Transmission Thud

[OregonLC]

just wait til you get my invoice!

glad I could help! before we celebrate too much, let's hear back from you that all is well after a couple qts of ATL have been added back in!

 

[bamachem]

When engine is off and trans pan is "full", then engine is cranked, the pan is short by 1.5 qts! Topped it off and haven't been able to reproduce the thud in two days of trying (here and there when the opp presents itself)!!!

THUD appears to be fixed!

 

[wngrog]

I am going to add some Lucas to mine. It has the THUD...111,000 miles and original fluid. Easy life on the truck. Still looks new under there.

I was pretty pissed yesterday when I figured out that my 2004 does not have a dipstick

 

[Griffin]

Love this thread. Just bought my LC a few months ago and it is time for my first service. Although I have not noticed a thud, thunk, or clunk in my transmission, I asked the service dude to go ahead and grease the shaft.

 

[bamachem]

At 111K on original fluid, you need to change it out. My 07 had 54K and the WS fluid was dark brown, but no burnt smell. I went back w/ Amsoil ATL and fuel efficiency is up ~8% on average.

 

[2000UZJ]

145K on original AT fluid. Time to change it or no?


Shifts a little hard at time.

 

[wngrog]

Dunno. I have spoken to a lot of tranny guys and they say not to change it unless the truck has done a lot of hard work.

No way I would change it at 54K

 

[bamachem]

Dunno. I have spoken to a lot of tranny guys and they say not to change it unless the truck has done a lot of hard work.

No way I would change it at 54K

Fair question: who would stand to profit if you don't follow manufacturer recommendations and change the transmission fluid? Certainly NOT the "transmission guy"...

 

[NMuzj100]

I am going to add some Lucas to mine. It has the THUD...111,000 miles and original fluid.

It doesn't need an additive! It needs 12 quarts of new fluid.

Tranny fluid needs changed at 5k and then on manufacturers intervals at a minimum. 75% of all particulate contamination the transmission will see is in the fluid at the factory or shortly thereafter.

Dunno. I have spoken to a lot of tranny guys and they say not to change it unless the truck has done a lot of hard work.

No way I would change it at 54K

Never heard that nonsense before and it seems patently ridiculous to me. Also dragging 6,000 pounds around in full-time four wheel drive does constitute hard work.

145K on original AT fluid. Time to change it or no?

Yes.

Lots of transmission abuse going on here. Pretty surprised given how easy fluid drains are on this truck. Adds like 5 minutes to an oil change to drain 4 quarts of AFT and add back. You'll be very pleased with the performance difference you get with the new fluid.

 

[wngrog]

So if you want to change it at 5000 miles, why does the maintenance schedule call for it? Seems like a lot of things are ridiculously low on the maint. schedule like the timing belt but there is no regular schedule on the tranny?

As for the clunk, mine went away when I greased the driveshaft.

I wanted to simply add some Lucas to mine but there is no FING dipstick. The fill plug is in a really s***ty spot and there really is no way to get anything in there without a pump......unless I am missing something.

I will probably change the fluid now that I can't add to it.

Bamachem, will you tell me again where you uncapped the hose? Was it at the cooler behind the grill?

 

[agaisin]

Seems like a lot of things are ridiculously low on the maint. schedule like the timing belt but there is no regular schedule on the tranny?

At least in my 05Lx maintenance schedule it calls for inspection of transmission fluid every 30k, and to replace fluid every 60k (yes that's technically qualified with "Required only if vehicle is operated primarily in desert, on dirt roads or while towing").

I wanted to simply add some Lucas to mine but there is no FING dipstick. The fill plug is in a really ****ty spot and there really is no way to get anything in there without a pump......unless I am missing something.

03 and up use the sealed transmission and WS ATF (World Standard). Sealed as in there's no dipstick. The 100 faqs explain more and you can find lots of info on it - it's by design and one explanation is that the fluid is very hygroscopic (absorbs water) and that's why it's sealed. Another more cynical explanation would be to discourage amateurs from maintaining their transmission fluid, or to minimize the likelihood of accidentally putting the wrong fluid (i.e. wiper fluid or engine oil, or whatever) in the tranny.

Here's a link from the faqs: https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/22580-type-t-iv-atf.html

Bottom line, you can add fluid, but the refill plug just isn't as accessible and yes you do need a fluid pump (walmart or any automotive store sells them) and yes that makes it all more of a pita for those with 03+ WS ATF Sealed Trannys.

There are a few writeups on tranny fluid level check and on full atf fluid replacement (flush can be a bad word to some). Some prefer to just do more frequent drain and refills rather than the full replacement.
I posted the flush procedure I used: https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/447398-ws-atf-flush-procedure.html
bkgee posted another approach (https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/356884-tranny-drain-fill-percent-new-fluid.html) the other approach of frequent drain/refills to accomplish the same thing - you can do it over a short period of time or over a long period of time (as in each oil change) so that in a similar timespan you've accomplished a full flush.

 

[wngrog]

Thanks. I have a nice pump for 90 wt, but not a good one for small bottles. Even with a pump, that fill plug is in a crap location.

No dipstick just pisses me off. I would drain and add every oil change if it were that easy, that is what I do on my 80.

I gotta decide what to do. I am thinking about pulling the lines and pumping it out.

 

[OregonLC]

I wonder if you 03+ guys could make take a male adapter and some 1/4" tubing and make a remote fill tube extending up into the bay.

 

[wngrog]

I wonder if you 03+ guys could make take a male adapter and some 1/4" tubing and make a remote fill tube extending up into the bay.

I would buy one.

 

[bamachem]

Bamachem, will you tell me again where you uncapped the hose? Was it at the cooler behind the grill?

Bottom of the radiator. I think it was the driver side, but not 100% sure on that. It should be in my build thread.

 

[looking4lc]

Bringing this from the dead,

I am having same issue as the OP described.
However, I did add some AT fluid and leveled with the engine on at the right temperature and lubed the driveshaft and u joints, 80% is gone but I feel slight engagement when slowing down.
Any other solution?