Spitting out the transmission dipstick
 

Ok, this is a bit weird, but I have noticed that a couple of times after I took my car to redline, when I would get home and pop the hood, the transmission dipstick would be sticking out of its tube about 6" or so. Does anyone know what causes this, or if it is problem, how to fix it?

I know that I've seen later model cars with a locking lever on the dipstick cap that would prevent this from happening, so maybe the pressure buildup is common. I just want to know if I'm doing any damage to my tranny.

The previous owner mentioned that he had a higher stall converter put in, but he didn't know specifically what RPM it was, I think the guy at the transmission shop talked him into it or something, he didn't seem that knowledgeable. I have put a transmission cooler in it myself, but other than that the tranny is stock

Thanks for the help

Mine does it every once in a while.. even before the converter. Honestly I don't think it's a real big deal, as mine has been fine for over 30k miles since I noticed it started doing that.

IMO GM just put in that expansion lock on later models as a "quick fix" for it.

I have the same thing except mine always comes out mabye a 1/2 inch or so. I read a thread somewhere about a line on the tranny that can get pinched or something and make this happen....but I haven't been able to find it. Anyone know what I'm thinking of?

Ditto....mine comes out about half an inch. Everyone I know with a 4L60E has the same problem

mine has done that since I got the dang car.:mad:

It also happens to me. But doesn't happen to my 2 friends with a caprice and a camaro. My tranny performs just fine so who knows.

Been through three trannies and every one has done it :D

Going to rebulid the current one and replace the dip stick with a locking unit :)

Found it!

Off another site's thread:
"...Check you vent tube on the tranny. There is a metal tube comes out of the top of the tranny heading towards the back. Generaly there is a rubber hose attached to it. Alot of time the rubber hose will get crimped inbetween the torque arm mount or other various places. Check that though that makes a big ifference to the tranny. That is how it relieves built up thermal pressure. Hope this helps"


Checking mine shorlty...I think we all should post up and see just how common this could be as far as problems go.

Off my WS6ZXR thread? :D (I'm MattZ28)

mine has done it forever but now the tranny is completely gone.
I am going to have it rebuilt soon for spring and I will double check on this vent tube kink. It annoys the piss out of me that everytime i open the hood it is out about an inch or so.
Peace

The transmission is trying to vent through the dipstick tube. This usually only happens when the transmission is overheating.

The "quick fix" is like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. You need to find out why it's overheating. Check your cooler flow through your cooler in the radiator. You DID hook the external cooler up in series, didn't you? The fluid should go from the trans...Through your stock cooler...Then the external cooler...And then back to the transmission. If you bypass the cooler in the radiator, it'll almost always overheat...Especially if you have a stall converter.

What cooler did you put on it? What size is it? Most people don't know it, but typical tube type coolers aren't that effective. "Stack Plate" coolers are much better, such as those from B&M, Long, and Tru-Cool. This is a little decieving, because Long makes the coolers for all of them...LOL.

We've done extensive research on transmission coolers. We've put temp guages on the inlet and outlet of the coolers, and tested many different kinds. A smaller stack plate cooler works much better than a huge tube type.

Frank
All-Trans Transmissions

Hey Frank...my transmission is completely stock.....so what should I do?

I have a B&M 19,000 GVWR cooler placed in line with the stock cooler. I installed it per the instructions found here.

I have felt it after running, and I know it is getting hot fluid through it, and if it weren't returning I'd think that I would have other problems.

I know that heat kills trannys, so i want to stay on top of this, are there any trouble areas that I should look out for as far as the cooler goes? The install was pretty straightforward, so I don't think that I screwed that up. Also, when you say that it is "venting" through the dipstick, does that mean that it's boiling over, or does too much pressure pop it out?

Thanks for the input.

I've never had that problem.

How do you check the flow in the lines and through the radiator part? I felt the lines maybe 10 minutes at the most after driving and they didn't feel all that warm.