Seems like trans is slipping...??

[westman995]

So here is the deal. I have a 97 4 door yukon. Ive owned it for almost a year but havent driven it the whole time i owned it. It has 210k on the body. I bought it with a blown motor that was already mostly ripped apart. I bought a used motor with supposedly 150k miles on it. I was told by the previous owner that the tranny had either been replaced or rebuilt, i think rebuilt.

I have been told that when a tranny or a converter is rebuilt, the converter is painted blue..? Is that just if the converter is redone, or does the blue converter usually mean the tranny has been rebuilt or something...??

Anyways, im kinda disappointed in the truck, wish i had never bought it. But it starts up, idles fine. Drives around town alright. But sometimes when i take it out of town/on the highway it seems to act very weird. I didnt think this before, but now i think the trans is slipping. If i stomp on the gas it will just rev up and not really go anywhere, but if i dont stomp on it it works alright.

The last time i took a trip out of town with a big trailer and a car on it, i didnt think i was going to make it back. On the way back home after dropping the car off the truck would barely go, couldnt get it up to speed at all.

I have a feeling the trans is slipping. However i think there is another problem also.

Before i would take it out of town and it would start acting funny, like it would almost die and stuff if i recall, that was when i first got the truck and started driving it. And then without a trailer or anything, it would seem as if the trans was slipping or not shifting into higher gear, i dont know.

The last time i took it out of town about a week ago, same distance but without a trailer or anything it seemed alright. I never stomped on the gas or anything tho.

Does anyone have any ideas?? Is there naything i can do to the tranny before it gets any worse or can i count on needing a new tranny soon...??? I really wanted to use this truck for the winter, dont want it to go out on me in the snow.

I almost have a feeling the problem is worse when its hotter out, last time i took it out and wasnt too bad it wasnt too warm outside but i dont really remember if it was hot the other times i took it out. Im just stuck on what to do with this thing, and i cannot afford to take it anywhere to get it looked at, i cant even afford the gas this thing hogs up!! Haha

 

[retorq]

The convertor color means nothing ...

Any codes?? Check the fluid recently??

 

[ezdaar]

its definalty a combo of problems.

Solinoids sticking,
Clutch wear,
Trans overheating in the hot weather and due to the above.

start with 1/4 can of seafoam into trans, drive it a cpl days then do a fluid flush, and install the servo kits, Maybe even put in a shot or two of some friction midifier.
Could even go as far as installing a extra trans cooler.

That will bandaid it for some time..

As far as the engine stalling issue.
First place to look, is for trouble codes, have it scanned..
If no codes suspect the Idle air controller, they gunk up and stick and cause stalling issues all the time.

 

[westman995]

I forget to mention about the codes. I have had it scanned a few times. And if i recall there was just one code. And its for the distributor being out of alignment. I had removed it, not knowing the trouble i was getting myself into with taking that thing out and not knowing it was NOTHING like an older 350. But, i would have to say i have it on the right tooth atleast, or i dont think it could ever run as good as it does if it was off a whole tooth on the dist. So i think the cause of the engine code coming on is cuz its not within that 2 degree spec or whatever number it was. I dont know where i could get a hold of a nice scanner to get that dist. placement thing fixed, and i cant afford to bring it in anywhere really.

I had checked the fluid before, it looked good. The last time i mentioned i took it out of town with a trailer and car, after taht i checked it and the fluid does NOT look as good. I dont remember but i think maybe it was slightly burnt..?

How much trans fluid am i going to need for it to flush it? How exactly do i flush it anyways? Drop the trans oil pan or...?


What are the servo kits and where do i find them?

 

[retorq]

If you are having trans issues upgrading the servos aren't the best idea ... You'll need about 6 quarts or so. You can drop the pan and replace the filter or leave that on and run the trans and flush it thru the cooler ... you'll need more that way.

 

[SunlitComet]

Have it scanned for active and stored codes. if the tranny was slipping it would know and would bring it to your attention. Any scanner that can read GM Enhanced perimeters should be able to read "CAM_RETARD" to align the dizzy. Post any codes here for diagnosis.

 

[Gzes]

Ouch it does seem like an ass. I wouldn't really go for the computer telling you what it's doing if you said you already checked for codes. If you know it's slipping and the computer doesn't then it doesn't really help. I heard that if you change the trans oils then it ***** it up because in the old oil the metal that grinds off or whatever leaves the transmission causing the transmission to slip more. It happens to a friends expedition. It worked good and he thought that it needed to get flushed so he did it and the transmission just slipped and slipped and ****** up. That's why on my transmission I got from the junkyard I used the same oil that was in it and it drives like if I got a brand new transmission

---------- Post added at 09:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:12 PM ----------

Ouch it does seem like an ass. I wouldn't really go for the computer telling you what it's doing if you said you already checked for codes. If you know it's slipping and the computer doesn't then it doesn't really help. I heard that if you change the trans oils then it ***** it up because in the old oil the metal that grinds off or whatever leaves the transmission causing the transmission to slip more. It happens to a friends expedition. It worked good and he thought that it needed to get flushed so he did it and the transmission just slipped and slipped and ****** up. That's why on my transmission I got from the junkyard I used the same oil that was in it and it drives like if I got a brand new transmission

I mean that the shavings help it ot slip so when you switch the oil the shavings go bye bye

 

[SunlitComet]

Gm is generally against flushing the whole unit. Just a pan drop, filter and refill.

 

[retorq]

I mean that the shavings help it ot slip so when you switch the oil the shavings go bye bye

I think you mean that the clutch material build up helps seal the leaking worn out seals, when you swap it fresh fluid clears those passages out and allows them to leak ...

 

[Gzes]

Might be I don't remember exactly what they said about it.