Auto tragic trans question

rockyrunner99

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Location
Grand Rapids, Mi
TDI
99.5 Golf
I loath automatic transmissions, but I ended up with an S10 as a four wheel drive truck for winter and hauling. Last weekend it blew an intake gasket and over heat. I was on the expressway and drove it gently to the next exit. I towed it home and fixed the gasket. Now the trans acts funny. Every once and a while it kinda chugs. It seems like there is a gear binding. Its very intermittent. Sometimes it will do it every mile sometimes not for 5 miles. The truck is not really worth much money or time investment. I do not know much about autos, but would it be worth my time to change the fluid and filter in the trans? Would it possibly fix this? The fluid does not look dirty or smell burnt. thanks
 

GoFaster

Moderator at Large
Joined
Jun 16, 1999
Location
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
Checking the transmission fluid level is the first step, always. I presume that you've done that, in addition to establishing that it doesn't look dirty or smell bad.

700R4, 4L60, or 4L60E? Similar transmissions but the 4L60E has more electronic controls.

"Kinda chugs" is a vague description. What gear is the transmission in and how fast are you going? If it has a tach, does it do anything when "chugging"? Is there any dependence upon accelerator position or road speed?

The following is therefore a GUESS. I'm going to GUESS that your vehicle is old enough that it has the 700R4 or 4L60 (not E) transmission. If you had to change an intake manifold gasket, you would have had to take the intake manifold off, and therefore you would have had to take the throttle body off, and therefore you would have had to mess with the throttle cable ... and if the vehicle dates back to before the early/mid 1990s, you may have also had to touch the TV cable and might not have adjusted it properly. (The TV cable leads from the throttle body to the transmission, and that's how the controls inside the transmission know how much load the engine is under, and thus how much line pressure to use and alter which gear to select.)

If it has a TV cable, make sure it is (a) connected, (b) working, and (c) adjusted properly.

If it is mid-nineties or newer, it should have the 4L60E transmission, no TV cable, and it's all drive-by-wire. (doesn't mean there can't be anything wrong with it, but it changes the diagnostic method ... and it also means that the trans controls should be generating fault codes accessible by OBDII if there is something amiss)
 

rockyrunner99

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Location
Grand Rapids, Mi
TDI
99.5 Golf
its a 97, the fluid level is good. it does leak a little, so I keep an eye on it. After more observation it seems temperature dependent. It only does it when its pretty warm out, like over 75-80. It only does it on the highway and when the torque converter is locked up. I might just not feel it when its not locked up. there was an issue with a vacuum line going to the heater controls and the transfer case controls. A previous owner had used one that was too big and did not seal correctly. I replaced it and it was sucking some fluid into the engine for a bit. Maybe that was the cause too? Not sure. I was driving an old chevy truck when the rear end went out and this feels kinda similar. the rear end is not hot and has fluid. I've driven it a few weeks now and its not getting worse. i'm way less worried about it now, but would still like to know.
 
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