Change trans fluid or no?

[i_hate_autofraud]

You’ll have a GM 4T60 / 4T65E tranny, both are 95% the same and terrible.

Model years ’97 to ~’03 had 4th gear shafts have splines that were never heat treated that can strip-out
leaving a car with no 4th gear! Drive carefully bro!

Google “4T65E magnet” GM put shoddy square magnets in the oil pan equal to a fridge magnet that does a
poor job of picking wear metals. The GM bulletin says wear metals are instead attracted to solenoids in
the tranny causing some shift problems.

I’ve had 3 GMs, a Caprice Classic, the ’85 Century and a 2009 Impala. I like the cars, but all the late
model non V8 trannies are terrible! But I’ve had 6 Chryco with A727 trannies over 850,000 miles total
with no problems at all!! (’75 to ‘012)

Aftermarket Sonnex and TransGo for GM make much better parts after ID-ing repeat problems. So check out
the PDFs summarizing info:



GM 4T65-E COMMON TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS
https://app.box.com/s/n3eaao2pzopusd3bx8qrd7xmgaibj3n1


GM 4T65-E TRANSMISSION UPGRADE PARTS
https://app.box.com/s/drsf61akkxu6bw2a2qcnl1ajuhgkh9hx


HOW GM DEALERS AVOID TRANSMISSION REPAIRS
https://app.box.com/s/rjmdo7p32jtv630a5i7qzaozzr9o98oq

 

[4WD]

Transverse - Every 727 I had was on a V8 in line with driveshaft - so compared to a 4L60 or what ?

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted By: i_hate_autofraud

You’ll have a GM 4T60 / 4T65E tranny, both are 95% the same and terrible.

Model years ’97 to ~’03 had 4th gear shafts have splines that were never heat treated that can strip-out
leaving a car with no 4th gear! Drive carefully bro!

Google “4T65E magnet” GM put shoddy square magnets in the oil pan equal to a fridge magnet that does a
poor job of picking wear metals. The GM bulletin says wear metals are instead attracted to solenoids in
the tranny causing some shift problems.

I’ve had 3 GMs, a Caprice Classic, the ’85 Century and a 2009 Impala. I like the cars, but all the late
model non V8 trannies are terrible! But I’ve had 6 Chryco with A727 trannies over 850,000 miles total
with no problems at all!! (’75 to ‘012)

Aftermarket Sonnex and TransGo for GM make much better parts after ID-ing repeat problems. So check out
the PDFs summarizing info:



GM 4T65-E COMMON TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS
https://app.box.com/s/n3eaao2pzopusd3bx8qrd7xmgaibj3n1


GM 4T65-E TRANSMISSION UPGRADE PARTS
https://app.box.com/s/drsf61akkxu6bw2a2qcnl1ajuhgkh9hx


HOW GM DEALERS AVOID TRANSMISSION REPAIRS
https://app.box.com/s/rjmdo7p32jtv630a5i7qzaozzr9o98oq


You have had some good information in the past.There are people who get 200k+ miles out of them. If you beat on anything, it will fail. I think by now the world knows you hate the GM 4T60E AND 4T65E transmissions. Ford had torque converter splines which stripped out, all have some weaknesses. There is no perfect transmission. Maybe you should change your name to "I HATE GM TRANSMISSIONS".

 

[CELICA_XX]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o690DovjDAc

The best video ever concerning your trans fluid...

 

[supton]

I figure, most people would change their motor oil pronto if they woke up and realized that they had forgotten to, and had accidentally put too many miles onto it. They would, under no circumstances, NOT change the oil.

 

[i_hate_autofraud]

Originally Posted By: 4WD
Transverse - Every 727 I had was on a V8 in line with driveshaft - so compared to a 4L60 or what ?



Yeah, I know the New Yorkers I drove all had 318ci V8, RWD, I changed the U joints on each of them.
I drove them till the doors fall off, but the engine & tranny? No prob,
go figure. What galls me is that a 70's 80's design and build more reliable then a GM car now!

I've not heard of chronic issues with GM pick up truck trannies, if so, it would be suicide to rip off the truck market!

 

[i_hate_autofraud]

I don't totally hate 4T60 / 4T65E trannies, just that GM makes deliberate choices to cheapen them out on purpose.
I'd buy another one on the cheap knowing what to look for and how to fix it. I use a scanner that can pick up tranny
codes when I visit a used car lot. Dealers don't like it, tough. But for everyone else who has no clue it's a
terrible rip off. I don't wanna put my name on that.

I've been at GM cost reduction team meetings in the early 90's where they pushed suppliers hard to cut corners, never
a mention was made to be sure they didn't create a disaster. The amount they "saved" was likely swamped by all the
effort taken to get it and retool. GM Team Leaders needed to come back to management with reductions on paper at least.

One supplier I was with made block heaters that were designed to last 5 years. But the order came down to redesign to
get a 3 year life only!

GM and the rest have been building cars long enough to know exactly most of the time how to make them fail "just enough".
There's a few "stars" in purchasing here and there that try to set target pricing so low it causes problems before
a "run at rate" build can start!

On the 4T65E, all it takes right off the bat, is to machine shift valves from soft 6061 aluminum, rather then full hard drawn 6061,
it looks the same, but the soft stuff galls and sticks in the valve body.

Interestingly, machining on screw machines, like New Brittian or Hydromats where way faster then any CNC center!

I repost links once in a while for new readers.

 

[Lubener]

GM is not the only one to have "planned" ways to cheapen and lighten their transmissions. This has been going on for decades and is old news to dwell on something made many years ago. Chryslers, fords, hondas all have issues.Auto transmissions have always been a weak link on most cars.

 

[NavyVet88]

Guys I want to thank you very much for all of your helpful advice! Also do you guys know if Hastings makes good filter and gasket replacements? Found them on rock auto pretty good price.