I have a C6 with a manual valve body behind my IDI in my 89 F350. After starting for the first time each day it feels like the brakes are on when I put it right into first. If I pause for a second in each gear on my way to 1st then it's a little better but still feels a little like it's dragging and it kind of surges, like it builds up then releases. It gets better after it warms up and only does it in 1st.

What you think?

 

100 views and nothing?

Bump

 

This doesn't sound like a tranny problem to me, if it feels like the brake is on you may find your problem there. I'd pull off the brake drums and see if all is ok there before I condemn the trans.

 

Not the brakes, I put it in neutral and it rolls easy and in reverse it acts normally.

 

OK, then if this is a high mileage trans and hasn't been serviced in a while I'd drop the pan, look for excess black silt in the bottom or pieces of clutch material and brass material. The black silt is worn clutch. A fine layer is ok but if there's a lot the trans needs rebuilt. Let me know what you find and we can take it from there.

 

I have no idea the mileage on this transmission but a very reasonable assumption to think it's over 300. My understanding the PO swapped it out of a high mileage truck and put the manual valve body in when he did that swap.

As for working on it, I'm not sure yet, if there is a good chance this can be remedied rather easy sure. But I don't want to dig into it to the point of taking it completely out of commission and or spending a fair amount of time and money on it.

I've got gathered up most of what I need to do a ZF5 swap, but I still need to rebuild the ZF, rebuild/repair my TC while I'm at it, buy a flywheel and of course do the work.

FWIW I think it's reasonable to pull the pan and take a look, likely replace the filter, etc. The fluid is rather good looking and smelling, anything you'd recommend putting in?

About idk 8 months ago it puked a lot of fluid out, I'm pretty sure out of the vent. I'd only been driving a few miles on the hwy when it started slipping. I let it cool/settle and it took IIRC about 4 qts. My theory is I messed up and didn't get the shifter all the way into 3rd and this caused it to foam up to the point of overflow and air in the system. It hasn't done anything like that since.

I'm wondering about function, if for example the filter was plugged up and pump worn might there be a band or clutch that isn't getting enough fluid or pressure to release until the fluid thinned up with heat?

 

If the filter is plugged it's because the transmission has failed. That's the only way to get enough junk to plug the filter.

 

Except it's never slipped except when I foamed it up, so how can it have failed?

 

Mark, is right but a simple service might make it last long enough to get your other tranny ready.

 

Although it didn't read low I added some ATF and it does seem to be acting better. Though now I've noticed that whenever I cross neutral(P to 1, 1 to R, etc.) it makes a chirping noise.

 

At over 300 k it is ready for PB&J because it is toast.

 

I'm prepping for a ZF5 conversion but it will need to last a little longer.

Besides this sticking and chirping though it's fine, it doesn't slip and the fluid looks/smells great. So why assume it's toast?

 

At 300,000 miles seals and rings will be worn out.