Bound to happen sooner or later

Ilikemy3s

Original poster
Supporting Donor
Member
Dec 3, 2011
390
SWB 05' TB with the I6 and 4x4 and 276K miles .. original engine, trans, transfer case and front axle. Got it with 80K on it back in 2015. Did all fluid changes and filters when needed if not before and used synthetic fluids. Anyway ..
  • Driving home from work yesterday afternoon and noticed a burning smell then noticed some smoke via the rear tailgate window as I was driving.
  • Check gauges and they seemed fine. Truck ran and shifted fine. No distinguishing noises I could tell.
  • Rechecked gauges .. still fine. Thought I ran over something.
  • Pulled into a super Wawa (for those in NJ, PA area of east cost, you know), parked on side and waited for smoke to clear.
  • I did see wetness on frame and drippage but could not tell what it was or coming from.
  • Waited for engine to cool and clear traffic on road. Tried my luck but drove light and not push it.
  • Got about 2 miles down the road with more smoke and thought-felt truck not shifting right at this point. so I pulled into a road side stop
  • Looked underneath .. yup .. some bright red trans fluid.
  • Called AAA for tow as did not want to push it, and although I had trans fluid in back milk crate, I did not have a funnel.
  • Figured it did not drop all fluid as had puddle at both locations and it shifted fine.. Plus slight drip under truck when I started it to back it off the flat bed into spot in my mechanics lot .. trans shifted fine and no noise.

  • So I am thinking and hoping it is just pin hole in original trans cooler lines ??? Will see what Shop says I cant do any thign about it today
 

christo829

Member
Dec 7, 2011
519
Fairfax, Virginia
My first guess is that yes, it's the cooler lines, and most likely right where they're clamped to the engine as they go up and back. That's right where mine went. The clamp allows moisture and crud to get trapped against the lines, and they'll corrode out there.

Toughest part of replacing those for me was getting to the upper side of the transmission to disconnect those ends. I completely replaced all of mine since I could pretty much figure that there would be other weak spots showing up.

The pipes weren't that expensive. Bigger concern was if rust/dirt got in the trans, or if it got overheated enough to cause any damage.

Hopefully yours just spat fluid out but you got it shut down fast enough to avoid anything but smoke.

Good Luck!

Chris
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
26,238
Ottawa, ON
Yep. Trans lines. Common problem on the rust belt. Funny a recall was never issued for this as fluid on a hot exhaust can cause a fire.
 

Ilikemy3s

Original poster
Supporting Donor
Member
Dec 3, 2011
390
The garage got back to me .. seems both lines have a coupler in the middle.. And that is what failed. So rather than 2 solid lines, i have 4 lines with a coupler on both? I guess made it easer to install? While he did say it was great the original onmes last this long, he does recommend replaced them both (all) So that will get worked on tomorrow.
 
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christo829

Member
Dec 7, 2011
519
Fairfax, Virginia
Yes, there are four pipes total. The longer ones run up towards the radiator from the transmission, then couple in to the ones that actually connect to the radiator. That arrangement did make them easier to work on, though I somehow doubt GM (or any auto maker) really made that the primary reason for the design. :wink:

They should have it all swapped out quickly once they get the parts, and yes, if one is corroded, odds are they all are in similar shape. You going to have them change the fluid/filter while they're there, in case any debris got in? Less likely with a connector failure than with rusted out lines, but if the connector corroded through, some of that could get back through the system.

Cheers-

Chris
 
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mrrsm

Lifetime VIP Donor
Supporting Donor
Member
Oct 22, 2015
8,348
Tampa Bay Area
FWIW... Post #5 at the Linked Thread below has some information and links to Transmission Lines... Some Made of PLAIN STEEL ...and Some...

MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL

 

Ilikemy3s

Original poster
Supporting Donor
Member
Dec 3, 2011
390
Sorry to bring this post back up .. Ironically I was searching for another trans fluid related post .. so I will put it here ..

To finish the last post that I never updated, the garage did replace new lines and couplers and did a pan drop and check for particles .. all good. trans has been working fine ,,, until now ..

We had a good dumping of snow last night. Not lots but enough to know to pull the cars into driveway so the plows can get the entire curb in front of the house. Plus when I pull the vehicles out of the drive way, most of the driveway is clear.

Anyway, in pulling my TB out, I noticed a blotch of red tranny fluid in the snow. From where is was located under the TB I was thinking it is a trans connections. But at 18* outside I was not going to crawl under to check. With truck warmed up, I checked the dipstick and found it a bit low, so I topped off. What I did not notice before, there is a COLD mark on the trans dipstick. ?? Does anyone else have this mark? Is it accurate? Asking as I may be useful to use that tomorrow especially since it is supposed to be colder tomorrow with wind chills in the single digits.

The garage said he can get me in Wed but I wanted to be safe incase I need to drive it tomorrow. Thoughts on the COLD mark ?
 

christo829

Member
Dec 7, 2011
519
Fairfax, Virginia
Yep! I use the cold mark to just eyeball any drastic level difference, but I don't use it as a strict volume gauge. When my lines rusted through, it was able to let me know that I had lost a lot of fluid, and also when I had enough back in it after patching in order to be able to drive short distances without having the thing start slipping and burning clutches.

EDIT: What Tollkeeper said and I *should* have said...check it warm.
 
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TollKeeper

Supporting Donor
Member
Dec 3, 2011
8,280
Brighton, CO
Cold mark is for when the truck is running, but not warmed up.. Hence the word Cold.

Typically, you are supposed to check the fluid when its warmed up.
 
Dec 5, 2011
604
Central Pennsylvania
Typically, you are supposed to check the fluid when its warmed up.

Not just "warm".... but at operating temperature and while running, after having driven some distance, and after having moved the shifter through all gears manually after coming to your final stop - without turning the engine off afterwards.... that's how I have always checked transmission fluid level.

My method is typically:
Start vehicle and drive to operating temperature and stop somewhere level (usually my garage), then I leave the vehicle running, hold the brake pedal and move the shifter through all the gears one at a time manually then place it back in park and leave the engine running. Then I pull the dipstick, wipe it, reinsert, then pull it to check level. It should be even with the top marks on the stick... the "hot" level.

The only difficulties I have or when fluid is super clean, it may be harder to actually see the level when fluid is hot as it is pretty thin although Dex VI is a nice deep red so that helps. I sometimes have to reinsert and check the dipstick a few times because I lack confidence in my level reading.
 

Ilikemy3s

Original poster
Supporting Donor
Member
Dec 3, 2011
390
Update : had to add about 1gt of Decron VI. Finally got it to the shop that did the work. They said the fitting at the radiator was leaking. Replaced it and tested .. all good now and no charge as I was within the 12 months labor warranty.
 

Mike534x

Member
Apr 9, 2012
1,027
You got super lucky! Most of the threads I've read, that involved leaking lines ended with "the trans being toast" from all the fluid loss at once.

I got lucky with my Trailblazer back in October, my lines started leaking in the engine bay, right along the frame rail before it makes the bend into the radiator. I ended up buying all new lines from RockAuto, and had a local trans shop do the install.
 

Redbeard

Member
Jan 26, 2013
3,662
The only difficulties I have or when fluid is super clean, it may be harder to actually see the level when fluid is hot as it is pretty thin although Dex VI is a nice deep red so that helps. I sometimes have to reinsert and check the dipstick a few times because I lack confidence in my level reading.
Use a paper towel and place it behind the dipstick when reading it and in sunlight (outside not in a garage). With clean oil I usually can read it much better. My 2 ¢
 

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