While looking up parts to order I ran into more then one place promoting tranny fluid conditioner! Is that all hogwash?
As for my 64 tranny I remove @ a quart a year and replace with new. Other then that I leave it alone.
So any opinions on tranny fluid conditioner?

 

Good question. I only do one of 2 things: full flush and replace or leave it alone. I think the gimmick with the conditioners is to lower friction coefficient.

 

I think if these conditioners really worked then the oil companies with their research resources avaliable would be marketing transmission oil with the additives already in them.
Mostly the add ons claim to quiten a noisy 'box or seal up leaks or address a fault somehow.
If your transmission is in good shape in the first place then I think they are unnecessary.

Roger.

 

Just like motor oil, huh! Which specific conditioner are we talkin about?

 

On the subject of transmission fluid...I have been told replacing all the fluid may cause deposits to break off and clogged transmission. I guess its the fact the new fluid is highly caustic and can "scrub" transmission parts...any opinion on this.
This is why I only replace a small amount every year.

 

Transmission fluid formulas probably already have some of these additives. What happens is after so many miles the additive package depletes same as motor oil's does. Some of these products are nothing but snake oil, but some of them actually do replenish the additives.

A while back, the wagon began doing some strange things like delayed reverse, and I noticed a seal leak at the speedometer gear. Had the fluid and filter changed and problem was still there. When it was down to ADD, I put a pint of Trans-X in it. Knock on wood, the delayed reverse has gone away and the seal drip has all but stopped.

If a $12 can of additive can hold off an $800+ trans rebuild, yes, I will try it first.

The expense of the rebuild doesn't bother me as much as the logistics of having to get the car to the trans shop and then having to go after it. Work schedule like mine, everything is closed up when I get home from work, and my job is 30 miles away from town meaning everything has to be set up over the phone. When I have to work out time off to take care of personal business, I am not in any mood for a service tech to be early or late causing a missed appointment, or otherwise put me off.

 

Rocketraider: I put Trans-X in my 2000 silloette and had great results...always thought I was just lucky. My fear with my 64 is the transmission filter. I have been lucky to have an incredible collection of repair paperwork for my car from the original owner and nothing mentions a tranny filter change. It does mention tranny fluid change but not the filter.
Will adding anything to the fluid or dumping the entire tranny pan cause the filter to degrade and cause more issues?

 

If you are going to dump your tranny fluid, why not just drop the pan and replace the filter. It's not expensive and very easy!

 

Have you ever tried to find a filter for a Slim Jim?

If you get lucky you might get one of the next run of repros Fatsco makes. They don't sell many outside of their SJ rebuild kit and they go quickly when they do. NOS or old aftermarket stock has all but dried up and I'm hanging on to every one I have.

And hoping new fluid doesn't disintegrate the filter material when it's installed.

Navvet- it's not that transmission fluid is caustic, but it does have a very strong detergent action. An old-time fix for noisy hydraulic lifters was to dump a quart of trans fluid in place of a quart of oil. The detergent action of the fluid would almost always clear up a dirt-related lifter problem.

So, all-new fluid might dislodge some varnish or dirt which would then clog a valve body passage and make your Slim Jim do all kinds of hateful things.

 

It would be great to have filters available...would have done it years back. But since I have found none available I have stuck with slowly replacing the existing fluid slowly.
I am as you are concerned about doing a complete dump of the system. So I will baby the tranny...she is working well now and I don't put a heavy foot on the ole gal, so I should have no problems for a while

 

ATF is a highly refined oil with its own additive package. There is NO need for additives. Most of the time they are just seal swellers, which ATF does a good job at on its own.

The problem with the additives is that they DO work, but they don't stop working. So the results are great for the first while, then things get worse as you seals fall apart.

Also, what I have been taught when servicing transmissions is this. When you drain it, save the fluid in a clean container so you can re-use it if necessary. All sorts of sediment from worn parts gets lodged behind seals and gaskets and prevents leakage. Once you change it to fresh, the high detergent level will "clean" all that crap and you will need to reseal the tranny in the near future.

 

Sorry brainfart, didn't realize you had a slimjim trans. In the past I know of some that have used an external trans filter and cooler setup with good results.

 

WOW tell me about an external filter and cooler!! Such a simple idea. My concern has always been heat with the tranny. And heat is a killer for transmissions.
Is it worth it if the tranny is running smooth?

 

I've yet to find a liquid that completely fixes a solid.

Just sayin

 

Something along these lines!

Filter assy:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TRD-1155/

Cooler:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BMM-70268/

 

I recommend a cooler whether not you are putting your car to hard use.
Give your slim jim all the help you can.

Roger.

 

My one and only experience with a tranny additive is the Lucas oil stuff. I had an old turbo 350 in a car and it was getting tired but I still wasnt ready to pull out the drivetrain for the rebuilt engine and trans I was building. The fluid really didnt smell or look bad and it was full, but I changed it and added the Lucas additive (its a 1 quart bottle). The trans was slow to go into gear and when it was warm when you went from drive to reverse it would take a few seconds to shift. After I did the swap, it quit doing that and a small leak I had around the seal for the shifter linkage quit dripping. Was it the Lucas additive that fixed it or the new fluid? I dont know for sure, but for the $10 the bottle cost, it was worth it to me and I got many more miles out of it with no problems.

 

The tough thing for me is to sit and not do the usual PM's on the transmission. Until I can find a true filter replacement I just have to find ways to slow the aging process of the slim jim and hope for the best.

 

Have any of you guys had ATF that stunk to high heaven? I had mine flushed last summer and its starting to smell again. I bought the car (68 cutlass S w/jetaway) last summer so I do not know the history.