[gene68ss]

I need some advice:

Installed a built 700R4 transmission in my 68/383,3800 stall, manual lock up on converter. Approximately 5000 miles on tranny. The color of the full synthetic fluid is dark brown to black instead of red. The fluid has an oder but not what I would call burnt. TV cable has always been adjusted to instructions, shifting no problem, I installed a new radiator with internal cooler prior to installing the transmission, ran #6 SS flex lines from tranny to cooler. I have since installed an external cooler in front of the radiator but I have not started the car as I am trying to figure my next step. I have the following questions:
1. Have I damaged the transmission?
2. Fluid is routed through the radiator cooler-external cooler-back to tranny, is this correct?
3. When I flush the system can I purge with Dexron III instead on the more expensive synthetic?
4. In general what steps should I take from here?
I would appreciate any information or advise on this issue.

 

[gene68ss]

Guess I will strike out on my own.

 

[1SLOW64]

you can switch back to dex III without issue. I would put a pressure gauge on it and a temp gauge that way you will no for sure if it's overheating and if the tv cable is properly adjusted.

 

[click]

Next to differential gear lube which stinks... atf is next in line to disrupt my nose...fresh out of the bottle I hate the smell but it should be very reddish and not smell burned at all. I used Amsoil ATF in my 700r when I had it installed and it worked great. Going back to dino atf wont hurt anything either.

 

[carcrazy615]

Sounds like burnt clutches.

 

[gene68ss]

Just received three gallons of Amsoil to change out the fluid. On my 68 the lines to and from the transmission are close to the header. I wrapped them with heat shield so I don't think I am picking up heat there. I definitely want to get a temp gauge and see what is going on out of the tranny and after the two coolers. I have watched several videos on TV cable adjustment so I think that is right, shifts are quick and solid, normal take off on the street the tires will bark on the 1-2 shift. Obviously I am hoping the clutches are not burned but that is one thought as carcrazy615 says. Just hard to figure what went wrong unless the radiator cooler was just not adequate to cool. Thanks for each comment, if and when I discover anything conclusive I will post.

 

[gene68ss]

you can switch back to dex III without issue. I would put a pressure gauge on it and a temp gauge that way you will no for sure if it's overheating and if the tv cable is properly adjusted.

Can you tell me where the port is to adapt a pressure gauge on the 700R4? What pressure is normal? Thank you.

 

[captcanuck68]

Sounds like burnt clutches.

Have to go with Ray on this one. Can't think of anything that would change the colour other than this...now to find the cause.

capt

 

[gene68ss]

Have to go with Ray on this one. Can't think of anything that would change the colour other than this...now to find the cause.

capt

I was afraid of that.

 

[Enclosed Muscle Transport]

5000 miles that you put on it since it was rebuilt or someone else ?

Fluid can burn in minutes

Forget the color for a moment - if it smells burned your tranny
most likely is toast ....



Jim

 

[BPOS]

When you set up the TV cable on these things you should really attach a 0-300 PSI pressure gauge to the test port on the driver's side of the trans. It's up above the shift lever - will have a pipe plug in it. Even the slightest movement of the throttle off idle should show an instant rise in pressure.

You should also install a gauge to monitor temp in the pan.

Virtually all of the heat generated by an automatic is made in the torque converter - very doubtful a cooler line near a header tube is at fault.

I have my cooling sys plumbed just like you described - trans>rad>aux cooler>trans. I'm using a stacked plate type cooler and have never seen temp exceed 160.

If the trans still shifts and operates fine I would just do a flush and refill and drive it.

