Black tranny fluid - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Locutus · 08-11-2003, 08:59 AM

I have a TH350 that was pulled out of another project car I have. I was planning on putting it in my truck as the one in my truck is gone(it will only go in reverse). To make a long story short I was changing the filter and the tranny fluid in the one from the project car is a very dark color almost black. As I remember I thought the car drove to its current resting spot with no slipping in the tranny. What I need to know is does the black tranny fluid spell impending doom for this tranny. I don't want to put this one in to only have to change it out again in a few weeks. Should just take this one up for a rebuild?

Mike

PS not that I trust the PO of my project car but he said this one was rebuilt and only had 1000 miles on it

*Randy70C-10* · 08-11-2003, 09:21 AM

The black in the fluid could be what's left of the clutches and bands. That's the same color my fluid was when I blew the tranny in the Model A last month.

cdowns · 08-11-2003, 12:20 PM

why go to the hassle of puttin in a burned tranny that you might only get a couple of hundred miles out of use it for a core and get a rebuild or now's the perfect time to upgrade to an overdrive

**COBALT** · 08-11-2003, 12:24 PM

The correct color for normal wear is gray paint under the transmission fluid in the pan when you pull it. Brown fluid means either you've varnished your clutches (not enough fluid or too much, or a too-hot transmission), or you have water in your fluid (leak at the radiator).

Black could only mean you've burned the clutch plates. What was at the bottom of the pan when you pulled it?

08-11-2003, 08:59 AM	#1
Locutus Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Santa Fe, Texas Posts: 249	Black tranny fluid I have a TH350 that was pulled out of another project car I have. I was planning on putting it in my truck as the one in my truck is gone(it will only go in reverse). To make a long story short I was changing the filter and the tranny fluid in the one from the project car is a very dark color almost black. As I remember I thought the car drove to its current resting spot with no slipping in the tranny. What I need to know is does the black tranny fluid spell impending doom for this tranny. I don't want to put this one in to only have to change it out again in a few weeks. Should just take this one up for a rebuild? Mike PS not that I trust the PO of my project car but he said this one was rebuilt and only had 1000 miles on it

08-11-2003, 12:20 PM	#3
cdowns Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: daytonabeach Posts: 22,956	why go to the hassle of puttin in a burned tranny that you might only get a couple of hundred miles out of use it for a core and get a rebuild or now's the perfect time to upgrade to an overdrive __________________ 71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY

08-11-2003, 12:24 PM	#4
COBALT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 5,817	The correct color for normal wear is gray paint under the transmission fluid in the pan when you pull it. Brown fluid means either you've varnished your clutches (not enough fluid or too much, or a too-hot transmission), or you have water in your fluid (leak at the radiator). Black could only mean you've burned the clutch plates. What was at the bottom of the pan when you pulled it? __________________ '69 3/4 ton C20 2wd-350ci/TH400 '69 3/4 ton Custom 20 2wd-350ci/4sp Manual '99 2wd 5.7 Chevy Tahoe Seattle, WA.

08-11-2003, 09:21 AM	#2
Randy70C-10 Account Suspended Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Virginia Beach, Va. U.S.A. Posts: 15,320	The black in the fluid could be what's left of the clutches and bands. That's the same color my fluid was when I blew the tranny in the Model A last month.



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