How to handle tranny maint on 1990 3800 setup VIN "C&qu
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From: Plymouth / Northville Michigan

OK guys, I have my 90 olds with its 3800 vin "c" and the tranny is shifftin like $h1T and I did a little readin round deez parts.. I have a can of "SEAFOAM TRANS TUNE" and I was planning on putting it in a week or so prior to having the fluids handled. well after talking with the guy at a local trans shop He recommended I have the filter dropped and swapped as oppsed to having the fluid flushed.
I guess I am looking for the answer to "so your trans shifts like poo and you need your fluids changed" topic.
should I add the seafoam now and then have the filter swapped? should I have the system flused and then change the filter?? the man said that a flush is pretty pointless unless its a newer car and mine having 120k miles its prolly time for a little help...

D88
I guess I am looking for the answer to "so your trans shifts like poo and you need your fluids changed" topic.
should I add the seafoam now and then have the filter swapped? should I have the system flused and then change the filter?? the man said that a flush is pretty pointless unless its a newer car and mine having 120k miles its prolly time for a little help...

D88
You will get two anwers. Yes, and no. My suggestion is a full flush. The people who say not to do a flush, will argue that crap will be brought up, and kill the tranny. However a properly done flush, will not have this problem. Bill [Willwren] has a shot tranny, however he is squeezing quite a bit of extra life in his, from the transmission flushes. I don't know about you, but I think he'* a trustworthy source, don't you think?
Just in case there is some confusion. The filter is replaced no matter. Unless you are an idiot and don't.
-justin
Just in case there is some confusion. The filter is replaced no matter. Unless you are an idiot and don't.
-justin
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From: Plymouth / Northville Michigan

well with that said... I think I might stray from the flush actually. I'll add the seafoam tonight and then schedule a trans filter fluid swap..... Mine kinda clunks a lot I noticed at lunch today.. I dont even wanna risk it.. these guys can handle a filter fluid swap but ... doing something more complicated.. ehh I hesitate.. I mean.. how messy is it?
Im gonna be doing my oil this weekend.. do I only need the filter and fluids? anything extra? A big a$* pan to catch it all in? do the shops do anything extra like sucking out chunkies or what?
Im gonna be doing my oil this weekend.. do I only need the filter and fluids? anything extra? A big a$* pan to catch it all in? do the shops do anything extra like sucking out chunkies or what?
Originally Posted by opensourceguy
You will get two anwers. Yes, and no. My suggestion is a full flush. The people who say not to do a flush, will argue that crap will be brought up, and kill the tranny. However a properly done flush, will not have this problem. Bill [Willwren] has a shot tranny, however he is squeezing quite a bit of extra life in his, from the transmission flushes. I don't know about you, but I think he'* a trustworthy source, don't you think?
Just in case there is some confusion. The filter is replaced no matter. Unless you are an idiot and don't.
-justin
Just in case there is some confusion. The filter is replaced no matter. Unless you are an idiot and don't.
-justin
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From: Plymouth / Northville Michigan

oh I'm not gettin any slippin.. its a full on ka-chunk every once in a while when its cold.... or at op temp foot on the break from park to reverse or any forward gear it clunks just a smidge.....
now my th-350 atttached to the 400 in my other olds.. that slips.. it kinda slithers into reversse
now my th-350 atttached to the 400 in my other olds.. that slips.. it kinda slithers into reversse
That'* nothing, bud. I have the same problem. The flush is what you want. There is something blocking a fluid passage, that makes it clunk like that. The transtune fixed that problem, however a flush on top of that will fix ya right up.
If you can change your oil, you can do the tranny flush. I do not know how many times I have posted the tranny flush thing, this week alone. Check the Techinfo. I am feeling lazy.
-justin
If you can change your oil, you can do the tranny flush. I do not know how many times I have posted the tranny flush thing, this week alone. Check the Techinfo. I am feeling lazy.
-justin
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From: Plymouth / Northville Michigan

http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/techinfo/?article=37
this it? don't ya need a fancy pump to "FLUSH" the fluid out/through the tranny?
hmm blockage makes sense. It did sit fer 4 years in the original owners garage before i got it. thus explaining doing all of the brakes , adding fuel addititves to break up any varnish and such..
this it? don't ya need a fancy pump to "FLUSH" the fluid out/through the tranny?
hmm blockage makes sense. It did sit fer 4 years in the original owners garage before i got it. thus explaining doing all of the brakes , adding fuel addititves to break up any varnish and such..
Yep, that'* the article.
GAMEOVER: I have the same problem, and the thump he is talking about, is harsh engagement I presume, correct? It'* like somebody with a really big foot kicked your car'* ***, right? That'* the same problem I have, and the transtune fixed that right up. I also had a horribly slow 2-1 manual shift engagement. Like 7 seconds slow. The transtune minimized this down to 2 seconds, and about 25% smoother [to the point where I like it.. any smoother, and I won't know if it engaged or not].
-justin
GAMEOVER: I have the same problem, and the thump he is talking about, is harsh engagement I presume, correct? It'* like somebody with a really big foot kicked your car'* ***, right? That'* the same problem I have, and the transtune fixed that right up. I also had a horribly slow 2-1 manual shift engagement. Like 7 seconds slow. The transtune minimized this down to 2 seconds, and about 25% smoother [to the point where I like it.. any smoother, and I won't know if it engaged or not].
-justin


