Clean transmission fluid = few wear metals?

[Mark72]

I posted a few days ago as my car had a glitch in the transmission, but has been operating flawlessly so far. It was suggested to me that I should have the pan dropped and filter changed and that he could tell a lot about the condition of the transmission based on how much wear metal was in the fluid. However, the oil in my trans is perfectly clean and not burnt at all. If it had a lot of wear metals in it, wouldn't the transmission fluid be burnt and darker in color?

 

[SuperDave456]

Mechanical problem results in grinding and metals before the fluid breaks down and "burns".

Typically if a fluid is overused, 100,000 Miles and up without a service to the transmission will do it, it begins to break down and "burn" due to the inability to hold up to the heat or provide the necessary friction for the transmission to work properly any longer.
Then that friction/heat build up and lead to mechanical problems and grinding.

It all depends on the root problem.

 

[Mark72]

Not sure if I'm following you. Is what you are saying that my trans oil could be clean yet still have a lot of wear metals in it that might indicate a problem with the transmission?

 

[Mark72]

Originally Posted By: Mark72
Not sure if I'm following you. Is what you are saying that my trans oil could be clean yet still have a lot of wear metals in it that might indicate a problem with the transmission?


Also, is there some sort of a relay switch on these cars that can go bad which causes the transmission to downshift and stay in 2nd gear? Could this be the potential issue?

 

[mechtech2]

It is common sense that visually inspecting the pan will show an experienced eye if there is excessive particulate matter [depending on miles].
ATF can go bad for bunches of reasons.
ATF can be contaminated in different ways.

 

[Mark72]

Just had the pan dropped today and the tech showed me the pan, barely anything in there....and super clean. new filter and Pennzoil ATF fluid, and I'm sailing for 30k more miles. My local trans shop is going to hook their computer up to it free of charge to see if any error messages are found.

 

[Mark72]

Just had the pan dropped today and the tech showed me the pan, barely anything in there....and super clean. new filter and Pennzoil ATF fluid, and I'm sailing for 30k more miles. My local trans shop is going to hook their computer up to it free of charge to see if any error messages are found.

ooops...sorry..didn't mean to post this twice

 

[brianl703]

Originally Posted By: Mark72

Also, is there some sort of a relay switch on these cars that can go bad which causes the transmission to downshift and stay in 2nd gear? Could this be the potential issue?


There is a transmission range sensor on many cars that can cause that issue because it makes the computer think that manual 2nd was selected. All the transmission range sensor does is tell the computer what position the gearshift lever is in. It may also be known as a manual lever position sensor.

 

[Mark72]

Update..you guys will love this. After I made my last post on this thread yesterday. I went out for lunch and all the transmission fluid was on the ground. All of it. LOL. I knew the shop screwed up when sealing the pan. They came back with their tow truck, free of charge and fixed the problem. The gasket was wrinkled when installed... good thing I only had to drive 2 miles back to work after they did the job. hahaha... Oh well, they are an honest shop and made good by it.

 

[scurvy]

Originally Posted By: Mark72
I went out for lunch and all the transmission fluid was on the ground. All of it.
...
they are an honest shop and made good by it.
If they not only came to pick the car up, but fixed it correctly, for free, you are dealing with an extraordinarily good shop. Hold on to them for service as long as you can.

And remember, you always get better service when you bring your mechanic beer.