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Thread: 4l80e fluid became opaque and clogged the filter...

  1. #1
    Senior Tuner kingtal0n's Avatar
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    4l80e fluid became opaque and clogged the filter...

    So long story short. I think I slipped the clutches in my 4l80e once or twice by accident. Removing torque management and not increasing the shift pressure.

    The trans filter clogged up and started squeeling. The fluid looked kinda okay, but it was opaque, and there was clutch material everywhere.

    So I changed the filter and fluid, and it seems fine now. Trans shifts like normal everything is good.

    But the fluid looks opaque now, instead of clear. Almost like there is water, but it can't be water. I mean, I doubt it. I have some fluid from years ago and it looks clear back then, so I know the trans fluid was clear at one point.

    SO I just want to make sure that clutch material can definitely cause a opaque symptom in the fluid.

    Also I raised my pressure all the way up, to the max. 96psi (max command) in the gen3 command from roughly 50% throttle all the way up. It has an HD2 shift kit also. I see lots of people have done that in their files. I just don't understand why there are warning "don't use too much shift pressure" when everyone is turning theirs all the way up as high as it will go. Seems fine to me, trans shifts great despite all these issues.

  2. #2
    Senior Tuner kingtal0n's Avatar
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    pictures












    I know it needs a rebuild. I'm getting a spare trans to rebuild asap. But I need to make sure this isn't just attack of water somehow, and that using max commanded pressure is fine. Lest I toast two of these monsters. Wish I could post my tune file but my laptop literally broke open into pieces and I haven't fixed it yet.

  3. #3
    Senior Tuner kingtal0n's Avatar
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    Also haha. Forgot to mention. When this first happened I thought i could filter out the clutch material. I used some 10um filters and a vacuum pump buchner funnel etc... from my lab and tried to filter this stuff to no avail. It seems much smaller particulate than 10um.

    Which makes me really curious what sort of filter material is in those transmission filters. I mean, if it can clog up with something that fine, it must have some super-tiny pores, smaller than my 5-10um laboratory filter papers anyways. I can't imagine the kind of suction the pump must need to pull that shit through the filter even when it is clean and clear.

    so anyways. The only other filter material i have in my lab was .2um and .45um syringe style filters, and yes they worked fine, but I could only get a couple of drops out of each filter before it clogged up lol.

    Does anyone know what size particulate the clutch materials are then? I am kind of giving up hope of every being able to filter it out. What a mess that stuff makes of glass ware.

    Heres how it used to look years ago
    fluid-Color.jpg
    The more I look at the nasty stuff above the more I am starting to wonder if that really is just water that got in there. I do remember one serious puddle i Went through that killed my alternator, about 6 months ago I guess.
    Last edited by kingtal0n; 06-09-2020 at 11:31 PM.

  4. #4
    Senior Tuner kingtal0n's Avatar
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    Another one of the fluid comparison from years ago to now


    Can I be sure this isn't water somehow? Maybe it will separate or something?
    Last edited by kingtal0n; 06-10-2020 at 03:55 PM.

  5. #5
    Senior Tuner kingtal0n's Avatar
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    Gota say... quite a learning experience for me...

    Fluid looking alot better. I did another flush and filter today, magnificent progress.













    Everything seems normal. Fluid is coming back to life. Nevertheless I am in the process of gathering the necessary tools to rebuild a 4l80e.
    If anybody has any leftover tools, anything for the rebuild, they can either sell or loan me,
    I will buy it...

    Because I am about to buy from ebay whatever I need. So nows your chance if you have anything to get rid of. I am especially interested in O-ring-sizers, snap ring pliers, and any specialty tools for putting the drums together (I know there is at least one)

  6. #6
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    I hope you got it in time. That puddle probably did introduce water thru the vent tube.
    I had a radiator canister fail and it was strawberry milk! Cooling system got transmission fluid mixed in it and transmission looked like curdled strawberry milk. Thick like butter. I almost never got it out of the coolant it was so sticky inside the block. I had a spare radiator and bypassed the transmission lines. It was flushed with 46 qts while running and after 2-3 months had a slight hint of moisture. It was time to flush it but I went all out again then it got totaled. Bummer. That was the best dang tranny I ever had built. Used Sonnax super shell- Awesome!! better than the Beast shell IMO.

  7. #7
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    Unfortunately in my case it was antifreeze, and that will separate the bonding glue on the friction material. I only had 35 miles after it happened and the frictions seemed ok.

  8. #8
    Senior Tuner kingtal0n's Avatar
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    Took it to the dyno today. Hottest day of the year I think. My coolant temp would not come down from 200*F no matter how much I waited lol.

    To hit 15.5psi I had to pull the wastegate line completely off, this is opening from exhaust pressure 530rwhp
    IMG-5130.jpg

    Here are 3psi with cutout closed (blue), 7psi with cutout closed (red), then 14.5psi by redline cutout open (orange top 500rwhp)
    IMG-5141.jpg


    It was out of fuel 106% dutycycle so... sigh. I guess I need bigger injectors.
    Air fuel curve wonky because the cutout was acting like a siphon when open