 

[154567]

I need some advice:

Installed a built 700R4 transmission in my 68/383,3800 stall, manual lock up on converter. Approximately 5000 miles on tranny. The color of the full synthetic fluid is dark brown to black instead of red. The fluid has an oder but not what I would call burnt. TV cable has always been adjusted to instructions, shifting no problem, I installed a new radiator with internal cooler prior to installing the transmission, ran #6 SS flex lines from tranny to cooler. I have since installed an external cooler in front of the radiator but I have not started the car as I am trying to figure my next step. I have the following questions:
1. Have I damaged the transmission?
2. Fluid is routed through the radiator cooler-external cooler-back to tranny, is this correct?
3. When I flush the system can I purge with Dexron III instead on the more expensive synthetic?
4. In general what steps should I take from here?
I would appreciate any information or advise on this issue.

Brown is not good. Like others said, probably burned the clutches. Have to pull the pan anyhow so ask your builder how long of TV spring he used. If it was 13/16 like was used in my 2004R, that is how much the TV valve should be sticking out when you are at full throttle. Set your TV cable to allow the valve to stick out the length of spring that was installed behind the valve by your trans builder. That is the most sure-fire fool proof method to set the cable. Once you have it set, DON'T TOUCH IT! You cannot alter shift hardness and other characteristics thru the TV cable.

I am looking for my pressure test procedures. My builder, Lonnie Diers of Extreme Automatics told me that if you set the TV cable as I described above, and your builder knows what he is doing, the pressure test if superfluous. I would do one anyhow to make sure. Good luck.

 

[gene68ss]

5000 miles that you put on it since it was rebuilt or someone else ?

Fluid can burn in minutes

Forget the color for a moment - if it smells burned your tranny
most likely is toast ....

Jim

I had the transmission built by someone I know personally with about 25 years in the business. Has the big clutch pack, shift kit, corvette servo etc.

 

[gene68ss]

When you set up the TV cable on these things you should really attach a 0-300 PSI pressure gauge to the test port on the driver's side of the trans. It's up above the shift lever - will have a pipe plug in it. Even the slightest movement of the throttle off idle should show an instant rise in pressure.

You should also install a gauge to monitor temp in the pan.

Virtually all of the heat generated by an automatic is made in the torque converter - very doubtful a cooler line near a header tube is at fault.

I have my cooling sys plumbed just like you described - trans>rad>aux cooler>trans. I'm using a stacked plate type cooler and have never seen temp exceed 160.

If the trans still shifts and operates fine I would just do a flush and refill and drive it.

Thanks for the information, I am getting everything together to flush the system next week. Finished putting a serpentine belt set up on the car yesterday, took it out for a 15 mile drive, shifts and seems ok. I hope I caught this in time and the Amsoil takes care of it.

 

[ernies 69]

Brown is not good. Like others said, probably burned the clutches. Have to pull the pan anyhow so ask your builder how long of TV spring he used. If it was 13/16 like was used in my 2004R, that is how much the TV valve should be sticking out when you are at full throttle. Set your TV cable to allow the valve to stick out the length of spring that was installed behind the valve by your trans builder. That is the most sure-fire fool proof method to set the cable. Once you have it set, DON'T TOUCH IT! You cannot alter shift hardness and other characteristics thru the TV cable.

I am looking for my pressure test procedures. My builder, Lonnie Diers of Extreme Automatics told me that if you set the TV cable as I described above, and your builder knows what he is doing, the pressure test if superfluous. I would do one anyhow to make sure. Good luck.

i dont want to steal or disrupt this thread, moderators, if i should make my own thread please move it or ill repost it, thanks.
chet, can you elaborate your adjustment procedure more in depth for us thats not tv cable savvy. when you say 13/16 should be the limit, is that at the carb? if we dont know who the builder was do we take off the cable and measure the spring thats inside the housing as it goes into the valve body?. i know what im trying to say but dont know how to put it into words, sorry guys.

 

[Hogdaddy]

That 3800 stall converter cooked it imho if you used it with just the stock internal cooler.
I have a rebuilt 700r4 in my 86 truck with a BB radiator (only use internal cooler) and shroud w/ mildly built 350 but no stall (auto. 4th lock-up switch).