Hello All,

2001 Yukon XL 1500 4WD 5.3 4L60E 294,246 miles, transmission overhauled professionally 10,140 miles ago. Need a sanity check before I go to the next step. I've only had two other transmissions overhauled in my life, and both have never had metal in the pan for over 100,000 miles (between them) afterward. I dropped the pan on this one because the warranty runs out in less than 2,000 miles. Just as I did on the other two and have recommended that friends do several times.

Just my luck, right? Maybe I should say: third time is the charm?

Anyways, before I go back to the shop with it, I just wanted a sanity check, hopefully with a transmission pro or someone who'* gone through more overhauls than I have.

The backstory: I purchased the car at 182,879 miles, did a transmission service on it at 187,000, then another at 252,932 miles. At 284,106 I decided to do another service honestly because I thought the previous had been longer ago than it had been and didn't bother looking at my log. It had also started twice recently with something engaged such that it would thump and the car would move backwards a bit while in park. I also wanted to just because it'* getting closer to 300,000 miles and to swap out some more fluid and to see how it is doing. Then I found metal in the pan. So I took it to a well-reviewed shop. After talking with front-counter guy, liking what I heard, and feeling like I wasn't being patronized too much I left it with them.

Anyways they overhauled it and added a Corvette servo that I didn't ask for. I also asked three times for the old parts just because I was curious what 284,000-mile transmission parts look like and wanted to see where the metal-flake was coming from. They forgot (?) and threw all the old parts out before I picked up the car. I asked what they found inside that was failing and was told "it was just worn out", and when pressed was told "they just do that when they get tired" . Needless to say I didn't like that but left with my rebuilt transmission happy that I have another 284,000 miles left in it, albeit with a 12mo/12,000mi warranty.

I was assured I'd really like the Corvette servo. I didn't, it was waaay too aggressive. I had them swap it out for a normal one at 287,727 . At this time I find out that the guy that I had dealt with previously is gone, and different guy is running things. I like the new guy better, seems less patronize-y.

One thing I noticed right away (after the overhaul) is that first gear makes a lot of noise, more than when I brought it in. When I had the servo swapped out I asked them about the noise and they said it is fine. I own two other 4L60E'* and none of them sound like that even with around 200,000 miles on each of them. This one didn't either before the overhaul. Same with my friends 189,000-mile 2004 Tahoe.

One other thing: Since the overhaul it has twice done the thing where it thumps and tries to roll backwards while in park when I start the engine, and twice has attempted to start accelerating in something besides first gear then realizes its mistake and shifts to first after moving about a foot the hard way.

Anyways, now I find metal in the pan. Not happy but just want to bounce this of other GMForumers for thoughts and a sanity check. And maybe some knowledge of what causes the startup thump and the starting to accellerate in not-first gear thing. I'll add some pictures in a few minutes.

Sorry for the read, and thanks for thoughts etc!

Metal and clutch dust


Metal and clutch dust


Metal flakes on glove, and some other garbage that I couldn't place

Metal and clutch dust, later pass


Metal and clutch dust, later pass


Metal and clutch dust later pass

Metal and clutch dust, later pass


Metal and clutch dust, later pass


Even after getting everything really clean I still find metal flakes clinging desperately to the magnet

It just occurred to me to note: Most of its miles are highway, I don't abuse it, and it'* barely towed anything. It occasionally has to "work for a living" getting onto freeways etc. but that'* about it. I often make a sport of keeping it in overdrive up those slight grades by giving it just enough gas to only slow down a little before the top where it would have shifted down a gear were I to maintain speed.

The most it'* towed is a 4'X6' box trailer with camping gear in it for maybe a couple thousand miles altogether in the 101,261 miles I had it before the overhaul, and has never towed after the overhaul. The trailer tucks in nicely behind the body so it hardly drags any air. and it never weighs more than 1,200 pounds loaded. All of its miles since the overhaul have been between 5,000 and 11,000 feet above sea level so it'* probably only dealing with 220HP of the engine'* sea-level rating of 285HP.

Update: Dropped it at the shop a couple of weeks ago. They pulled the pan and found no metal. They offered me a choice of (1) another year of warranty and see if more metal is there or (2) pull it and take it apart and if nothing is found I'd have to pay for the work. I chose the first option and had them agree to drop the pan and check it out again in like 5,000 miles.

Needless to say: I feel a bit dumb for not catching the metal that poured out. I won't make that mistake again.

One question, when the transmission was overhauled, were the lines to the transmission cooler(radiator and external one, if used) flushed?

It has the factory in-the-radiator cooler and they said they flushed it the first time. They also flushed it this last time they had it just to be thorough.

If there was some junk in there from before the rebuild I can accept that it got pushed into the pan and rode around there for 10,000 miles. That doesn't bother me. If that'* true then we should see no metal when we drop the pan again in 5,000 miles.

I see brass metal in those rags. That would be a bushing of some sort. Don't bother asking which one. Just tear it back down and find it. Something was not installed correctly.

I agree, and it wasn't magnetic. So I have another year of warranty and will be there with them when they pull the pan next time. If there'* metal they get to fix it. In the meantime it acts fine so we'll see what happens.