1990lumina Posted May 15, 2006 Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 Hey guys. I've noticed when I check my tranny fluid, the fluid itself on the dip stick is quite bubbley. The fluid itself is up to the maximum level on the dip stick, and most of the dip stick has a nice evenly coated surface when I check it though some areas have bubbles on it. Does this mean my tranny fluid is full of bubbles? Could this be why my tranny seems to drop out of gear when I turn lately. Hell it's been doing this more and more all the time. I know it's mostly "normal", but could these bubles have anything to do with it?? I'm thinking of dropping the pan this weekend if I have some spare time and changing the filter and fluid. The fluid smells okay, and looks nice and pink still (it was changed by the GM dealer 2 years ago ~15,000miles ago or less, but if it all bubbley and shit I don't know if that is normal or not. I notice in warm weather when I drive it harder, it seems to drop gears a lot more then usual.. I've thinking of changing the fluid and putting some Lucas in there.....doesn't it improve lubrication and keep the fluid from breaking down?? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Cutlass94 Posted May 15, 2006 Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 Could be that the fluid is rather hot. Hotter than it should be, therefore giving you problems with it. I would take it to a shop where they can find out what temperature its operating at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted May 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 Would you recommend the use of an external tranny cooler? I think they can be bought for $50 or so here...so not to bad.... I'll make a few calls about having the tranny temp checked....how much would a test like that cost do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THe_DeTAiL3R Posted May 16, 2006 Report Share Posted May 16, 2006 Would you recommend the use of an external tranny cooler? I think they can be bought for $50 or so here...so not to bad.... I put one on my car... it still shifts hard but maybe that's helping it keep from crappy out on my Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted May 16, 2006 Report Share Posted May 16, 2006 Lucas does absolutely nothing but sit in the bottom of the pan. It won't mix properly with the tranny fluid. How do I know this? I changed out the tranny fluid on a friend's car a couple of months after he added a bottle of Lucas, and the pan was covered with the heavier Lucas gunk... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCGUY112887 Posted May 17, 2006 Report Share Posted May 17, 2006 My tranny does the same, i've been told that it's normal. Only happens in hard left turns for me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted May 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2006 Yeah mine does it the most of left turns....but it still does a few times on right turns. Shifting to 2nd gear helps a lot (never has done it actually)...but there is sometimes a nice clunk when I shift to 2nd, so I don't make a habit of doing so. I think I'll drop the pan regardless.....I'm interested in knowing what the other side of it looks like (if it is like C-BAD's pan, worse, or better).... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted May 17, 2006 Report Share Posted May 17, 2006 Be sure to follow Turbo231's write-up! http://members.aol.com/regal231/xmission.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbird232 Posted May 17, 2006 Report Share Posted May 17, 2006 It's called torque steer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted May 17, 2006 Report Share Posted May 17, 2006 what was that above me for? Torque steer has nothing to do with transmission fluid. It's when you put a lot of power to the wheels and the imbalance (I might be wrong, but I think inequal length axle shafts have something to do with this) causes your steering wheel to turn to one way in your hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbird232 Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 Yeah, unequal drive shafts will do that. Good high performance FWD cars will have an intermediate shaft on the longer side so the outboard shafts will be equal lengths. It helps. But yeah, it appears w-body transmissions can cause Prospeeder-like statements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Cutlass Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 A tendancy for a car to turn in a particular direction when power is applied. Torque steer is common in front-drive cars because reaction forces created in the half-shafts can generate uneven steering forces in the front tires. http://www.clublexus.com/index.php/article/archive/119/78 Condition in some front wheel drive vehicles wherein more torque is applied to one wheel than the other. http://www.autobodyexpert.com/cons_info/glossary/gen_auto_terms.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regal_GS_1989 Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 I really dont think that what jeff is experiencing is related to turning at all. My GS does this same thing. Yes it seems to do it most of the times in turns, but it sometimes does while driving in a straight line. It seems almost as if the car cant' downshift automatically. It happened once to me while driving slowly up a steep hill, when the trans went to downshift from 3rd, to 2nd, it seemed to fall out of gear. I tried driving it once with the vaccum modulator disconnected, and was not able to recreate this. I am thinking that the trans is requiring more line pressure than the vaccum modulator is allowing. IMO: The reason that this does not occur when manually downshifting into 2nd is that it allows the transmission to downshift before any throttle is applied, therfore allowing it to grab before it is actually required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canada Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 You are pry getting air into the fluid somehow. Typically, this means the filter neck isn't sealing quite right and air is getting suck in with fluid as the pump runs. Kinda like having a hole in the straw above the pop level. I'd like to know hwo fluid can get tossed around inside of a torque converter causing yo;ur mythical toque steer.......ATF is under pressure in the torque converter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Cutlass Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Either way, just drop the pan and put in a new filter and seal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted May 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2006 You are pry getting air into the fluid somehow. Typically, this means the filter neck isn't sealing quite right and air is getting suck in with fluid as the pump runs. Kinda like having a hole in the straw above the pop level. I'd like to know hwo fluid can get tossed around inside of a torque converter causing yo;ur mythical toque steer.......ATF is under pressure in the torque converter. Do you mean the dipstick isn't sealing atthe top of the filler neck properly...or there could be a leak elsewhere??? I'll inspect the dipstick seal tonight - hopefully if there is a leak it is in the dipstick at the top...... If there was a leak elsewhere in the filler neck area, how would I go about finding it??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted May 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 Well other then Discostudd telling me not too (I respect your opinion man)....I'm still going to put some Lucas in this thing. My question is can I add it to the old fluid right now? Can I add it without draining any of the other fluid out? Or would you suggest a filter/fluid change and adding Lucas? Either way I'm planning to drop the pan sometime soon (just can't find the time to do it right now)....thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THe_DeTAiL3R Posted May 25, 2006 Report Share Posted May 25, 2006 Do the fluid change first. If it's still running poor then add the Lucas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted May 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2006 Oh so Lucas as a last resort sorta thing?? K thanks! The stuff says it helps eliminate bubbling, and will free stuck valves and stuff (which I think is actually happening) It really isn't a slip, just an overall clunkyness that has gotten worse drastically.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ns87 Posted May 25, 2006 Report Share Posted May 25, 2006 That whole slipping out of second gear happens to me all the time up hill and around turns. Keeping it in 2nd for the turn before my house stops it. I heard it has something to do with a broken something or another sliding on turns keeping second from engaging? Dont mind my rambling, I really know nothing about transmissions... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted May 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2006 That whole slipping out of second gear happens to me all the time up hill and around turns. Keeping it in 2nd for the turn before my house stops it. I heard it has something to do with a broken something or another sliding on turns keeping second from engaging? Dont mind my rambling, I really know nothing about transmissions... Me neither.....oh well I'm dropping the pan Saturday hopefully......manally locking 2nd works for me too....but it "clunks" into second gear when I manually shift it so I unno......she's probably just worn out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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