So this is the magnet in my trans oil pan and every few hundred miles it’s been staining the oil. Not burning it. It’s been recommended to do a rebuild which I’m not against, but I live in Florida and it’s like living in a rain forest. I want to refill the trans one more time and get a live data scanner but was wondering what scanner people recommended that are still available for purchase

 

As a mechanic I’ve seen WAY worse and the trannys are still going……what I do for my ram, and I did it for my 95 ram too……check valve delete, change fluid and filter every 10k miles, install a drain plug and install a larger cooler….my 95 had 245k when I traded and I went off roading ALOT and beat on her, trans still mint, (bought at 187k, trans was rebuilt at 140ish k)

my 02 currently sits at 167k, original trans and after 7500 miles on this flush, fluid still nice and red with nothing burnt.

I also keep up on adjusting tv cable and bands when necessary.

biggest thing is starting out, when you start the truck and just go, your starving the tranny for first 15 seconds of fluid flow. These transmission DO NOT cycle fluid in park, hence why you check level when in neutral. Everytime I drive my truck, I shift into neutral for 10-15 seconds then take off, that way I know fluid is cycled through.

 

ok so I should start by just changing the filter and fluid, I’ll adjust the bands while I’m replacing the filter. Any recommendations on live data scanner?

 

Why are you looking for a scanner when you are asking about the debris in the pan? A scanner is not going to tell you anything about that unless there are codes. Is the trans shifting though all the gears ok? Are you towing with it?
What does the fluid look like? Is it black like what is in the pan?

 

The fluid is black, like it’s filled with clutch material. It’s lightly magnetic but most of it is just sludgy

 

You could drop the valve body and inspect the bands closer, But at this point i'm sure that black fluid filled with debris is all through out the trans.

 

I haven’t inspected the bands but I did drop the valve body and found no major debris through the valve body. The strange thing about what I’m having is once the fluid turns black, it doesn’t lubricate anymore and the trans won’t hold gears. But it doesn’t smell burned or anything. Also there’s no large chunks, it’s al shavings which I have been told shouldn’t be a big deal

 

What's on the magnet is normal. That grey colored fluid though, that ain't. Some in the bottom of the pan is ok, but, if it ALL looks like that, the trans is on its last gasp. If the rest of the fluid is still fairly pink, you might be able to get away with just a fluid/filter change, and a band adjustment. While you are in there, I would be REAL tempted to change at least the governor pressure sensor/solenoid as well.

 

I had an overdrive go out in a A500, It would clog the filter to the point it couldn't pull any fluid in and wouldn't shift. Change the filter you where good until it clogged it again. I suspect you have something similar going on. Either the bands in trans or plates in the od are being worn and clogging the filter, Especially with black fluid.