<b>Trany fluid and Coolant swapping?</b>

[bakken78]

I just did a compression test on my stock '91 XL and here's the verdict.
The lowest reading was 176 and the highest was 184. I have 175,00 miles on it

Just worndering if these numbers are about right or not. Nothing seems to be going to wrong but I feel something is just not right with my trany and cooling.
I will loose some coolant over a months time and there is no visible sign of ANY leak. This has been going on for the last two years though. Just recently I have a little shimmy in my trany when i start out in the morning, and just for a minute or so and then goes away.

Trany fluid is a little high and I've never added any. Someone suggested that maybe I have a leak in my internal trany cooler that's inside the radiator. If this was the case could I get coolant into my trany and trany fluid into my coolant?

Isn't coolant in a trany a bad thing? even if it's just a little?

 

[mrboyle]

First off the compression is excellent for any motor, yet alone one with 175K on it.

Now about the coolant/ tranny fluid swapping, this would be a BAD thing to happen, but rest assured it doesn't sound like you are experiencing this problem. If the fluids were mixing the coolant or tranny fluid would look like a nasty choclate milk shake. If the coolant is still green and the tranny fluid is red to dark red you are fine.

 

[bakken78]

I just don't trust the trany and want to protect it at any cost. I going to replace the radiator, water pump, thermostat, serpintine belt and while I'm at it change the trany filter and fluid. What the hell, i'll even change the oil.

This should be good insurance for my trany I hope. Any secrets before doing any of this? Special tools, hard to reach parts, easily broken peices or anything else?

What about the Vacuum diaphram? Should I replace that too while I'm at it? I hear those sometimes go bad.

 

[Rhett]

I just don't trust the trany and want to protect it at any cost. I going to replace the radiator, water pump, thermostat, serpintine belt and while I'm at it change the trany filter and fluid. What the hell, i'll even change the oil.

To be absolutely SURE about your tranny fluid, you should send it off to an oil analysis place like Blackstone Labs. They will tell you, in plain english, if you've got coolant in your transmission fluid.

Tips about the tranny: Glacier turned me on to http://www.bulkpart.com/
where you can get a better tranny filter. SPX Microfelt filter.

Get new o-rings and a new pan gasket too. Clean the pan really well with some acetone or brake parts cleaner while it's off...and be sure to rinse it and let it be dry before putting it back on.