Auto transmission died on an 83 Suburban

Well, I went and killed my transmission. I found myself nose downward on a steep track that was becoming impassable, chickened out, put it in reverse, and could only spin the wheels on the loose rock. I thought I was not spinning the wheels too much in my attempts to rock the vehicle free, but I obviously overdid it. ATF blew out through the dipstick hole into the engine compartment, and now that the car has been towed out, reverse does not work. 1st gear does work, at least for the couple of yards I tried it.

The fluid remaining in the transmission is red and not burnt smelling. I don´t dare drop the pan to look for stuff inside: no one here really knows anything about automatic transmissions and I don´t want somebody with more enthusiasm than knowledge (like myself) making a bad problem worse.

The truck is an 1983 Suburban Silverado, 6.2 diesel. Transmission is automatic overdrive, but no one here can identify the model. It´s 4x4, but it came without a front drive shaft which I never replaced so I only had rear wheel drive to get me unstuck -- stupid.

Now I need advice, and since where I live automatic transmissions are rare I don´t trust the local advice I´m getting. My options seem to be:

  1. Send the transmission to a transmission shop (a day´s bus ride from here) and see what they say. Not a recommended shop, mind you -- merely one of the few there are in the country. I am leaning toward this option.

  1. Consider the transmission dead and start searching the junkyards for a replacement automatic transmission. That´s going to be tough: Chevys are rere here, and automatic transmissions on anything is rare, too.

  2. Consider myself in manual transmission country, and start scouring the junkyards for a manual transmission and whatever it takes to adapt it to my truck, so that the next time I have tranny trouble a local shop can take care of it.

Any thoughts? I´m out of my league here and don´t want to compound my original mistake by choosing unwisely now.

TIA, Warren Santa Rosa de Copán, Honduras

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Reply to
Warren Post
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Re: "Well, I went and killed my transmission." < SNIP>

----------------------------------------------- Naturally you DID replace the lost fluid before attempting to drive it right?

Reply to
Brian Orion

It hasn´t been driven since. It was towed to the shop.

Reply to
Warren Post

I would add fluid to refill the tranny to the full mark on the dip stick. You never mentioned adding the fluid that came out of your tranny when you got stuck and automatics need that fluid to engage the clutched and put power threw the converter. It sounds like you only lost fluid because of the hill and maybe a moderate overheat from spinning the wheels.

Reply to
Brian

How did you find yourself in Honduras? Just wondering.... If you're on a secret mission, or something you don't need to answer

Reply to
ken

. .

Fill the tranny back up with fluid.....and try to drive it.... even if it only goes forward...see if it'll make the gear shifts as you speed up.

................ Notes 4-U:

The Transmission is a TH700R4.

If it was shifting before you went chasing rebels through the canyon, then you may get lucky. But don't hold yer breath.

If it has 1st gear, it should have revearse unless you broke something. Fill it up and see all the forward gears are there.

If it pewked the fluid out and you kept reving it up in revearse, breaking something is highly possible, and is most likely what's happened on the inside of the tranny. (forward clutch area)

If it pewked the fluid out while the tranny still had a good revearse, and you stopped gunning the engine immediately, then you may get lucky.

do a repost, let us know.

MarshMonster ~:~ =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Auto transmission died on an 83 Suburban Group: alt.autos.4x4.chevy-trucks Date: Fri, Aug 6, 2004, 10:01am (CDT-1) From: snipped-for-privacy@hondutel.hn (Warren=A0Post)

Well, I went and killed my transmission. I found myself nose downward on a steep track that was becoming impassable, chickened out, put it in reverse, and could only spin the wheels on the loose rock. I thought I was not spinning the wheels too much in my attempts to rock the vehicle free, but I obviously overdid it. ATF blew out through the dipstick hole into the engine compartment, and now that the car has been towed out, reverse does not work. 1st gear does work, at least for the couple of yards I tried it. The fluid remaining in the transmission is red and not burnt smelling. I don=B4t dare drop the pan to look for stuff inside: no one here really knows anything about automatic transmissions and I don=B4t want somebody with more enthusiasm than knowledge (like myself) making a bad problem worse.

