this is what i found in my trans pan when i pulled it to change fluid and filter it doesnt look like a lot of metal more like sludge it feels like it to from what you all can see should i be to worried i know the fluid is beat thats why i was changing it just bought the truck didnt **** to hard either its a 99 dodge ram 1500 with the 5.9l motor in it not sure what trans any help that you guys can give me is great

 

Fairly standard. Just clean it out good, and consider changing the fluid again in like 5000 miles, to get some more of the crap out.

 

after reading the title, i expected to see a broken snap ring or band anchor. you are lucky.

i agree that it's fairly normal, but i'd change the fluid and filter again in about 2-3-4 weeks, and NOT wait 5000 miles. reason being is that new fluid breaks loose all the old, settled out sludge thats sitting throughout the trans. this can start moving around and clog up the new filter, which then leads to trans overheat and failure. the second reason is that a pan drop only removes about 1/2 the fluid in the trans. several quarts of old fluid remain in the TC, valve body, and scattered about elsewhere.

i'm not a transmission expert, but i've heard so many horror stories about people who neglected the transmission for years and years, and then finally had it serviced for the first time ever. then, 3 months later their transmission fails. there's no other explanation... its certainly not the new fluid that directly causes the failure, so it has to be the indirect results of what new fluid causes to occur.

having said all that, a couple of transmission services are good for the trans. the alternative of leaving old fluid in there forever is not good for it.

 

Yeah, I will second dhvaughan. Sounds like a good plan to me.

 

thanks guys yea i guess it didnt look all that bad to me either and i guess i jumped the gun a little bit on this one. But have another question i had a quark gasket on the trans pan was the done from the factory or did they sell replace quark gaskets for the trans pan.

 

There should be a rubber gasket with the new filter. The thicker ones are reusable. You may want to install a drain plug (beat zman to it) while you have the pan off. makes it cleaner and easier to change fluid next time. Also, be careful not to overtighten the pan bolts. There is a torque value - 7 or 8 pounds I think....

 

no i know it comes with a new gasket just trying to see how old the cork ones are to see if it had ever be done before the fluid looked more like oil than trans fluid. Thats a good idea to add a drain plug everything is already back on but will have to do it next time i do the fluid and filter. I will search to see if there is a write up on it.

 

Actually I was kinda wondering the same thing. Mine still had the cork gasket when I changed mine a while back. And the drain plug is EASY to do. Plug is like $5 at the auto parts store and takes like 5 mins to install. Just drill the right size hole and install the drain plug. Just gotta make sure you put it in a spot that doesnt interfere with intetnal parts.

 

i believe the original factory gasket was a pretty thick, reusable one. the thin corks are replacements. i've been using the filter/gasket kit from Advance. it comes with a nice rubber gasket.

+1 on the drain plug. it makes transmission service a breeze instead of like taking a bath in atf.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...RPFILTAMS_____

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...RPFILTAMS_____

 

Yea I picked mine up from auto zone and it came with 2 rubber gaskets one for each type of trans