Transmission questions

[mikemol]

Hi, I recently bought a VX. It's not insured yet so I don't drive it yet but I drove it for 1300 miles from where I bought it. It's a 1999 with 54K miles. The last time I noticed that if I shift between Reverse - Neutral - Drive - I can hear what sounds to me like a hit in the transmission. Especially going from Neutral to Reverse or from Neutral to Drive. You swith it and then you hear - Bang! - it switched. It just sounds like it hits something way too harder than it should.
It was probably the same way when I bought it, I just probably didn't notice it at first.

Also today I looked under the car and I found some oil on the floor in the area of somewhere between the driver and a passenger front seats. It's red in color so I assume it's dextron. I looked where it was coming from and it looks to me like it's coming from a (I only assume that's what it is) transmission cover - there was a drop hanging on the drain plug and another drop further to the back and all the cover from around the drain plus to the back is wet. When looking more at this I found another bolt higher and to the back from the drain plug and everything is wet around it too. It doesn't look like it's leaking from the gasket so it may be just a copper washer that needs to be replaced on both of those bolts.

Now my questions. Is the first problem with bang sound normal sound or not. If it's not - can it be caused by low level of transmission fluid?
I also wanted to check the level of it and if it's low to add some but since there is no dipstick - how can I check the level or the color of it to see if it's still good? Do I need to drain it just to see if the color is still bright red or brown? or do I need to try to add some to see if it overflows every time I want to check the level because otherwise I have no idea how to tell if the level is bellow of what it should be or not.

[tom4bren]

Read this thread (instructions on second page).

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?threadid=16202

[BD-VX99]

Mine does this also. I can hear it mostly in the drive-thur where the sound bouces off the side of the building in in the open window.

[mikemol]

Mine does this also. I can hear it mostly in the drive-thur where the sound bouces off the side of the building in in the open window.

Well, I can't hear it while driving. Mine makes that sound only when I shift from neutral to drive or from neutral to reverse. If I am driving I can't hear it - it just sounds like there is too much room when it shift from neutral into gear and it moves through that empty room/space until it hits the gear. When driving - everything is fine.

[mikemol]

Read this thread (instructions on second page).

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?threadid=16202

I read this thread, he had a different problem - that was a bent skid plate. My plates are fine. I had exactly the same sound on Lexus but I sold it before I found out what it was.

Is that a normal sound? I only have one VX so I can't get into another one to see if it makes the same sound when shifting. Can anyone tell me? If everyone has that - then I've got nothing to worry about.

I still have my questions on how to check the fluid level and color. Is there a way to check the color of fluid to see if it needs to be replaced? It would sound very stupid to drain it all just so that I could see the color of it. Is there a way to check the level or there is not one? Should I just try to add till it starts coming out? (but before adding some I do need to see if all fluid needs to be changed and I need to find out a way to do that).

[Ben KVX]

I have an 01 w/56k, I did a complete fluid change at my Wife's GM dealership, and yes it clunks shifting from P to R or D, their tranny guy says it's normal (i hope so). Mine also leaked after, I had to replace the copper gasket. To check remove the upper bolt, fluid should drip out if full, do it while car is running, safely.

[Ldub]

I read this thread, he had a different problem - that was a bent skid plate.

I still have my questions on how to check the fluid level and color. Is there a way to check the color of fluid to see if it needs to be replaced? It would sound very stupid to drain it all just so that I could see the color of it. Is there a way to check the level or there is not one? Should I just try to add till it starts coming out? (but before adding some I do need to see if all fluid needs to be changed and I need to find out a way to do that).

Had you looked at page two of said thread, you would have seen this...:smilewink
There are two plugs in the tranny pan, the upper one is fill/level check, the lower one is drain.

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/fluid1.png

[Gussie2000]

Well, I can't hear it while driving. Mine makes that sound only when I shift from neutral to drive or from neutral to reverse. If I am driving I can't hear it - it just sounds like there is too much room when it shift from neutral into gear and it moves through that empty room/space until it hits the gear. When driving - everything is fine.

I got that same PUNCH you're suffering,but never had any issues at all,the Vx runs perfectly

[AK Falco]

Hay there neighbor, im just a little south of ya, in the states, and I have owned my VX for about 5 or 6 months, 148,000 miles and just changed the tranny fluid. it was pretty dark in color when compared to the new stuff. don't have any records of past service from dealership.

