4L80E troubles

[phantom309]

My truck has been dripping trans fluid when it,s cold,. seems like it,s the front seal,.
I went to leave today, it wouldn't move, so i figured it was low on fluid, i reinforced that idea by a shot of fuel and it jumped a little,.
I added 4 quarts and all was fine.
30 miles later the trans is acting strange as they do when low on fluid,.
I stopped at a gas station and saw the oil was pouring out now, so i was forced to buy the only atf available which was $10 a liter for MV synthetic i think,
I barely made it 10 miles when it was sliding at the lights but babying it up to speed i made it another 3 miles or so to a light,. then it didn't want to go,.
Needless to say i was exceptionally frustrated and angry after coughing up $40.00 and only getting that far,. so i flattened the throttle and under much protest it slowly picked up enough pressure to get rolling, i liffted and babied itt and only had 2nd gear but if i revved it hard we would go,
I knew at the time i was killing the transmission but it was damn cold out and in the middle of FF nowhere.
So i cruised along for 10 miles at 3000 rpm at about 50 mph, till i made it to town,
I bought 5litres of plain old ATF, dumped it in and quickly shut the hood and took off.
The trans behaved itself all the way shifting normally thru all 4 and lockup,
i stopped about 20 miles later on one of our backroads home to have a quick P,. not a drop was leaking out,.(of the truck that is)
i let it idle at home for 5 mins, no leak,.
I was all set to pull the trans and get it re-done,. now what??
Help? idea's?

Nick

[JohnC]

WAG- Is the dip stick tube broken?

[phantom309]

WAG- Is the dip stick tube broken?

Thats a good idea john, i'll check that too,. but the fluid looks to drip out of the wee hole in the flywheel cover,.
I just read in a google search to check the electrical connector too,.so i'll have to try and get it to leak again,.
I was just out and started it and let it idle for 5 mins or so,temps are -12c here, not a drip anywhere, but it,s slow into drive and reverse, so maybe i hurt it today, tomorrow i'll focus all my attention on it, correct fluid level, remove the cover etc,. and really have a damn good look with a strong light,.
the ground was sloppy wet slushy today, and i wasn't dressed to crawl underneath at the gas station, i put the pass side floor mat down and did a quick looksee but no definite location of source,. but i can tell you the smoke off the crossover was getting intense for those behind me,.:D Then it cleared up after the last batch of atf,. doh!

thanks
Nick

[Robyn]

With the thrashing you gave the thing, I would be planning on a a rebuild.

All that slipping and such has had to have taken a toll on the clutches and such.

Be sure to check the oil cooler line connectors at the tranny.

You can yank the flywheel cover off and see wassup in there too.

That sort of HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE leak is not going to heal up by itself.

Oil coming out the flywheel cover is a sign that the front pump seal is leaking.

Missy

[phantom309]

well as was expected she's almost done,. i was backing it out of the driveway today,. and it groaned, went into neutral and no motion backwards, dropped it into drive and drove around the loop and then it backed up fine,.drove it gently down the road , real soft shifts,.
pulled hard at 50mph with the converter locked and the trans won't hold on,. just builds revs as it slips,.
serves me right,.i knew i was killing it,. but..
So now the conundrum,.truck is really in its last days, (i was hoping for another year,.) i think i can get $600 for it scrap value,.i,ve found a used rebuilt trans (aren't they all?) for $450, but the friggin aggravation to change it,. AAArgh!
She might get a knock on the head,.but i will keep the pump pmd etc,.
ugh,.

Nick
funny, i never wanted a 4x4, now i don't think i can live without it.

[phantom309]

I bought a decent used trans for $400,
spent this afternoon putting it in,.learned a few things along the way,.
put the transfer case on after the trans is in,. even with a trans jack it,s a pain to line the trans up to the motor,.and the damn two top bell bolts have to get done from under the hood!! when you are layed across the top of the engine, the air intake/t-stat housing is pushing on delicate parts of my fat old anatomy,.:eek:
I changed the computer, i used the original one from my dually that was setup for the 5068 pump,. the shifts are better,.but i,m investigating the resistor mod to up the pressure with the force motor,.
I,m also wishing i had looked around for a lower stall converter,.the motor just doesn't need to float up at 2000, rpm when you are going up thru the gears, i remember why i added a manual lockup to my dually now, these motors have plenty of torque, and its just wasting fuel revving like that till lockup,.
I wish i had the technology to set my shift points like i can do with my LT1 car, i,d definitely delay the shifts some so the converter wasn't being stretched all the time,.
well the old rust bucket is put back on the road due to the unfortunate demise of my recently acquired chrysler cirrus, but putting a claim through the insurance would cost plenty more in the long run,..(why do we even have insurance right?)
I kinda missed the old lump,. and mebbe now i can work on getting that feeling that Mark has when he fires up his duramax,.?

Nick