I just did another fluid and filter change on my tranny over the weekend and I'm very concerned about what I saw.

First off, this is a ProBuilt 4L60 with about 70K miles on it, mostly highway but I'd say 15K in town. It has a 2400RPM 12" stall converter on it and has had a 35K GVW cooler installed with it since the moment of install in addition to the radiator cooler.

I only use GM Dextron (I couldn't afford 12qts of Amsoil at the time of initial purchase). I filled it with that originally and changed it at 10K miles, again about 30K later, and then again last weekend with 70K on it so that makes 30K the interval of the last change too.

The other 2 changes I of course removed the magnet from the pan and cleaned off the grey matter and wiped down the pan with cleaner etc. No biggie. Both prior times the magnet had it's share of grey matter, again no biggie and as would be expected.

This last change the magnet had more than it could even attract! The bottom of the entire pan was coated with a very thin layer of grey matter also!!! Now granted when I did this the car has not been started or moved in over 4 months so I can imagine that allowing for more of the grey matter to settle to the bottom but to me it still seems like too much!

I finished the fluid and filter change and re-filled it. The tranny had been out of the car so allot of fluid had been lost, it took about 8qts to bring it up to level again so atleast I can sleep knowing I got the most possible amount of old fluid out of it, especially with that much grey matter that was in it.

I installed a new TV cable since the tranny was out anyway, and the car drives great and the shifts are just as firm and precise as ever if not better!

Do you think I have anything to worry about anytime soon wear wise from the amount of grey matter I described and the circumstances around it I outlined? Should I be doing another fluid and filter change soon since the TQ converter still had about 4qts of the old fluid in it just to be safe?

Thanks!!! Alex

 

Doesent sound like you have anything to worry about. 30K service interval will have clutch meaterial like you describe on the magnet. Thats what the magnet is there for. Even 15K services will have debree on the magnet and bottem of the pan. If your really worried about it you can switch to a ATF+4 fluid that happens to be a full synthetic yet affordable option.

 

torwue converter shouldnt hold 4 qts but anyways, youll be fine. As long as you dont smell the fluid as being burnt, or brass or anything like that in the tranny its alright. To be 100% sure to get all the fluid out, have it flushed. But for the 4 or 5 quarts of old fluid in there or so, youll be just fine.

 

Cool, thanks guys! I'll sleep much better now