Yes when engageing the tranny into gear you can hear/feal a "clunk" in my VX as well, I havent worried about it and it dose not seem to git worse.http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/publish/mgpa/kaats/clunk.gif

this link might help with your worrys.:smilewink

I also bumped a thread with other bulletins about the VX

[BlackVXer99]

got my '99 with 56K on it, now has 89K and has always made the clunk sound when shifting to D. Id have to consider myself part of the "its normal" crowd.

[blacksambo]

This sounds simple. The drive shaft makes clunking sounds, quite routinely. Don't be dismayed. Simply lubricate the shaft per the shop manual. Basically, give it a healthy shot of grease at the three specified fittings. Works wonders for our two '99's. try this first and let us know if the sounds persist.

[mikemol]

Hi all,
Thanks for all the replies. It's great to know that it sounds normal and I probably have nothing to worry about. I guess I'll drain the fluid to look at the color and fill it with new fluid.

To Blacksambo: what grease do you use to lubricate the shaft? What other maintenance I should better do on it other than changing transmission oil and lubing the shaft at 55K miles on my 99 VX? I don't know what has been done on it before so let's consider that nothing has been done other than changing oil.

To AK Falco: - are you the guy who bought that silver VX that was for sale in Everett WA? If you are - then I'm that other guy who finally made it to Everett to take a look at that VX when you were buying it. Thanks for the link to the clunk tranny sound.

[mikemol]

Had you looked at page two of said thread, you would have seen this...:smilewink
There are two plugs in the tranny pan, the upper one is fill/level check, the lower one is drain.



Yes, I have seen this. All it says is that checking is needed and if the color is so and so you need to change the fluid. On step 2 it says: check the fluid when engine is running on idle and that's about it. It doesn't say anywhere how to check.

I know there are two bolts in it - one for draining and another one for adding the fluid. But if I unscrew the top one and if it doesn't overflow - that will only tell me that it's not overfilled and that's it. It won't tell me what the level is. Also it won't tell me what the color of it is - I guess I will have to get some kind of a wire, maybe a wire from wire coat hanger and stick it in there to get some of it out but I'm not sure if that will be enough to let me see the color of it.

[Riff Raff]

MIKEMOL--- In item #6 of the instructions, it says to continue to add fresh AT fluid until it overflows out of the fill hole, which at that point the fluid level will be at the full mark. Just make damn sure your vehicle is on "level ground" (very important).

If you want to see what color the old/existing AT fluid is you have two(2) options:

A: Loosen the drain plug and slowly dribble some old AT fluid into a catch-can (coffee-can). This method might be kinda' messy with over-spatter.

B: For a less messy method (although a bit more time-consuming and tedious); you can get a "Syringe-Pump" from an Auto Parts Store which has a long narrow tube attached to it for sucking up fluids (also known as a manual "Oil Pump" for extracting oil from dipstick tubes). Put the long narrow tube into the fill hole and manually pump out a small sample of old AT fluid into a catch-can (coffee-can). Note: It is possible to "pump-out" the entire fluid contents with the Syringe-Pump without ever having to use the drain hole, thereby keeping the drain hole gasket unmolested (if you so desire).

[mikemol]

MIKEMOL--- In item #6 of the instructions, it says to continue to add fresh AT fluid until it overflows out of the fill hole, which at that point the fluid level will be at the full mark. Just make damn sure your vehicle is on "level ground" (very important).

If you want to see what color the old/existing AT fluid is you have two(2) options:

A: Loosen the drain plug and slowly dribble some old AT fluid into a catch-can (coffee-can). This method might be kinda' messy with over-spatter.

B: For a less messy method (although a bit more time-consuming and tedious); you can get a "Syringe-Pump" from an Auto Parts Store which has a long narrow tube attached to it for sucking up fluids (also known as a manual "Oil Pump" for extracting oil from dipstick tubes). Put the long narrow tube into the fill hole and manually pump out a small sample of old AT fluid into a catch-can (coffee-can). Note: It is possible to "pump-out" the entire fluid contents with the Syringe-Pump without ever having to use the drain hole, thereby keeping the drain hole gasket unmolested (if you so desire).

Here is what I just did and that was before I read your reply.

