Transmission fluid

Can't go anywhere without a working drivetrain
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Choptop
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B190 Year: 1990
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Transmission fluid

Post by Choptop »

A couple of days ago I Went to pick up the shelter I bought for Aunt B, she can't be sitting out in the elements over the winter. It was the longest drive, 1hour ,one way, that I have taken since picking her up, which was a 2 hour drive home. On the way I started having some tranny problems, seemed to not want to shift right and some kind of shuttering when I gave it gas, cleared it self up before I got to my destination but back again on the way back, was actually loosing speed as I went up hills and would get worse if I gave it some gas, had to pull off tp the side of the road a few times to let cars pass. Was not a good thing :evil: . Keep in mind this transmission was "refurbished" while on a trip down south, last March, $2,100.00, by the previous owner, and we all know that can be an iffy situation. Well I got it home and checked the fluid, should I have done it before, possibly, but it was just rebuild and I would have thought the previous owner... It was almost 2 quarts down, nothing showed on the dip stick. Put in 1 quart tranny, I hate that word :rofl: , and 1 quart Lucas tranny conditioning fluid, took it for a short drive and it seams to be OK, will take a 3 hour round trip ride tomorrow.
Any thoughts ? Thanks in advance.
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skater
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B190 Year: 1991
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Re: Transmission fluid

Post by skater »

Keep an eye on it. It's not a good sign that it was low.

Best case, you have a leak somewhere, perhaps in the lines to the cooler. Find and fix. Another possibility is that it overheated and dumped some fluid, then the gasket popped back into position (mine did this).

Any noises? Mine would shudder loudly at 40-45 mph.

In case you aren't familiar - if the transmission is "hunting" between gears while climbing, that's hard on it and will heat it up. Turn off the overdrive (in my '91, it was a button on the dash to do that; some vehicles have it in the gear selector). Once or twice, on a really steep hill and/or heavy load, I actually downshifted to second and held it there.
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

WBCCI #13270, Washington, DC Unit
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Choptop
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B190 Year: 1990
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Re: Transmission fluid

Post by Choptop »

Their is no indication of a leak but I will definitely keep an eye on it now, fluid looks good and no indication or smell of it being "burnt". Previous owner, who had to have it rebuilt, professed at time of sale that he was a born again Christian, I was born one and don't believe that means diddly sht as far as being honest goes. :wink: Either is was low from rebuilt which I don't believe or as you said, it has a slow leak, will monitor. If it continues and I feel a rebuilt is in order, one of the members, in an earlier post talked about how he rebuilt his and what to put in it that you won't get from a "refurbish ".
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skater
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B190 Year: 1991
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Re: Transmission fluid

Post by skater »

Choptop wrote:Their is no indication of a leak but I will definitely keep an eye on it now, fluid looks good and no indication or smell of it being "burnt". Previous owner, who had to have it rebuilt, professed at time of sale that he was a born again Christian, I was born one and don't believe that means diddly sht as far as being honest goes. :wink: Either is was low from rebuilt which I don't believe or as you said, it has a slow leak, will monitor. If it continues and I feel a rebuilt is in order, one of the members, in an earlier post talked about how he rebuilt his and what to put in it that you won't get from a "refurbish ".
Mine was leaking out only when it was warm. I'd find spots on my towed car. I'd bet that's what's happening to you.

Even if the PO had it rebuilt, there's no guarantee the shop that did it was competent.

I had a Jasper rebuilt transmission installed. I was happy with it for the ~8,000 miles I put on it. A few months ago I saw some comments on the internet that Jasper's quality has declined, but that might just be internet scuttlebutt, rather than a fact.
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

WBCCI #13270, Washington, DC Unit
User avatar
Choptop
Seasoned Traveler
Posts: 390
Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2017 8:28 pm
B190 Year: 1990
WBCCI: 0
Location: Midwest

Re: Transmission fluid

Post by Choptop »

skater wrote:
Choptop wrote:Their is no indication of a leak but I will definitely keep an eye on it now, fluid looks good and no indication or smell of it being "burnt". Previous owner, who had to have it rebuilt, professed at time of sale that he was a born again Christian, I was born one and don't believe that means diddly sht as far as being honest goes. :wink: Either is was low from rebuilt which I don't believe or as you said, it has a slow leak, will monitor. If it continues and I feel a rebuilt is in order, one of the members, in an earlier post talked about how he rebuilt his and what to put in it that you won't get from a "refurbish ".
Mine was leaking out only when it was warm. I'd find spots on my towed car. I'd bet that's what's happening to you.

Even if the PO had it rebuilt, there's no guarantee the shop that did it was competent.

I had a Jasper rebuilt transmission installed. I was happy with it for the ~8,000 miles I put on it. A few months ago I saw some comments on the internet that Jasper's quality has declined, but that might just be internet scuttlebutt, rather than a fact.
I will keep an eye on that , I have only put about three hundred miles on it since I left his drive way.
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