Bad/Wrong Fluid in Transmission

[Tiggie]

The '88 CV Wagon I am getting supposidly has a tranny slipping problem on the highway. The current owner says that if you take your foot off the gas and get back on it, it will stop. That doesn't comfort me any.

Today I looked at the car and the tranny fluid was brown. I knew it was going to be burnt, I knew it, I knew it. I felt the fluid. It felt like it has some water in it. It was a little milky. Then I smelled it, but it didn't smell burnt. Instead, it smelled like motor oil. It looked exactly like motor oil. Almost if someone had put 5W-30 into the tranny dipstick.

What would happen if some put motor oil in an auto tranny? If I drain the torque converter, change the filter and fluid, do you think it may be okay? How about a flush? Or is it a lost cause?

[91LTDProject]

I'd probably say done for if its motor oil in there. I dont know much about automatic transmissions, but I imagine that the oil would have contaminated the friction material on all the discs, and that the contamination would be irreversable. Does it smell at all like tranny fluid, cause it has a totally different smell than motor oil, regardless of condition.

[Tiggie]

It smells exactly like motor oil. I was thinking pretty much what you were thinking.

If I have to, I guess I can plop the other AOD I have without second gear in there. SEFI and 3.27's really don't seems to miss second that much anyway .

Or maybe it's time for a three-pedal setup! If only I had a T5 available.

[88grandmarq]

if it is motor oil and depending on how long its been in there, you maybe able to flush the trans and save it.

pull the pan, replace the filter, drain the torque converter and re-fill with fresh fluid. you might try some lucas or trans-X as well.

[Tiggie]

if it is motor oil and depending on how long its been in there, you maybe able to flush the trans and save it.

pull the pan, replace the filter, drain the torque converter and re-fill with fresh fluid. you might try some lucas or trans-X as well.

We will be driving it home Friday afternoon if all goes well. I am going to pick up the car tomorrow morning and I'll do some more inspecting them.

Twelve Quarts, right? Changing the fluid with limited tools (if the bolts are metric, I gotta go find some sockets) and no torque wrench will be fun.

[88grandmarq]

10mm pan bolts and 3 8mm bolts holding the filter on. torque converter drain plug is 7/16". I dont remember what size the bolts are for the dust cover, but I do remember you gotta take the stupid engine to trans bracket off to get the dust cover off.

it is important to have an inch pound torque wrench and torque the filter bolts to 80 inch pounds. the rear filter bolt screws into the materail just below the 3/4 shift valve. over tightening the bolt can cause the bore to warp and all sorts of shift funkiness will result.

[88grandmarq]

and it goes with out saying to inspect the TV grommet before you drive the car, might even want to pick one up and replace it before you drive it home.
Set the TV pressure with a gauge if you can get your hands on one.

[Tiggie]

Thanks for the advice! Maybe I can borrow a torque wrench in inch-lbs before I reinstall it. Now I have to dig for some metric sockets. Why again did I fill my toolbox with standards and leave all my metrics at home?

I'll definitly look at the TV grommet before I drive it.

[1987cp]

Funny, I don't recall seeing a drain plug on any of my AOD converters. I'll have to check one of the old ones I've got laying around.

[Blaze86Vic]

Here is a pic so you can see it.

[Archangel]

10mm pan bolts and 3 8mm bolts holding the filter on. torque converter drain plug is 7/16". I dont remember what size the bolts are for the dust cover, but I do remember you gotta take the stupid engine to trans bracket off to get the dust cover off.

The bracket don't have to come off at all, just loosen the bolts that hold it to the tranny and wiggle the dust cover off. If a small torque wrench ain't available ya can use a screwdriver with a 1/4" drive adapter and slip the socket on that, as long as ya don't over-tighten stuff it'll be fine.