I went under the truck. Since it says in step 2 that the engine must be running at idle I started the truck. I went under the truck to unscrew that fill screw and no fluid came out. I got a wire from coat hanger and wanted to put it in there to see the color that fluid would leave on it. I wasn't sure if there are any moving parts in it so I didn't want the transmission to catch on this metal wire so I decided to stop the the engine. Once I did that and was going to get back under it - I noticed that the fluid started pouring out of the overfill screw. At first I thought it was just some extra fluid but it wasn't anywhere close to stopping so I realized that as it was circulating through the transmission and then I suddenly stopped the engine it probably kept moving my enertia. Pretty soon I had a huge puddle of it on my garage floor. I have just finished whiping it off and since half of it was already lost I decided to unscrew the drain screw and drain it all.

The gaskets that I found on the screws it were not made of copper and look more like regular metal or nickel gaskets and I can see a little of silicone there between the screw and the gasket - I guess they were not too tight on the screw. Should I replace them with copper instead?

Also I don't have a torque wrench, if I just use a regular drive with a 19 socket should I be afraid of overtightening it or ruining the thread by tightining it too much?

Would I use the Syringe-Pump you mentioned to put new fluid back in? What do people use to pump it in?

Also do I use regular Dextron III or is there such a thing as Fully Synthetic Dextron III or anything else that would be better to put in?

[Riff Raff]

MIKEMOL--- I am so sorry to hear about your messy experience. I know you must be really frustrated by now. It sounds that when you were running your engine, that you also had the fill plug removed at the same time (not good). Never, never, run the engine without the fill plug re-installed. In addition; never, never, remove the fill plug with engine running.

Yes, you can use the Syringe-Pump as a very convenient way to add AT fluid in a steady methodical manner and it will give you the ability to stop filling as soon as you encounter overflow out of the fill plug hole. Basically; with the engine off, fill with AT fluid until it overflows out of the fill hole. Then replace fill plug. Start engine, and cycle through each gear momentarily pausing in each gear for about 15 seconds to insure adequate cycling coverage of fluid. Then stop engine, and remove fill plug and refill until AT fluid again overflows through fill hole. Replace fill plug and repeat running engine through the gears. Stop engine and check fill hole and add more until overflow. When you get to the point when you go to remove the fill plug (with engine off) and AT fluid is already at the edge and you can't add any more AT fluid, then your entire system is completely full. Replace the fill plug with new gasket and torgue to final spec.

I would only use "regular" (not synthetic) DEXTRON III per the instructions. Do not vary from the explicit instructions. In addition, buy yourself a quality Torque Wrench as you should already have one in your tool box anyway. Take your fill plug bolt (as a sample) to NAPA or other quality auto parts store and ask them for an appropriate gasket (you'll need two). When you replace the two plugs with new gaskets for the final time, tighten with your new Torque Wrench to required spec. Do not take chances with factory Torque spec's in an effort to safe money by not buying a quality Torque Wrench. Those Torque spec's are put there for a reason, and you should follow them to the letter!!! Lastly; when replacing plugs, take special care not to accidentally "cross-thread" the plugs into the holes.

[mikemol]

MIKEMOL--- I am so sorry to hear about your messy experience. I know you must be really frustrated by now. It sounds that when you were running your engine, that you also had the fill plug removed at the same time (not good). Never, never, run the engine without the fill plug re-installed. In addition; never, never, remove the fill plug with engine running.

Yes, you can use the Syringe-Pump as a very convenient way to add AT fluid in a steady methodical manner and it will give you the ability to stop filling as soon as you encounter overflow out of the fill plug hole. Basically; with the engine off, fill with AT fluid until it overflows out of the fill hole. Then replace fill plug. Start engine, and cycle through each gear momentarily pausing in each gear for about 15 seconds to insure adequate cycling coverage of fluid. Then stop engine, and remove fill plug and refill until AT fluid again overflows through fill hole. Replace fill plug and repeat running engine through the gears. Stop engine and check fill hole and add more until overflow. When you get to the point when you go to remove the fill plug (with engine off) and AT fluid is already at the edge and you can't add any more AT fluid, then your entire system is completely full. Replace the fill plug with new gasket and torgue to final spec.

