4l60e Question

[JJH Jimmy]

I have a 2003 5.3 engine and 4l60e transmission in my 1972 GMC Jimmy and am using the advanced adapters 4l60e to np205 adapters. I had a transmission shop install the advanced adapters output shaft and rebuild the transmission. I have my engine in the frame and have all of the chassis work done and am getting ready to put the tub back on the frame. I test ran my engine and transmission to check for any leaks and everything was fine. I put 9 quarts of tranny fluid in it and shifted it into all gears and got it up to temperature. When it was warmed up the tranny fluid was just a little high. I have since stripped the wiring harness back off of the engine and transmission and it has been sitting for about a month while I finish up the body work. I noticed that there is tranny fluid weeping from around the pan gasket. I pulled the dipstick and the fluid level is about 6" higher than the hot cross hatches. Did I over fill the tranny? Is this normal? I would like to get this figured out before I set the body back on it. Any advice would be great. Thanks.

[68c10airstream]

I have basically the same set up only 2wd. Your trans fluid level going high after sitting idle is pretty normal. Your torque converter is draining down. If clineberger gets on here he will tell you what would be acceptable. In use if you start it up and it sits overnight and it doesn't want to move right away (like a slipping clutch), then you have a problem. Low cost fix for your trans pan leak question is this, if the pan gasket it oem, (gray silicone with a metal strip cast in it) they work good until the pan bolts get over tightened and distort. I fixed a few of my work beaters and co-workers with the same gm style pan gasket this way. Take a ballpien hammer and use it on the bolt holes. I use one hammer resting the rounded back side of the hammer on the hole and lightly hit that hammer with another hammer to push that distorted hole back down. I know 2 hammers hitting each other is a no-no, but it's a light hit, and i use safety glasses. Now your pan is flat again, reuse the pan gasket. This will work on any distorted pan. Paper, composition gaskets i don' reuse but the gm one i do. Good luck, Brian F.

[JJH Jimmy]

Thanks for the reply Brian. I have owned several 4l60e's and don't recall if any of them leaked down like this. Not sure if i should tear it back down and replace the tc. It will sure be a heck of a lot easier to do it now instead of later.

[68c10airstream]

get with clinebarger on the forum. His avatar says hydromatic i think, and he is very good. This most likely wouldn't be a torque converter item issue, but the torque converter is what is draining down. Pump clearance issues, (worn, etc) are possibilities. I have more mopar experience on this issue and they used a check valve inline to the trans cooler in the radiator. After shutdown the checkvalve would hold fluid in the cooler lines preventing drain down. If it was my project either drive it and/or get with clinebarger. Oh if my thinking is correct 9 quarts after a rebuild and once you install and drive it a lot of times after circuits are finally used a few times (shifts) you may have to add some more fluid. You will be fixing the pan gasket issue anyway so drive it and see what it is like. If the trans needs additional work then do both at the same time. Good luck, Brian F.

[clinebarger]

Sitting for a month will drain the converter down....Normal.
If it drains overnight.....Worn Stator Shaft bushings.
The pan is leaking.
'98 & up 4L60E's take 12-13 quarts after a rebuild.

[68c10airstream]

Thanks clinebarger, now were cooking with gas. I didn't do a lot of trans work but i enjoyed the challange of electrical and drivability work. To have the mental capacity to take a trans completely apart, fix what is wrong, not miss a thing and then put it all together and it works flawlessly is fantastic. I probably feels confident enough in electrical as you in trans's. Thanks for the reply, Brian F.