Had the car in the shop last week. Mechanic says the tranny is leaking, probably near the pump, but seems to stabilize at about a quart low. Tranny has 350,000 miles and 32 years on it without anything but a couple fluid changes. Still seems to shift and behave just fine. Bought the car new, engine is stock and I truly rarely really get on it. Am I asking for trouble or doing any damage driving it as is, i.e. always a quart low?
If the leak stops there. Look at any gasket or seal that is just above that level..........a at low on some trans is a bigger deal than other, might think about a deep pan so you can have the full volume of fluid but keep it below the leaky level.
Check the seal on the shifter to the detent sector inside the transmission. A simple seal that is kind of a PITA to change. Driver side (DUH). Also a PITA to drop the trans to change the front seal as well.
At 350k miles, it is time to refresh that tranny. It owes u nothing. Most trannies are lucky to ever run 100k, let alone 350k.
Can the general area of the leak not be seen? The dipstick tube has a little rubber "tophat" seal that has probably hardened up. When the car sits, the torque converter runs it's fluid back into the pan and it leaks out somewhere. I wouldn't drive it low. I run mine a quart over full to prevent it from uncovering the pickup. Especially important with the stock filter as it picks up on top.
^^^ what he said. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Fix the leak and run it. These trannies get a bad wrap, but they were very strong from the factory. I went mid 11s on mine before it started to flare between gears.
X2 on the fluorescent dye... A QUART LOW??? Im surprised it would move. Thats just about off the stick. Between low and add is about a pint. Probably a bad control O rings, as in shifter, or governor etc. BTW... overfilling could cause a foaming condition unless the pan is just deeper... ws
Alas, even though I have kept an eye on the fluids recently, reverse started to go on Friday, and I lost reverse completely on Monday. I had to push it out of the driveway this morning, but at least I could drive it to a transmission shop. Hopefully the rebuild is good for another 32-year / 350k miles, but I kinda doubt it...
Hopefully they get it right, but there’s only a couple of guys in the country I trust to rebuild a 2004r.
Vince Janis, Lonnie Dyer, Chris Kokinos, & the REAL Art Carr -- am I right? Do I win the bozo button?
Vince or Lonnie. I have 3 of Vince’s transmissions. One has been in the high 9s in a full weight street car.
well, mine is a close-as-possible to stock daily driver that doesn't get stomped on, and I can't afford to send the transmission off for four weeks and bike everywhere in the meantime. Mechanic friend recommended a local hole-in-the-wall shop, so I took it there and will have it back tomorrow. Time will tell.
There is no voodoo in a 2004r. I've had a few rebuilt by local guys with great results. They came in a lot more cars than just the GN..
Unlike some guys who drool over this kinda stuff, Vince Janis lost me at "billet". That word shares too many letters with "wallet".
A $350-400 billet shaft forward drum is a pretty good way to spend some coin to avoid park and six neutrals. As long as your shop knows to set it up "tight" and can get the parts to do it and knows how to set up the direct clutch and band, you should be fine. Yes, lots of cars came with a 2004r but the vb/gov in the "lesser" units can make for a problem getting the thing to shift where you want in a performance application. Not saying it cant be done but a trans fluid bath(s) is included in that activity.
