Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Think I found the cause for my tranny woes (damn 2 cent O-ring)
| Think I found the cause for my tranny woes [message #264806] |
Sat, 25 October 2014 16:33  |
kerry pinkerton
Messages: 2565
Registered: July 2012
Location: Harvest, Al
Karma: 15
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So, after discussions with Manny, it's obvious that the drive clutches have started to slip and the tranny will have to come out. Ok, that's bad enough but not knowing what happened to cause it to fail is something else again. I obviously don't want to do this again.
We got the coach home Monday afternoon late. Wednesday morning, I noticed a pretty big spot of tranny fluid and put a drip pan under it. Fluid smells burnt which is the last nail in the 'gotta come out' coffin. But why?
The wife is having a Halloween party for the Grandkids Sunday and didn't want me to have it up in the air with tools scattered all over so I've been working on other things. Today, I slid up under the coach and determined that the leak appears to be from the dipstick tube. So I got a rag and wiped it off.
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/misc/p56371-tranny-leak.html
Nice and clean. FIVE seconds later...FIVE...
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/misc/p56372-img-20141025-150233-511.html
Last summer I had a big puddle of tranny fluid and never could find the leak. It didn't start for a couple weeks after the coach was parked so I filled it back to normal and it did fine for 4000 miles.
Apparently, the leak became worse and the torque converter drained faster. We parked on gravel at Savanna and while I didn't see any fluid, I probably wouldn't because it would just drain down into the gravel.
The moral of this story is to make sure any leaks are FOUND and solved. Even after I get this fixed, I expect I'll be checking the tranny fluid pretty often for quite a while.
Kerry Pinkerton - North Alabama
Had 5 over the years. Currently have a '06 Fleetwood Discovery 39L
[Updated on: Sat, 25 October 2014 22:02] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Think I found the cause for my tranny woes [message #264811 is a reply to message #264806] |
Sat, 25 October 2014 18:33  |
kerry pinkerton
Messages: 2565
Registered: July 2012
Location: Harvest, Al
Karma: 15
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Manny does not recommend the remote dipstick because they are mounted against the radiator or body and don't move with the engine. Apparently this can cause the dipstick to walk out with the same result as I just had.
That said, I have a remote tube and dipstick and am thinking about cutting it in half and using a 6' piece of rubber hose in the center for a vibration isolator. Lifting the hatch to check the tranny isn't really a good solution for us.
Kerry Pinkerton - North Alabama
Had 5 over the years. Currently have a '06 Fleetwood Discovery 39L
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| Re: [GMCnet] Think I found the cause for my tranny woes [message #264821 is a reply to message #264811] |
Sat, 25 October 2014 19:44 |
Nelson
Messages: 120
Registered: August 2014
Karma: 0
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On Oct 25, 2014, at 7:33 PM, Kerry Pinkerton wrote:
> Lifting the hatch to check the tranny isn't really a good solution for us.
Kerry,
I agree that opening the hatch is not pleasant with a hot engine. How about a small opening inline with the tranny tip stick? Maybe a marine type inspection port mounted in the big hatch.
Nelson Wright
Orlando FL
78 Royale rear bath
> --
> Kerry Pinkerton
>
> North Alabama, near Huntsville,
>
> 77 Eleganza II, "The Lady", 403CI, Manny Brakes, 1 ton, tranny also a 76 Eleganza to be re-bodied as an Art Deco car hauler
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| Re: Think I found the cause for my tranny woes [message #264831 is a reply to message #264806] |
Sun, 26 October 2014 07:48 |
rcjordan
Messages: 1913
Registered: October 2012
Location: Elizabeth City, North Car...
Karma: 1
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Kerry, if you fabricate a fix that suits you, I'd like to pre-order 2 of them, please. I have this same problem with the Birchaven --maybe I can fix it BEFORE it bites me.
SOLD 77 Royale Coachmen Side Dry Bath
76 Birchaven Coachmen Side Wet Bath
76 Eleganza
Elizabeth City, NC
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| Re: Think I found the cause for my tranny woes [message #264836 is a reply to message #264806] |
Sun, 26 October 2014 08:46 |
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SeanKidd
Messages: 747
Registered: June 2012
Location: Northern Neck Virginia
Karma: 4
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Kerry, sorry about your trans...this past spring I broke my engine dipstick, I searched many of the oldsmobile websites and found a mod for a Lokar flexible dipstick. It worked very well and I am pleased with the results. This is not a remote engine oil dipstick, but as an ex- Navy aircraft mechanic I prefer to open the hatch and visually check everything. Lokar makes a great transmission dipstick as well, the flexible tube and dipstick are very versatile and give you lots of options....lots of "while you are at it" items come to mind if I had to pull my trans including temp sensors, cooling lines, cooler, hd torque converter, mounts, that one PITA bolt, remote filter....and of course, Manny parts decisions; chain drive? Switch pitch? Please archive some pictures in the photo site.
Thanks and good luck
Sean and Stephanie
73 Ex-CanyonLands 26' #317 "Oliver"
Hubler 1-Ton, Quad-Bags, Rear Disc, Reaction Arms, P.Huber TBs, 3.70:1 LSD Honda 6500 inverter gen.
Colonial Travelers
[Updated on: Sun, 26 October 2014 08:47] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: [GMCnet] Think I found the cause for my tranny woes [message #264838 is a reply to message #264836] |
Sun, 26 October 2014 09:26 |
Mr ERFisher
Messages: 7117
Registered: August 2005
Karma: 2
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pix?
