cb1313 Posted January 25, 2013 Share #1 Posted January 25, 2013 I have a 1992 GMC Typhoon ( PLEASE google GMC TYPHOON ) before asking "WHATS A TYPHOON" with 120,000. The transmission cooler is inside the radiator and has leaked water/coolant into the trany. I am in the middle of changing the rad. and draining the trans fluid. I plan on dropping the trany pan and changing the filter, driving around for a few miles and the changing filter and fluid again. I plan on adding a can of Seafoam trany ( yes they make trany stuff) during both changes. IS MY TRANY SHOT FROM THE WATER/COOLENT OR CAN I SAVE IT ? Thanks for any help Cb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcarl Posted January 25, 2013 Share #2 Posted January 25, 2013 I would add seafoam before the first change but not on the final change. Only time will tell if the tranny has been affected,,, good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinfool Posted January 25, 2013 Share #3 Posted January 25, 2013 Don't forget to drain the torque converter, it holds a lot of fluid. The quicker that you can get any water out of the trany the better. Any water in there is rusting away at all of the steel parts. This rusting can do serious damage in just a couple of days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankd Posted January 25, 2013 Share #4 Posted January 25, 2013 It will also matter how much coolant ended up in the transmission. You will have to change the transmission fluid a couple of times because you can't drain all of it. Like Flyin said, there is a lot of fluid in the torque converter. Torque converters used to have drain plugs, but it's been a long time since they've eliminated them. Now the only way to replace the fluid in the converter is to flush it. When Ford was having all the trouble with their front wheel drive transmissions, they came up with a way to do this.....Pull a coolant line off of the radiator and put it in a drain container. Then start the engine and let it pump the fluid out of the trans. When it STARTS to pump some air, turn off the engine and add about 5 quarts of fluid. Start the engine and pump it out again. Repeat the process again until the fluid comes out clean. I think with yours, I'd pump the fluid out, and then remove the trans. pan. Clean the pan out completely and put it back on. Put about 6 quarts in, leave the trans line off the radiator and start the engine. Then I'd flush it again, put the line back on, fill it up to it's normal level, and take it for a ride. When you get back home, inspect the fluid on the dipstick, and if necessary flush it again. It's a lot of trans. fluid, but it's way less expensive than a rebuilt transmission. Frank D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrenchrob Posted January 25, 2013 Share #5 Posted January 25, 2013 Thats a cool ride! Recently worked on a Cadillac CTS with the same concern. Flushed the transmission a few times and it lasted about 2 weeks before it started slipping. Now needs a transmission overhaul. I wish you the best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icebrrg3rd Posted January 25, 2013 Share #6 Posted January 25, 2013 As for draining the torque converter, a tip I saw on Powerblock TV (Spike weekend mornings) is to drill a small hole (1/8") in the torque converter to drain it, then use a 1/8" sealed head aluminum rivet to seal it back up. Use a new bit and a touch of grease to reduce/trap shavings. I am just relaying this, do so at your own risk. -Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pofarm Posted January 25, 2013 Share #7 Posted January 25, 2013 Back in 1977 my dad bought a new Chevy pickup. About a year later the tranny started slipping. The dealer said the case was cracked, but didn't know why. The dealer replaced the tranny 3 times while the truck was under warranty, but never did figure out what was causing the tranny case to crack. After my dad passed away I was helping my mom get things ready for winter. That's when I found the tranny fluid in the radiator. My B.I.L. and I installed an aftermarket cooler and bypassed the radiator completely. He sold the truck to an old man who drove it for several more years with no more problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin-vic-b.c. Posted January 25, 2013 Share #8 Posted January 25, 2013 "old school" tells me in the back of my head that there is about 11 quarts of fluid in a trans.... most of which is in the torque converter. Some converters do have a drain plug so you have to remove inspection plate and spin motor around to see if you do. It is not the Water that will do the damage it is the coolant..ie anti freeze. I agree defiantly lose the factory cooler in the rad and install external cooler. I had heard of these GM coolers doing this. Seafoam cannot hurt but I would drain out all you could even before you added seafoam and fired it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamue Posted January 25, 2013 Share #9 Posted January 25, 2013 (edited) I would change the tranny fluid and filter and when refilling use a qt of TRANSX to replace 1 qt of fluid. Drive a hundred miles or so and change the fluid again. Since the vehicle has over 100,000 miles I would make 1 qt of TRANSX a addition to my regular tranny services. Great stuff. I would also Youtube your issue, your probanly not the only one with this issue. I youtube stuff all the time and in many instances if it is RSV motorcycle related it brings me right bac to this site. Good info can be found for sure. I have a 1992 GMC Typhoon ( PLEASE google GMC TYPHOON ) before asking "WHATS A TYPHOON" with 120,000. The transmission cooler is inside the radiator and has leaked water/coolant into the trany. I am in the middle of changing the rad. and draining the trans fluid. I plan on dropping the trany pan and changing the filter, driving around for a few miles and the changing filter and fluid again. I plan on adding a can of Seafoam trany ( yes they make trany stuff) during both changes. IS MY TRANY SHOT FROM THE WATER/COOLENT OR CAN I SAVE IT ? Thanks for any help Cb Edited January 25, 2013 by Shamue new info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stroker ace Posted January 25, 2013 Share #10 Posted January 25, 2013 You could find a local shop that does a total fluid exchange. Have it towed change the filter before and after the process then your done. Yeah it might cost a little more but all the contaminated fluid is gone. A Typhoon is a lot of air anyway it should air dry itself. I used to have a Syclone and a couple Grand Nationals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam Posted January 25, 2013 Share #11 Posted January 25, 2013 Don't know if I would start the engine to pump the fluid out of a cooler line. The tranny moves a lot of fluid in a very short time. I think by the time you ran around the front end of the vehicle the tranny would be dry. I would disable the ignition and just crank the starter, after I ran the engine and tranny with some sea foam in it. Then a couple of complete fluid and filter changes. I would also consider drilling the torque converter just my 2 cents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry.B Posted January 25, 2013 Share #12 Posted January 25, 2013 Most times when anti-freeze gets into a transmission the o-ring get all mushy and start to leak by . hate to tell you that you will probably have to rebuild it . Should look into a external cooler for future . Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankd Posted January 26, 2013 Share #13 Posted January 26, 2013 Don't know if I would start the engine to pump the fluid out of a cooler line. The tranny moves a lot of fluid in a very short time. I think by the time you ran around the front end of the vehicle the tranny would be dry. I've done this a couple of times on my Taurus, and now I have 163,000 miles on the original trans. However......to avoid reaching in the car with oily hands, I had my wife start the car, and turn it off when I saw the first bit of air come out..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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