PsychoJavexx

My 94 z28, the transmission keeps burning up. I don't know much about transmissions, but I have an automatic tranny, and the 3rd and 4th gears/clutches/bands (whatever they're called) keep going out or burning up.

The mechanic that keeps doing the work says that it's burning up 3rd and 4th. We checked the car's computer, and it's okay. It's the original, and it's not messed up. We changed the radiator thinking that the transmission coolant was bad and just changed the whole thing.

After it went out for the 6th time, the mechanic replaced the whole thing. So I have a different transmission in there. After I checked the computer and changed the radiator, it started slipping after about 5 minutes of driving it.

I don't know what to do, this is bothering me, and it's depressing me that I'm paying for a car that I NEVER drive. Does anyone know anything that might help me out?

95patriotZ

M6 conversion!!!! Its worth it

PsychoJavexx

If I could get away with it without my dad bitching to me about wasting money, then I would do it. What's an M6 anyway?

But there's got to be something that's causing this thing to burn up on 2 different transmissions.

mls48341

Was the converter changed out also?
Maybe try another shop, was this person recommended?

PsychoJavexx

You mean the torque converter, right? My guess is no. Could that burn up everything if it's bad?

And actually, my dad told me to send it there, since he knows the guy, and I could get a little cheap discount. After the 3rd time the tranny went out, EVERYBODY I know told me that the place does ****ty work, and screws everything up worse than how it went in. I keep bringing it back because it's under warranty, and I can't afford to bring it somewhere else.

So... I dunno what to do right now. And what's an M6? lol I want to know..

zx1216

m6= six speed manual. Its a t-56 trany in 93-02 f bodies and other sports cars.

PsychoJavexx

Wouldn't you need to change other things in the car to put a manual transmission in?

zx1216

Do a search for something like auto to manual conversion or a4 to m6 conversion and you should come up with tons of stuff.

PsychoJavexx

Thanks.

But what about my first problem?

Raptor1

Sounds to me like your "mechanic" doesn't know much about what he's working on, or for that matter rebuilding automatic transmissions in the first place. I'm not an expert, but here's what I've learned - the hard way.

When your transmission first needed to be rebuilt the torque converter should have been replaced too, or at least cut open and cleaned out (usually cheaper to just put a new stock converter in). When the 3rd/4th gear clutch pack and bands wear out or burn up, the garbage goes into the fluid and is pumped through the transmission along with the fluid. Because the torque converter is also filled with fluid it accumulates some of the garbage. If the transmission is rebuilt again, but the converter is not cleaned or replaced, all the garbage will be pumped out of the converter and through the freshly rebuilt transmission and cause it to fail again. If you put a completely different transmission in the car, but fail to repalce the converter, then the garbage in the converter will just be pumped through the new transmission.

Money is always an issue, but your choices are simple. The transmission needs to be rebuilt again, this time by someone who KNOWS what they are doing with computer controled transmissions. A new converter needs to be installed at the same time. You should also have the computer programing checked by an expert in the field, not by some grease monkey who didn't do it right the first 7 times!

PsychoJavexx

Thank you so much. I've got a better understanding of it now. And you're all right. I shouldn't have brought it to that guy, but I did, and now I have to keep bringing it to him because I can't afford to bring it anywhere else, since I'm going under his warranty.

And I found out last night, sometime late from my mom, that my computer wasn't the right one. So hopefully when I change it, it'll be all good. If not... then my car is going to rot in my yard, because I'm not bringing it back to that guy, and I just won't fix it. I'll just save up for a new Corvette.

12SCNDZ

OK..Let's start here...Does the transmission have a Trans-Go shift kit? If it does, this is probably the root of your problem. TG kits tear stuff up. I've been building performance automatics for 14 years, and I can assure you that these transmissions can be built to take alot of abuse. I've got 700/4L60E's in mid 10 second cars, and the 2-4 bands and 3-4 clutches are lasting just fine.

It sounds like you've got someone working on this thing that doesn't know what they're doing! Has anyone checked the servo release check ball capsule in the case to see if it's leaking? I ALWAYS replace them with cup plugs, because they're known for taking out the band and 3-4 clutches. Have the "load release springs" been taken out of the 3-4's. If not, you'll burn the 3-4's up prematurely. Has the 3-4 clutch pack been updated with (5) .104" steels/(6) 3-4 friction arrangement with (6) .079" steel/(7) 3-4 friction arrangement?

Is the pressure correct? What are the shifts like when it's first rebuilt? Has the slide spring in the pump been replaced with a Sonnax or Art Carr spring? If not, pressure drops at high RPMs. What 2-4 servo is in it (ALL LT1/LS1 F-bodies come with Corvette servos). What 2-4 band are they using in it. Hopefully not Kevlar. The stock GM "high Energy" band, or an Alto red lined band work well in these transmissions.

If they've put 2 different units in your car, and the same happens to both, you've got a transmission builder that's lost, a bad cooler, or a pressure problem (Your computer controls pressure )

BTW, all that has been said about ALWAYS replacing/cleaning out the converter when the transmission goes is true.

Frank
All-Trans Transmissions

PsychoJavexx

uhm.... Wow.... I hope to understand all of that one day... but... I don't right now.

I don't know, I can't say the people at that shop don't know what they're doing totally. They've been in business for like 20 years or so. And like I said the other day, my computer is all screwed up, so they're going to reprogram it. If it fails again, screw a Camaro, I'm getting a Vette.

Raptor1

Just because someone does something all their life doesn't mean they know what they're doing. And just because someone has only been doing it for 5 years doesn't mean they're not one of the best experts in their fields. I work in an industry that proves that philosophy to me every day

Btw, Corvette's were computer controlled before F-body's were. Just because you buy a 'Vette doesn't mean you won't have transmission or computer problems. Better just to find someone who knows what the hell they're doing

PsychoJavexx

Well yeah, I understand that. But why have a badass car that keeps breaking and I can't seem to fix, when I could have a super badass car that has a warranty for everything? I'm just tired of messing with this car.