I would only use "regular" (not synthetic) DEXTRON III per the instructions. Do not vary from the explicit instructions. In addition, buy yourself a quality Torque Wrench as you should already have one in your tool box anyway. Take your fill plug bolt (as a sample) to NAPA or other quality auto parts store and ask them for an appropriate gasket (you'll need two). When you replace the two plugs with new gaskets for the final time, tighten with your new Torque Wrench to required spec. Do not take chances with factory Torque spec's in an effort to safe money by not buying a quality Torque Wrench. Those Torque spec's are put there for a reason, and you should follow them to the letter!!! Lastly; when replacing plugs, take special care not to accidentally "cross-thread" the plugs into the holes.

Thanks for the instructions. Well, there is a reason as to why I had the fill plug off when running it. In the instructions on the first page in step 2 it specifically says to check the level with the engine running at idle and since there is no dipstick and no explanation as to how exactly I'm supposed to check the level - I guess the only way check it was through the fill plug. So if that's how you check and if the engine should be running - that's what I did - just followed the instructions through I still wasn't too sure as to how exactly I was going to check the level through that plug and it's still a mistery how to check the level. I know how to get it full.

As for the torque wrench, yeah, I know I need to buy one. I wanted one for a long time but never got to buying it yet. I guess it's about time now.

[Ldub]

Thanks for the instructions. Well, there is a reason as to why I had the fill plug off when running it. In the instructions on the first page in step 2 it specifically says to check the level with the engine running at idle and since there is no dipstick and no explanation as to how exactly I'm supposed to check the level - I guess the only way check it was through the fill plug. So if that's how you check and if the engine should be running - that's what I did - just followed the instructions through I still wasn't too sure as to how exactly I was going to check the level through that plug and it's still a mistery how to check the level. I know how to get it full.

As for the torque wrench, yeah, I know I need to buy one. I wanted one for a long time but never got to buying it yet. I guess it's about time now.

Just get a pump that fits the top of a quart of ATF (available at most NAPA & other reputable parts stores), & pump fluid into the fill hole (after going through all the steps in the check level instructions) while the engine is idling in neutral. When it's full, let the excess run out & replace the plug...it's now at the proper level...:_wrench:

I'm in the dark about riff's advice too, so don't feel alone...:smilewink

[Ldub]

MIKEMOL--- It sounds that when you were running your engine, that you also had the fill plug removed at the same time (not good). Never, never, run the engine without the fill plug re-installed. In addition; never, never, remove the fill plug with engine running.

Basically; with the engine off, fill with AT fluid until it overflows out of the fill hole. Then replace fill plug. Start engine, and cycle through each gear momentarily pausing in each gear for about 15 seconds to insure adequate cycling coverage of fluid. Then stop engine, and remove fill plug and refill until AT fluid again overflows through fill hole. Replace fill plug and repeat running engine through the gears. Stop engine and check fill hole and add more until overflow. When you get to the point when you go to remove the fill plug (with engine off) and AT fluid is already at the edge and you can't add any more AT fluid, then your entire system is completely full.

C'mon riff, did you lose your glasses or something?:cool:

READ the instructions previously posted...:_thinking

What does " #2 Check fluid level with engine running at idle ", mean in tacomanese?:smilewink

[Riff Raff]

Sure enough, there it is in #2. Me bad. I just don't trust leaving empty holes open when the engine is running. Stuff always seem to leak out that way.

[Ldub]

I just don't trust leaving empty holes open when the engine is running. Stuff always seem to leak out that way.

Agreed...:_wrench:

[CowboyErik]

last time I filled my tranny, it took 1.75 gallons of ATF fluid, sound about right? I used air to purge intercooler and my pans have been dripping for several days, got lots out

[Mile High VX]

last time I filled my tranny, it took 1.75 gallons of ATF fluid, sound about right? I used air to purge intercooler and my pans have been dripping for several days, got lots out

Joe Blacks write up used about 7.5 quarts, so this is pretty close but may be a bit low.

Just make sure that after the initial fill you start it up, run it through all of the gears, and check the level to make sure it's full. If you do that you can't go wrong with the refill.

[CowboyErik]

I pumped in nealy 2 gallons, pulled my house outta the fill hole, fluid poured out, I plugged it right way; I thought my intercooler might have a mild leak, and it poured out seconds after starting, all on the drivers side of the radiator and straight down, no way it ran over from the passenger side and ran out, it poured a quart and stopped after I shut down, dripped for a while, mess, cleaned it up and went out to get a radiator and new coolent hoses since mine are original, crazy, and I still don't know if I have a working tranny yet!