Hey Guys,

I have a 2002, 2500 w/auto. I am not certain which tranny but I assume it is a 47RE? It is stock and so is the engine.

I have 67,000 miles on the tranny and it started leaking fluid around the pan gasket. I changed the filter, adjusted the front and rear bands, and refilled with ATF4. I used a new kind of gasket sealer and apparently it was not up to the job, the pan still leaked.

I went and bought a new gasket and some high temp silicone gasket sealer and took off the pan again and reinstalled it. When I took the pan off, I noticed maybe 5 or 6 tiny metal particles, they looked like brass. I also noticed a few particles of the old gasket sealer in the pan.

Here are the questions:

1. Should I be concerned with the metal particles?

2. Should I be concerned with the old gasket sealer particles?

3. The dealership charged me $4.50qt for ATF4, no one else in the area carried it so I had to buy it from them. Can I safely run ATF3 or Dexron instead of the ATF4? Has anyone used the additive that NAPA carries that you add to Dexron to make it ATF4?

I'm kinda nervous about the metal trash so I put it here in HELP so I can get to work on it as quick as possible if need be.

 

I never use sealant on the gaskets and have yet to have a leak. You must use a torque wrench on the pan bolts or run the risk of deforming the pan from overtightening. Then it will really leak.

I assume the particles are on the pan side of the filter, if so no big deal.

Dexron plus Lube-Gard is an excellent substitute for ATF 3 or 4, most tranny shops prefer it.

 

I just spoke to a tech at a local trans shop about atf 4 and whether it was required. He told me that you should always follow manufacturer specs but he said some of his customers have experienced torque convertor shutter from the ATF4. HE told me that you can run the ATF3 which is a non synthetic fluid the ATF4 is a synthetic fluid. When the customers experienced the shudder they were refered to change over to ATF3 and the shudder stopped.

 

Thanks for the information.

I always torque my pan bolts to 15ftlbs, this time the different type of gasket sealant I used allowed the gasket to slip around as it was being tightened, almost like it reacted with the cork and made it greasy.

Can the ATF3 be mixed with the ATF4, or should the 4 be flushed out first?

 

The Trans. tech said ATF3 and ATF4 are compatible.

 

The metal shavings seem normal in these transmissions. I had the bands tightened at a local shop and when the tech dropped the pan he called me and wanted me to see the metal. He wanted to over haul the trans right away saying "its on its last legs", and he would not change the tranny fluid as it would only cause more problems. I thanked him and took the truck to Jiffy Lube and they flushed the tranny fluid out with the same warning. That was 40K miles ago, and my stock trans hasn't missed a beat.

I will be installing a Georand Bros. built trans & TC after I hit 200K with this one. I believe in preventive maintenance!