On Sun, Oct 26, 2014 at 6:46 AM, Sean Kidd wrote:
> Kerry, sorry about your trans...this past spring I broke my engine
> dipstick, I seached many of the oldsmobile websites and found a mod for a
> Lokar
> flexible dipstick. It worked very well and I am pleased with the
> results. This is not a remote engine oil dipstick, but as an ex- Navy
> aircraft
> mechanic I prefer to open the hatch and visually check everything. Lobar
> makes a great transmission dipstick as well, the flexible tube and dipstick
> are very versatile and give you lots of options....lots of "while you are
> at it" items come to mind if I had to pull my trans including temp sensors,
> cooling lines, cooler, hd torque converter, mounts, that one PITA bolt,
> remote filter....and of course, Manny parts decisions; chain drive? Switch
> pitch? Please archive some pictures in the photo site.
>
> Thanks and good luck
> --
> Sean and Stephanie
> 73 Ex-CanyonLands 26' #317 "Oliver"
> Hubler 1-Ton, Quad-Bags, Rear Disc, Reaction Arms, P.Huber TBs, 3.70:1 LSD
> Honda 6500 inverter gen.
>
> Colonial Travelers
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
--
Gene Fisher -- 74-23,77PB/ore/ca
“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today --- give him a URL and
-------
http://gmcmotorhome.info/
Alternator Protection Cable
http://gmcmotorhome.info/APC.html
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| Re: Think I found the cause for my tranny woes [message #264846 is a reply to message #264806] |
Sun, 26 October 2014 10:59 |
winter
Messages: 247
Registered: September 2007
Location: MPLS MN
Karma: 0
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Is the dip stick o-ring seal below the fluid level in the transmission? It seems like that should be a slow weep rather than a tranny killer.
I used to consider my slow leaks as active frame rust proofing. Now they might get some attention.
Jerrod Winter
1977 Palm Beach
Green Jelly Bean
Twin Cities, Minnesota
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| Re: Think I found the cause for my tranny woes [message #264894 is a reply to message #264806] |
Mon, 27 October 2014 09:14 |
jknezek
Messages: 1057
Registered: December 2007
Karma: 5
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I'll say this for the remote tranny dipstick, I check my transmission fluid a lot more with it there. This is a classic trade off situation. There is a possibility that it is more troublesome, but it allows you to catch trouble much easier. I'll keep the remote dipstick and just keep an eye out for leaks. I check the tranny fluid and the oil whenever I get gas or before we leave for a trip or before we leave a campground if we've been still for more than a day or two. I was never as diligent in the days that I had to pop the cockpit floor to check the transmission fluid.
I have also found that if I leave the coach sitting for a long time and start it up, I get some tranny fluid leaking out on start up. However, if I pull the tranny dipstick just a touch out of the tube and start it up, same condition, I get no leaks. So there is a pressure problem, as many have noted before me, with the remote. But for me it is easily handled and only occurs if the coach sits for more than a few days.
Thanks,
Jeremy Knezek
1976 Glenbrook
Birmingham, AL
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| Re: [GMCnet] Think I found the cause for my tranny woes [message #264921 is a reply to message #264894] |
Mon, 27 October 2014 16:54 |
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USAussie
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma: 6
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Senior Member |
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G'day,
There is one thing about the remote dipstick that needs to be made know, according to Manny the OEM dipstick is part of the
transmission venting system. If you look at the cap that closes off the tube it is NOT sealed.
Evidently there are some remote transmission dipsticks that seal the tube and that is NO GOOD! Mine was like that so I decided to
bore a hole in it below the seal.
Being aware that the under hood area in a GMC is not water tight I didn't want to get water into the dipstick tube so I drilled the
hole at the bottom of the tube. PROBLEM SOLVED - NOT!
Dumb ass discovered the first time he went to add transmission fluid it ran out the hole in the bottom of the tube! DOUH!
To solve that problem I wrapped some duct tape around the tube where the hole is until I have the time to take the tube out and weld
up the hole. I reckon I'll drill one in the top of the tube and make a little cover for it.
Regards,
Rob M.
Sydney, Australia
AUS '75 Avion - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
USA '75 Avion - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
-----Original Message-----
From: Gmclist [mailto:gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of Jeremy
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2014 1:15 AM
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Think I found the cause for my tranny woes
I'll say this for the remote tranny dipstick, I check my transmission fluid a lot more with it there. This is a classic trade off
situation. There is
a possibility that it is more troublesome, but it allows you to catch trouble much easier. I'll keep the remote dipstick and just
keep an eye out for
leaks. I check the tranny fluid and the oil whenever I get gas or before we leave for a trip or before we leave a campground if
we've been still for
more than a day or two. I was never as diligent in the days that I had to pop the cockpit floor to check the transmission fluid.
I have also found that if I leave the coach sitting for a long time and start it up, I get some tranny fluid leaking out on start
up. However, if I
pull the tranny dipstick just a touch out of the tube and start it up, same condition, I get no leaks. So there is a pressure
problem, as many have
noted before me, with the remote. But for me it is easily handled and only occurs if the coach sits for more than a few days.
--
Thanks,
Jeremy Knezek
1976 Glenbrook
Birmingham, AL
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Regards,
Rob M. (USAussie)
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
'75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
'75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
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