Going to work everything was fine. Coming home I noticed the rpms picking up whenever I attempted to accelerate while in 4th. Dropped into 3rd and it seemed okay. Let it sit till Saturday and drove it down the road in 3rd and it had started slipping in 3rd. checked transmission fluid and noticed the level and color were good, but lots of tiny bubbles on dipstick, not foam (yet) just bubbles. Anyone else seen this or know what might be causing it? Thanks.

 

sounds like the 3-4 clutch pack might be on its way out....

 

oh well. in a few minutes I'll be dropping the pan and filter to see if there is a crack in the snout or o-ring. then it gets a new filter/gasket and fluid to see if the problem persists. If so then it looks like I'll be getting another 700r4 rebuilt.

too bad the turbo 350's and 400's lasted so long. if my laguna didn't have 25 years or more on the turbo 350 I wouldn't have believed GM would make automatics that self destruct every 5 or 6 years and I'd have bought camaros with manual transmissions.

 

the 700R4's are better than T5's stock. they can handle up to 400 horse stock.

 

i think its a little less

 

well, the filter was "loose". When I grabbed it to pull it down it fell out. Never had one do that before (I have 2 blazers and 3 z28 - only 2 of the z's have had regular filter changes - and never had one that loose). I went ahead and replaced it with a new filter/gasket/fluid but the problem is still there.

If it wasn't for the OD they're more trouble than they are worth. My big blazer has had 2 rebuilds. the 83Z is slipping in 2nd now and the 86 iroc is now without 3rd and 4th.

even if the t5's aren't as stout as the 700r4's I'll bet they are cheaper and easier to rebuild (I've rebuilt my 81 Z28's mid 60's muncie and the 1st generation BW 5 speed in my old astre (pontiac's vega). I might try a 700r4, but I don't have the same level of confidence about the outcome of a back yard rebuild. Anyway, just thought I'd report the outcome of the filter change.

one comment about horsepower, I'll bet it's not horsepower than tears up the drive line parts, it's torque. the big blazer hasn't got a much horsepower (6.2 liter diesel) but it's on it's third 700r4, it's second big 10 bolt rear end and I've lost track of the "guaranteed for life U-joints Advance Auto has had to pass over the counter to me over the years.