The truck is an 1983 Suburban Silverado, 6.2 diesel. Transmission is automatic overdrive, but no one here can identify the model. It=B4s 4x4, but it came without a front drive shaft which I never replaced so I only had rear wheel drive to get me unstuck -- stupid. Now I need advice, and since where I live automatic transmissions are rare I don=B4t trust the local advice I=B4m getting. My options seem to be:

  1. Send the transmission to a transmission shop (a day=B4s bus ride from here) and see what they say. Not a recommended shop, mind you -- merely one of the few there are in the country. I am leaning toward this option.
  2. Consider the transmission dead and start searching the junkyards for a replacement automatic transmission. That=B4s going to be tough: Chevys are rere here, and automatic transmissions on anything is rare, too.
  3. Consider myself in manual transmission country, and start scouring the junkyards for a manual transmission and whatever it takes to adapt it to my truck, so that the next time I have tranny trouble a local shop can take care of it.

Any thoughts? I=B4m out of my league here and don=B4t want to compound my original mistake by choosing unwisely now.

TIA, Warren =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

Reply to
Marsh Monster

I first came to Honduras in 1986 as a diplomat, and liked it so much I returned to stay in 1990. In 1994 my Honduran wife and I opened a pizzeria in Santa Rosa de Copán, which we continue to operate when I´m not loafing on Usenet.

Honduras is great. C´mon down, the pizza is on me.

Secret mission, I wish. Spies make more money that restaurant owners.

Warren Santa Rosa de Copán, Honduras

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Reply to
Warren Post

About 15 years ago a former associate had bought a run down resort somewhere in Belize, and was selling plots to build on.....If I was richer back then I might have considered it...but then again, it could have been a scam too...Ken

Reply to
ken

15 years ago would have been a great time to get into a Belizean resort. Today mere mortals such as you and I could barely afford to stay at one. OTOH, land fraud isn´t a crime in Central America, it´s a sport. Caveat emptor and all that.

As for my tranny, nothing new to report yet. Things move slowly here and trying to rush people justs irritates them. I´ll check in when I have news.

Warren

Reply to
Warren Post

Thanks Marsh, Brian, and everyone.

With the tranny topped off with fresh fluid, I have forward gears but still no reverse. Dropping the pan, we found lots of fiberous material down there. So my guess is that the next step is off to an automatic transmission specialist -- correct?

Thanks again, Warren Santa Rosa de Copán, Honduras

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Reply to
Warren Post

I'm way far from being a tranni expert but sounds like you have found band material in there

Solution-------don't drive in reverse?

Reply to
ken

Re: " Thanks Marsh, Brian, and everyone. With the tranny topped off with fresh fluid, I have forward gears but still no reverse. Dropping the pan, we found lots of fiberous material down there. So my guess is that the next step is off to an automatic transmission specialist -- correct? Thanks again, Warren Santa Rosa de Cop=E1n, Honduras &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Warren, was the filter clogged up? If so,replaceing it may buy some further use.But it does sound like you need a rebuild.

There are three kinds of lies: lies,damned lies,and statistics.

-Disraeli

Reply to
Brian Orion

maybe you can barter pizzas for tranny work

There are three kinds of lies: lies,damned lies,and statistics.

-Disraeli

Reply to
Brian Orion

That sounds like my solution to my earlier (now fixed) brake problems. Every time I needed to stop, I just ran over a couple of Toyota Corollas. Corollas are like cockroaches here. They even make the same popping sound when you squish them.

Warren

Reply to
Warren Post

I am, actually. My mechanic has an open account at my restaurant, and we´ll deduct his tab from my tab on the day of reckoning.

Warren

Reply to
Warren Post

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