ATF service = valve clatter?

[SteveD2]

2001 mistubishi montero, 4spd auto. I hear it's the same transmission as the Diamante, just supersized. OEM oil cooler.

Dealer says OEM fluid only. Amsoil ATF listed as spec-compliant (Diamond Star SP3) and I'm a believer in general, so I put some in at ~12k miles. Dealer did it, using a fluid-exchange machine.

Everything is peachy for ~80k miles...temps down, mileage up...fluid still looks/smells new. Guilt starts to get to me, so a couple weeks ago (~92k vehicle miles), I replaced like with like. Same dealer, same FX procedure.

I now have a cold-start clatter, sounding very much like hydraulic valve lifters before they get up to pressure. Definitely the transmission. Quite audible for several minutes...park, neutral, forward, reverse, nothing stops or even changes it really. Then it will just suddenly stop...like somebody flipped a switch. No other abnormal behavior.

1st time I got a couple quarts back from a case, this time none. Fluid level maybe slightly overfull, but not much at all. Could this be the cause?

 

[Pablo]

My first thought is the fill level. So you check it cold or hot? The fluid looks and smells like Amsoil ATF?

 

[SteveD2]

thanks for the prompt reply.

fluid check performed per owners manual...level ground, operating temp, put in all gears, then neutral, then check.

i couldn't say if the new fluid looks/smells like amsoil without having some as a reference, and as i said, i got none back this time.

 

[Pablo]

I'm a bit stumped. The ATF you used - when did you get it? Where did you buy it? Trying to get a fix on the production date of the ATF.

 

[Mike_dup1]

Some trans can be very picky about the fluid level. I would make sure its at the correct level before I do anything.

I can't understand where just changing the ATF with same would cause problems? I start to wonder if something the service shop did? Is there not trans filter on the make/model?

 

[SteveD2]

I got the fluid from my father, who is an Amsoil distributor. It was a sealed 12qt case. I had it for 6-8mos prior to install.

Per Mitsu there is no filter, which is why they just use the FX machine and don't drop the pan.

 

[Pablo]

OK so it's NOT the new Dex VI low vis stuff. I'll punt and say something like: "What does your dealer say?" (And your Dad). Either it's some trapped air, a now loose valve (ball), or some fill issue.....

 

[Rand]

sounds very odd
I know when I did a hyundai I made sure to use the SPIII atf
as the transmissions are very picky.
its 4.85/qt if you buy kia brand (same fluid) vs 5.76 for mitsu
(at least by me)

 

[ConfederateTyrant]

I have a similar thing like this happening with Amsoil ATF, but it only sometimes happens in below 40 degree weather, and if the car hasn't been driven in a while. It will sound like metal chattering, but then once the car starts warming up, it completely stops. Fluid fill is fine, transmission shifts smoothly, everything is absolutely perfect except for some noise.

 

[Rand]

Final thought Maybe they ripped you and put some cheeze bulk DextronIII atf in there.
A case of amsoil would be tempting..
as for not getting any back they probably used it all in the flush

 

[SteveD2]

ok, i'm an idiot.

my noise was in fact valve clatter...in the cylinder heads! i'd checked the motor oil level previously and called it good...not at the full nick, but not far off at all.

far enough apparently. i added less than 1/2qt (in a 5qt system) to top it up, and voila...no clatter.

1) i can't believe a a pint of oil level makes that much difference.
2) i can't believe that it's never been down this far before.

sorry for the false alarm...

 

[Gary Allan]

What's worse is that it carried on for a few minutes and stopped.

Is this a 3.0 cousin?? HLAs are really strange in these engines. Mine developed a cyclical tick that lasted until the oil warmed up. You could hear it travel up and down the valve train ..one HLA ticking ..then another ..then all of them ...then one would quiet down ..etc..etc. ..repeat a few times ...stopped. Every start up for years.

I'm glad that your fears and anxieties have been tranquilized

 

[KBFXDLI]

Don't feel bad....I had a noise that sounded exactly like my ex-wife complaining every time I started the engine. Once she left it went away.......go figure.

 

[m2200b]

Mazda HLA at least older ones are pretty sensitive to a quart low and also higher mile OCI.