new filter may be the key to your problem/solution.

if you plan to keep the truck, you should remove the check valve to avoid future expensive catastrophe.

what i'd also recommend is that after awhile (1-2-3-4 weeks or so depending on mileage) that you change the fluid a second time. reason being that because the torque converter, valve body, etc holds about 3 or 4 quarts of fluid, then you only changed half of your fluid. also - and most importantly - all that gray sludge that was all over the inside of the pan - that's the eroded clutch and band material that's collected over the past 12 years. its also all over the inside of the trans, the cooling lines, etc. that's the paste that clogs up the check valve. your new fluid contains fresh detergents that will break that stuff loose, and it can clog up your new filter.

its just my opinion, but this process is what leads people to conclude that its a bad idea to change the atf fluid - and that doing so contributes to transmission failure. if the filter clogs up, then they are correct that it does kill the trans.

 

Trans overheating is usually due to a clogged check valve in the cooler line up by the radiator, if you haven't addressed that yet, you need to.

 

I have heard that removing or drilling out the check valve ball will result in having to start and warm up the truck in Neutral because it will not warm up or fill the converter in Park without the check valve ball in there. Is this true? I don't like that thought if it is true....

 

You can start it normally, just have to rev it lightly in N for a few moments after a cold start such as first start in the morning or after it's been sitting for quite a few hours. Only have to do this once a day on mine, first thing in the morning, rest of the day it's fine. You don't have to let it warm up, just takes about 1/2 to maybe a full minute.

 

Trans doesn't fill the torque converter in park in any event. The check valve is supposed to keep fluid in the converter.... it is also responsible for more dead transmissions than just about any other cause. Eliminating it is a good idea. As stated, you just need to put the trans in neutral for a bit to re-fill it. If you find that annoying, install an external filter that has a check valve in it. Solve both problems, and add additional filtering. Never a bad thing.

 

10-15 seconds in neutral is usually sufficient to fill the converter. A simple shift kit can also help cure the need to put the transmission in neutral as the new manual valves provide cooler/converter flow in park. Of course there are other benefits of a shift kit, but that is one that's rather handy.

 

Also, be careful with adding full flow in line filters. The cooling circuit is also what returns to the transmission to lubricate all of the planetaries through the intermediate shaft... I am not a huge fan of adding any restriction to this circuit. However, a by-pass type filter is fine and also tends to filter down smaller than a full flow can.

 

Ok, so a question or two on this OD OFF/TRANS TEMP issue and resolution for it. I don't really want to do the whole drilling out the check valve ball. So, as an alternative, could I just replace the entire transmission cooler and line that contains the check valve ball? I am wondering if the cooler itself might be causing my issue, because it is not in the best of shape anyway; I have already replaced the radiator and a/c condenser because they were leaking and caved in around the center, as if my truck were wrecked in the front end at some point in time. And, I have a self service (pull your own parts) salvage yard in town where I can get a tranny cooler for $8; I would rather just swap the whole thing out I think. Just looking for thoughts or opinions on this I guess, I have more/less made up my mind and decided this is the route I would rather go, but wanted to see if you guys thought that would be a good or better idea or what. Thanks in advance as always!

 

Coming from a guy who builds dozens of these transmissions a year, not one leaves my shop with any type of check ball in the cooler lines, nor do they leave with a stock valve body. That being said, don't inherit someone else's problems with junkyard coolers. I'm sure there's aftermarket new check ball assemblies that are reasonable. Plus the factory cooler is a touch on the small side anyways, so going aftermarket new there isn't a bad idea either.

 

blacksky, care to elaborate?