Sorry that this might not be the highest tech question but I've already posted in the tech section as well as several other boards and no one can seem to help me out.
Last weekend I put in a torque converter and everything went fine until I started it up and I went to check the fluid level and smoke came out of the dipstick tube. I figured it was residual fluid in the tube being burnt up because the tube mounts right next to the EGR. However over the last week I've noticed the trans slipps a little. Checked the fluid and it was a little high so I thought that was causing the slipping. This morning I drained one quart took it out for a drive and it was slipping even more going 45 when the trans upshifted to second it would just peg the rev-limiter. Then I checked the level and it read really low, I went to fill it back up and all it took was a quarter of a liter and then it was actually a little high and there was still smoke coming out of the tube.
Does anybody know what could be causing this?

Oh and the car is a lt-1, 2800 stall, already has a trans cooler on it.

 

What brand of torque converter are you using? I have heard of a lot of aftermarket torque converter failures lately involving a lot of major brand names. A failing torque converter will cause the same symtoms you listed and will granade your trans in short order making a total rebuild inevitable. I would drop the pan and look to see if there is any clutch material or metal in the bottom. Any excessive amounts (enough to cover the whole bottom) is a good indicator that you will need major repairs. In any case, your trans or torque converter is slipping which means you are going to have to pull it. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

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1987 Trans Am GTA WS6
5.7L SuperRam
4L60-E Trans
3.73 SRD

1987 Pontiac Fiero
3800 Series II SFI
4T60-E Trans
3.33 Final Drive

1987 Chevy S-10 Ext. Cab
4.3L Vortec TBI
4L60-E Trans
3.42 Final Drive

1966 Plymouth Belvedere II
318 Semi-Hemi 2bbl
Torqueflite 727 Trans

http://dtcc.cz28.com

 

OUCH!

I hope I am wrong but it sounds like you "Stacked" the pump.

I hope I am wrong.

Good luck!

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Ellis
Team Captain
Team North West F-Body
www.teamnwfbody.org

 

Thank god it's not that one of the lines coming from the trans to the cooler somehow got kinked when I dropped it. I replaced it yesterday and everything is fine.