So a month ago, my brother and I replaced the radiator. He's been driving the car for a month now and hasn't bothered to check for any abnormalities. Today we pop the hood and the fluid resivoir is chalky brown. Drain the radiator and block and it's all chalky, with a film on top. The transmission is very low on fluid.

What would cause this, transmission cooler break? We used teflon tape on the lines going into it, and from what I thought we did it by the book.

What reprocussions will follow with transmission fluid in the engine block for weeks... besides cleaner valves and lifters? Would simply flushing with water clear it all out?

Off-topic Transmission question: It's been shifting hard for the last few weeks, and it looks to be slipping in 2/3 or 3/4 (I'm not terribly sure, the transmission shifts, but the RPM's only kick back to 2500 or so, then go down a few seconds later)

My apologies for the long post. We're going to return the rad (29th day, 30 day return policy) flush the system w/ water, and change the transmission fluid.

Thanks

 

Get a new radiator and check your tranny cooler lines

 

no need for teflon tape. the threads are not sealing anything. the seal comes from the flare in the tubing.

 

That's exactly what I thought. According to my brother it is "in the book", but I was under the impression that it would keep the flare from screwing in completely, which in turn put more stress on the core itself.

Well the guy swapped out the generic radiator (National, I think?) for a Visteon brand.. All I know is it says NASCAR performance on the side.

Would the teflon wrapped flares have an effect on it? From what I see it only screws in half way.

Thanks

 

It may have caused it to crack but more than likely you just got one of the bad ones. the nuts on the lines usally only go in about half way.

 

If you had coolant in your transmission fluid for any length of time, you'll need new clutches.

 

if your tranny was slipping and shifting hard its no doubt gone. Mine did the same thing and so didnt my brothers 90 corvette. Both got 700r4s and both did the exact same problem. Tranny was shifting fine, brought the car to a stop, proceeded to go, it got stuck in 1st, shifted very hard into 2nd. Sometimes i could get it to go into OD, but took a while to, had to have the tranny rebuilt.....hope this isnt your case bud.

 

Asked the guy @ the radiator shop if any would have gotten in the transmission, and he said no. However, the transmission shifts hard (to the point where I'd almost suspect the mount)

I'll make sure to drop the transmission pan/change the fluid and filter tomorrow.

Thanks

 

Make sure you flush the whole cooling system really good with some bilge cleaner. I have had to use a couple times on different cars that have had this problem.

 

3/4 clutch pack most likely, especially if you got water in your transmission, but it's probably just a coincidence. The clutch pack is the biggest wear item, and 700r4's behind a V8 last about 80-150k before needing a rebuild. This is how almost all 700r4's that don't have some other catastrophic problem usually die. My V6 is on 230k and dying more every single day LOL. When the clutches go you'll notice delayed shifting, hard shifting, and the final death knell is that it just won't go in OD any more in the morning. You'll start up, reverse out of the driveway, put her in OD and nothing. If you hit the gas it'll think about going then maybe in 15 seconds it'll go just fine. It'll get worse and worse and worse until it just won't go anymore.

Are you sure it isn't the torque converter locking up? TO see for sure, while driving, use your left foot and touch the brake, not enough to slow down, just move it. Your RPM's should kick up 3-400. When you release the brake the TC will lock up and the RPM's will drop. The TC locks up in both 3rd and fourth gears. For further troubleshooting disconnect the TCC disengage switch on your brake pedal. Its the electrical connector on a nylon fitting. Pull it off and drive around for a bit (but not for weeks, just a day or 2) When you put it back on you'll realize the difference and how the TC feels.

Rebuild time if its the clutches. Provided that you've already pulled the tranny pan and changed the filter and refilled with the correct amount of tranny fluid? BTW you check your tranny fluid with the car hot, idling in park, after having shifted through all the gear selector ranges. It shows a pint higher if you don't go through all the ranges, and almost 2 quarts higher if you just shut 'er off and check the dipstick. So for those of you that check cold you're just breaking your transmission.

A bad mount causes the tranny to lift up and impact on the hump, and maybe again when it falls back on the crossmember usually when you first hit the gas from a red light. Hard shifting is probably not the tranny mount. Could be I suppose, but you'd know every time you moved the car from the red light.

Even if you didn't pull the pan and change the filter I hope you at least refilled the transmission.

I'm not so sure I'd trust some guy at the radiator shop about my transmission. While the tranny fluid is at much higher pressure and is much more likely to leak into the radiator, leaks DO work both ways. When you shut the car off the tranny pressure eases, and now the radiator has higher pressure (it actually increases some as the water doesn't circulate, until the engine cools off a bit). If the tranny cooler were cracked inside the radiator I can definitely see some water getting in the tranny. Just something to think about on the trip over to get the tranny filter.

 

<CENTER><B>
True. However the tape will seal if the flare is distorted. Teflon tape is
great in a lot of places where they say you don’t need it. That way the
wrench turners don’t hav’ ta’ tighten things till they strip.</FONT>
</B><FONT COLOR=F3399><H5>
“If people drove any slower they’d be going backwards.”</FONT>
<FONT COLOR=FF66FF></H5><H3>NINÅ</H3></FONT>
<P>
<TABLE BORDER=9 CELLPADDING=8>
<TD BGCOLOR=black>
<B><H3><CENTER>REFUSE
TO
LOSE<p></TABLE></CENTER>

 

Thanks for the replies all, I'll troubleshoot as you said mr. dole and see what happens. I ended up adding a quart of transmission fluid, and will pull the pan this/next weekend.

I realize this thread is getting a bit off topic, but I have one last part of the big question if you folks will indulge me. In addition to my above symptoms, I also get a big of a winding noise when shifting in reverse. The shift cable was recently replaced. Would an adjustment be in the works as well? I was also told the shifter plate was "warped".

Well, here's to hoping theres nothing major going on with my 154k RS.