no problems. Also I have heard good things about Royal Purple.

 

We always use the reg. dextron 3 like a store brand.This is in fluid changes or our high hp tranny's. The 75k mile stuff you bought probly has a bad additive in it.

 

I am going to go ahead and say you did not bleed your hydraulics fully. Just changing tranny fluid is not gonna cause your tranny to shift THAT bad.

 

Ok, I hear ya on that and it could very well be. I did replace the fluid with DOT 4, so maybe there are air bubbles. But still that fluid is garbage, it's gotta go. I'll try GM syncro. What's the best way to bleed the hydraulics if you don't mind me asking?

Here's my deal anyhow. I know I've been having tranny problems. 5th gear doesn't engage at times and whining down from 3rd gear at times it just fn pops out of gear. I JUST bought the car and this **** has happened. So I'm working with the owner to hopefully resolve this matter. Otherwise we're going to court for false advertisement.

So what's the best way to bleed the hydraulic system?

 

Anyone? Bleeding the master and slave? Watched some stupid video saying just push in on the clutch 30 times? I can't imagine that works with everything closed up. Is there a bleeder somewhere?

 

There is a bleeder above where the line goes into the trans and into the slave cylinder. A Mityvac is a good tool to use, doing a search will result you with more info than you can imagine. I have ALWAYS ran valvoline products, and never had an issue. Your issue is with your transmission not the fluid, your just noticing it more now. Your third gear an fifth gear issue can be a range of problems, synchro's, slave and master cylider issues or a quite a few others. Don't blame the fluid just beacuse you have a shifting problems. GM fluid is no better than Valvoline.

 

+1 if its popping out of gear then it needs a rebuild, doesnt matter what fluid you put in.

 

Yeah. I've come to realize that it's the trans. I have some bad blocker rings and solenoids. So I've been talking with Tick Performance on a rebuild. I'll look into a mityvac as well, thanks.

 

I had a problem after my first attempt at flushing the hydraulics. I would have to pump the pedal 3-4 times before going into gear. I used the ole pump the pedal method and a mity vac. I finally dropped the trans and used a slave extension and upgraded the slave and master too. I then used a motive power bleeder on the reservoir and everything is good. If I hadn't messed with it the first time, it probably would still be ok - it was a learning experience though.

 

Sucks, man. Sorry to hear it.

Anyone else ever used RP's Synchromax? I know their oil is all over-hype but I could have sworn I read somewhere that their gear oils and the Synchromax were worth it.

 

B&M "Trick Shift" has been around for years and supposedly has more friction modifiers in it. I've wondered for a while now if it would improve blocker performance. My trans is currently faceplated so wont do me much good. Grandpappy used it for a flush and fill on his 2002 Park Ave. and 50k later, it smells and looks brand new. Not even any black crud on the dipstick.

 

Very good choice going with Tick, they are an excellent company and they have GREAT customer service.

 

[QUOTE=Bones Z28;11882121. I have some bad blocker rings and solenoids. .[/QUOTE]

Probaly synchro's (not solenoids)

There are a few ways to bleed it (and 2 types of people)

First the person who likes to "pump" the pedal, and

the other is the one that likes to apply pressure (no pumping)


Either way, if you go that route, and no remote bleeder, have someone under the car while someone is applying pressure to pedal, crack teh valve, let air/some fluid out, close valve, release pedal, apply pressure, open valve, let air/some fluid out, close valve, release pedal...about teh 2nd or 3rd time you do this, CHECK FLUID LEVEL IN MC, it goes QUICKLY. Do this over and over until you have no more air coming out and a good firm pedal

 

This is great, thanks a lot for explaining the process, I do appreciate it. I only ask one last thing regarding bleeding the mc. Is the valve located outside of the trans? Looks like it's off of the slave? or is that a separate valve.

Sorry for the newb question, I've been a LT1 guy forever and just recently gotten into LS1s. MC are different in that case. Used to the good old clutch fork etc...

Thanks for the breakdown.

 

****, lol that sounds exactly like what I did. I messed with something I shouldn't have and now there is air in the system.

 

Dude, you can ask as many questions as you want, no worries here. What the fourm is for.

The slave is "inside" the tranny so to speak, on the slave, which slides over teh input shaft of teh tranny, and has a short extension off of it. LT1 tranny is setup differently than the LS1, and that is why teh "remote bleeder" for teh LS tranny is so popular, because of teh ease of bleeding it with it.

 

The Fbody hydraulics are a known source of problem, and are pretty much **** to begin with, and then you add air to the system, and you are looking at crappy shifting even more so. So, get that thing bled

 

I hate to hear that about your trans. I had a similar thing happen to me only it was my dumb *** who messed up. Just bought my 95 and it was lowered....well.....i ended up bottoming out on something and punched a rather large hole in my trans case and it let me know within like 10 miles or so....lol Its finny now after the fact but locking it up was no fun at all =/

I also had a bent shift fork that would kick 3rd gear out and a syncro made it grind some, but i dont have to worry about that now lol.