This just happened for the first time. I was backing into a parking space on a steepish hill and I felt a loss of power and heard a loud squealing type sound. Any ideas?
Loud squeal when backing up a steep hill
- Thread starter CascadeCruisen
- Start date
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What year?
How many miles?
Any modifications?
Yes. There are some noises as such documented in reverse. But it is year specific.
- Thread starter
- #3
Tranny is slipping, a rebuild is in your future
iptman
SILVER Star
This. Happened to me and there are a few threads on the topic. Since remans are no more it's either a rebuild or find a low miles used and swap it in. You can try draining the fluid and swapping some fresh in there. If it's dark when it drains that's clutch friction material. I lived with mine for a couple years before swapping in a low mileage trans.
Not necessarily.
The reverse squeal is well documented on the A343F transmission.
There is a pressure adjustment if you drop the pan. There are several really good threads on this.
^^^This^^^. IME those symptoms are not fatal, often related to the TSB's discussed above. You could first try a complete fluid exchange using Dexron II/III compatible fluid (Valvoline Maxlife gallons from Wally marts is one choice). A fluid exchange is more likely to help if the current ATF is very old or if any additives or the wrong fluid were ever added. After that service re-assess.
I've learned (from checking serial particle counts) that doing drain and fills will stir up sediment from the pan, so letting a quart or two just pour straight through the pan (drain plug out) might wash away some of it. And then again, just the new fluid itself (more detergents?) appears to release smaller particles from inside the transmission. A complete fluid exchange, or two, will help wash that out.
Dropping the pan and cleaning it out first is the better by-the-book method. In lieu of doing that, installing a cooler line transmission filter will trap the larger particles that can potentially cause issues.
Tech tip: always use a new crush washer for the transmission drain plug
and then use a small wrench and girly power when tightening the plug,
you can better feel a wall as the washer is crushed. Try to resist the urge to keep tightening or you risk spinning the bung that holds the threads. There're no replacement transmission pans available from any source short of a salvage yard. FWIW.
I've learned (from checking serial particle counts) that doing drain and fills will stir up sediment from the pan, so letting a quart or two just pour straight through the pan (drain plug out) might wash away some of it. And then again, just the new fluid itself (more detergents?) appears to release smaller particles from inside the transmission. A complete fluid exchange, or two, will help wash that out.
Dropping the pan and cleaning it out first is the better by-the-book method. In lieu of doing that, installing a cooler line transmission filter will trap the larger particles that can potentially cause issues.
Tech tip: always use a new crush washer for the transmission drain plug
and then use a small wrench and girly power when tightening the plug,
you can better feel a wall as the washer is crushed. Try to resist the urge to keep tightening or you risk spinning the bung that holds the threads. There're no replacement transmission pans available from any source short of a salvage yard. FWIW.
Last edited:
If you do a search on "reverse squeal" you get a page and a half worth of threads regarding this issue, including the one that I started a couple of years ago.
forum.ih8mud.com
97 LX450 Squeal in Reverse
I did some searching on this issue and it seems to be common with the A343F transmissions. I was nose down in a field and started to reverse out. There was a horrible squeal from the transmission as I increased throttle, so I immediately backed off. Dropped her into low range and there was no...
forum.ih8mud.com
You and your "telling people to search" BS...If you do a search on "reverse squeal" you get a page and a half worth of threads regarding this issue, including the one that I started a couple of years ago.
97 LX450 Squeal in Reverse
I did some searching on this issue and it seems to be common with the A343F transmissions. I was nose down in a field and started to reverse out. There was a horrible squeal from the transmission as I increased throttle, so I immediately backed off. Dropped her into low range and there was no...
iptman
SILVER Star
Jon - did your squeal also include a loss of power/movement of the transmission? On mine I had absolutely no power to the wheels when it happened and dropping it in to 4lo had no effect. My ATF was quite dark and I tried the drain and fill a few times over a month to noticable improvement but not completely fixing it.
If you read my thread, I put it in low and reversed with no issue. Truck has always driven and shifted fine in all other situations. ATF is drained/filled yearly.
iptman
SILVER Star
I did read your post and I didn't see you mention loss of power which is why I asked. OP said he had a loss of power so if you didn't have that it's probably a different issue.
As soon as I heard the noise I backed off the throttle because it made me a little sick. We were somewhere on the Gaspe peninsula pretty far from home. It was not time to experiment, if you know what I mean.
I have put thousands more miles on since that time, both on and off road without issue, but changing the line pressure switch in the pan is on my list for this Spring.
