you guys are not going to believe what was in my trans pan. . .

[strad]

We did a trans service yesterday on the truck (4L60E) and this is some of what was in the pan. There were other pieces but they were a bit smaller.
the penny is for scale -- it was NOT in the pan. What gets me is that the larger of the two rocks (and yes, they are definitely rocks) seems to me like it would be too big to go down the dipstick tube, which leaves me wondering how it got in there.

Transmission works fine btw. I was a little annoyed when the pan wouldn't clear the exhaust, but unbolting the trans mounts and jacking up the transfer case (via a block of wood) gave us enough clearance.

 

[SunlitComet]

By any chance are the ferrous rocks?

 

[LuSe4]

Are you certain that they didn't fall in to the pan when removing it. They could have been sitting on a crossmember or something. I find it hard to believe that rocks were put down the dipstick hole.

 

[strad]

Haha I don't think they fell in. We pulled the pan out and forward (under the bellhousing) and there wasn't anything around to fall in as far as we could tell. And the rocks were in the front of the pan. Also, this truck was very, very clean (I've only owned it a few months -- bought it from the original owner with 114k miles on it) It really was just used on the road mostly, from all appearances. Your typical soccer mom suv, albeit 4wd.

And I don't know if the rocks are ferrous. I guess I could get a magnet and find out though. edit: you know, they weren't near the pan magnet. They were about as far away from it as they could get. The pan magnet had what I would think was the typical amount of metal on it. Not too much, about what you'd expect from a trans this age I guess.

second edit: one of the rocks is ferrous -- the larger one. It responds to a magnet. The other rock does not. What do you think that means Jonathan?

 

[edgaranah1]

weird


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[SunlitComet]

I was thinking that the last time it was opened it might have been over dirt or gravel and after cleaning pan it may have been placed upside down and picked up a rock without someone noticing and thru regular vehicle use may have just slid away from the magnet. Or perhaps it got caught in someones shirt collar when work was being done and no one noticed it got dropped in there. Maybe even the tranny heat was forming it from debris in the pan. Let the conspiracy theories begin!

 

[ChiTahoe]

Also, this truck was very, very clean (I've only owned it a few months -- bought it from the original owner with 114k miles on it) It really was just used on the road mostly, from all appearances. Your typical soccer mom suv, albeit 4wd.

Seems like it, even came with a penny and two rocks in the pan lol. Glad you got them out. As long as the filter was on it it wouldn't get into the pickup but always good to have a clean pan.

 

[strad]

Naw it didn't have the penny in it, only those two rocks and about three or four much smaller ones. Very weird.

 

[steamroller]

They're magic rocks keeping the 4L60 from exploding, I'd put 1 back in and put the other in the 10 bolt.

 

[sumo]

Thats a complicated place for your Hide a key rock....im just saying