This is an ongoing saga with my Transmission if you have seen my posts. Now was told to have a shop drop the pan and check oil condition before doing a software update. They are saying that there are metal shavings and an odor meaning there is contamination. They are saying that it would be $450 to pull it apart to find out where coming from. Then of course the repair and cost to put back together. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I am scared to start this unknown costly process and need some wisdom.

 

Was this a dealer ($$$), an national chain of transmission shops ($$) or an indy local shop ($) ?

Won't be $450 when you are done. Pan and valve block can come off with transmission in the truck. Most things that move and grind up metal parts require transmission to come out of the truck. At that point shop has your truck, you are paying for a ride in a rental, and not in a very good negotiating position.

Dealers charge big $$$ and in most cases farm out the tranny work. National chains do buy in bulk, and kit of rebuild parts is within a narrow range. They charge based on MSRP of vehicles, same parts cost for kit to do a Taurus, but triple the price if a Mercedes. I had the misfortune to work for a guy who had been a regional manager for AAMCO. Finding an indy shop that wants to work on the unit may limit your choices.

IMHO if you are at the point where fluid is discolored, wierd burnt coffee pot smell, metal in fluid, it is not going to be a simple valve swap out. Go ahead and prepare yourself by getting prices for rebuild from several places. Pay with plastic if possible, as that gives you leverage if the work is faulty. Not to mention a pile of points if your card still does that.

Note: from the shop manual -

fluid pan with integral filter must be replaced.

So "some" metal might be found on the magnets, how much is too much is the question. Renew fluid and filter a must. Including the fluid in the torque converter section.

 

that transmission fluid starts out brown so it looks bad out of the gate. Trust me if they saw lots of metal coming out then they would have pulled the pan and filled it back up. They would have charged you over sixty bucks a quart to test it out.

 

I am really seriously beginning to believe its either the service advisors talking real **** or the technicians that don't know anything with some shops.

 

brown transmission fluid - wish that was around back when I was a teenage tire peeler and Dad saw it on the dipstick after I backed four miles to get Desoto home...

So if it is brown how do you see clutch disc particles, it gets darker? Still smell like burnt coffee pot when overheated?

 

its almost like motor oil when it starts out but over time it burns up and turns a worse brown. even red fluid can be mixed with clutch particles and its spotted on the dipstick or a papertowel.

 

You think it will go 150,000 miles or ten years, or should it be changed sooner? Some places won't change tranny fluid if it has that many miles on it.

 

A friend sent me to a shop (not a dealer) that owed them a favor. So they went ahead and dropped the pan for me to check it all out for no charge. Then said the result is that they have to take out tranny to see where problem is and what needs fixed. Do you have any idea of what things cause the shavings and burnt smell? Like what could I possibly be looking at for repairs/cost? Like you said, if I let them pull it out for $450 then I am at their mercy. Have to pay to even have in put back together plus repairs. So yes am scared of where that rabbit hole could take me and have me stuck. Then at what point could it be just a new transmission needed and how much is that?

 

I'm afraid your image to them is ....




Options range from drain and refill with new filter (it is part of the pan kit).... to total rebuild. Attached are shop pages for pan replace, requires lifting transmission just a smidge on one side. New fluid and filter fixes lots of small gremlins.