Hey peoples

I have a 1996 TE V6 auto. Now my question is after 15,000kms my auto transmission oil is black. I had the gearbox power flushed a year ago and i only decided to check the level and colour... only to find it black.

Why does it go black? is this a common problem? What are the long term side effects? Is there anything i can do?

alot of questions but i prefer to get them out rather to keep asking...

thanks

I believe a box that is starting to die will cause the fluid to go black.
Which will increase the ware on the box even Further. Someone correct me here?
Worn clutch packs i think, Does that sound right?

Yes or converter.

what are the symptoms?

The car seems to be changing gears fine... except for when i slow down to a stop. It selects 1st before i get to a stop and the car learches forward.

not really sure of the symptoms mate, but i think it would be an early warning indicator, go and get it toally flushed again, with a full trany service. and continue to monitor it, over the months, just check the colour of it say every month, if it goes black really quickly, it may be a good warning sign.
Edit: well not a good warning sign but a good warning of your gearbox health

If it's not flaring between shifts (the engine will keep accelerating throughout the shift, when it's not supposed to), then the band is ok. If it's thumping as it downshifts, a dirty valve body is usually the culprit. Dirty fluid can mean burned clutch packs.

The only way to get all of the old ATF out is to use the transmission's oil pump to flush new fluid through. Doing it this way will flush the valve body, as well as the torque convertor. It's probably also a good idea to change the external filter; they're a spin on cartridge, and cost about $15.

i got my transmission flushed the other day... i've driven the car on the freeway and it seems alright.

Until i get the car to go up hills... well this is weird. The car can cruise fairly well for long periods of time. But once i get the car to negotiate a decent hill and the transmission has to select down a gear. I notice 2 things... eventually my tempreture guage goes up slightly and the transmission doesn't seem to go back to here it was. Like it does go back into overdrive. But it's not like how it was...

for example, before i went up the hill, the car would rev at 2500rpm @ 110kph. After the hill and a slight increase in water temp the car would rev at 2700rpm @ 110kph. Is it slipping??? I also found that when the car has to go past 2600 the temp guage rises... only slightly but nethertheless it shouldn't go up... well not that much. Obviously the more higher rpm the more faster the temp rises... but if i keep it below 2600rpm it would stabilise... it doesn't go up or down. Once i slow down, the water temp increases slightly then comes down.

around the city, it doesn't go up. Then again i don't drive it hard enough to find out.

i also recently found out about the special type of fluid that the magnas have to use. JUst want to know, what at the problems associated by using the wrong fluid and how long do they last??? in terms of Km?
i'm curious that whether the people who did the fluish used the right replacement fluid

it is absolutely essential to have proper mitsubishi transmission fluid. Failure to do this breaks gearboxes very quickly. I am having mine flushed this week because the wrong fluid was used

There are several trans fluids now available for the Mits trans, most auto shops do use the correct fluid. Just because the fluid was not purchased from mits does not mean it is wrong.

In relation to your issue, it is sounding more like the torque converter is not locking again. I am unsure if this could be a temp related issue or not as I am not bit on autos.

First thing is to get the heating issue fixed, I highly doubt you have fan issues as around town all is good. I would start at the thermostat and then look to rad for a blockage perhaps.

i've rung the place where i had the transmission flushed at they said to me they used some fluid TQM... i guess it would be the castrol. He also said to me that they used 20litres to flush the system. Basically to push out the old fluid.

I don't understand what you're saying about the torque converter locking??? is there a way to fix it??

i'm going to take the radiator out and get it flushed in the next week or 2. I only realised that the core goes vertical. Which means that there is a possibility that parts of the core could be blocked on the top. Plus i'm going to install a external transmission cooler. There may not be anything wrong with the factory one but i've heard thet do disintergrate and bits go into the transmission.

NOw all i need to know is which way does the transmission fluid flow to the radiator transmission cooler... i want to by pass it with the aftermarket one

Not sure if this is done, however, I know for engine oil coolers you can buy a system with a thermostat, that below X temperature it only allows 10% of engine oil to feed into cooler, 90% back into engine.

Then once it starts getting warm, its the opposite.

I wouldnt want cool auto fluid in the box....

the factory transmission cooler is part of the radiator.

Like all parts they usually wear out or break down. Radiators do break down or corode. So too does the internal side of the transmission cooler.

I'm going to get the radiator cleaned out this week, as i do believe that the radiator is beginning to block up. I'll get the guys to inspect the transmission cooler tank aswell.... if the internals are alright i'll connect the aftermarket transmission cooler inconjunction with the factory cooler. If not i'll by pass it.

oil/fluid has a optimum tempreture, once you exceed that tempreture there is the risk of break down. Which results in loss of lubrication or cooling.

I wouldnt want cool auto fluid in the box....

why not?

The oil heats up of course so it's fine if its from the bottle (you cant exactly get 'cold' oil) unless you stick it in the fridge like a weirdo.

For the Transmission:

Bright Red indicates good oil

Brown indicates Burnt / older oil

I've never heard of black trans oil??? Are you sure its not dark red / brown?

Show us a picture

I wouldnt want cool auto fluid in the box....

You may not wish to cool it but ALL first gen and second gen Magna's had them factory fitted, as did and in some cases do many other brands and models of cars.

A trans cooler is a fantastic idea and will in no way hurt the trans provided it is fitted correctly. The radiator does not take that much heat out of the trans.

Just be aware, this has nothing to do with your overheating issue though

the transmission fluid that came out of it several weeks ago was definately black. It was burnt. It didn't even smell of transmission fluid. It didn't even resemble any red colour at all. I then filled up 5 litres of transmission fluid as i was unable to get the remaining 3 litres out... the oil was still dark but it did resemble abit of red.

Now after the power flush, it's red.

I'm taking out the radiator after work today and it's going to be cracked open for a scrub at the radiator place.

i had to take the car for a drive to sydney after the power flush. Seems like the cooling system was rooted. The tempretue guage only when up a maximum of 2 bars from where it usually sits... so probably about 2/3.

I took the radiator out and got it flushed. The radiator guy said the fins were blocked with crap. So he basically cleaned them out and put in a new tank. As there was heat marks on the tank. After $200 i got it back.

Before i installed the radiator, i installed a after market oil cooler. I bought a Davies Craig transmission cooler from SuperCHeap. Cost about $120. I also had to get some extra transmission hose cos i ran out... i bought an extra 2metres... $20. I installed the oil/transmission cooler on the air conditioning condensor. Using rubber spacers too so the heat from the condensor won't heat up the cooler.

I plumbed the cooler in series of the factory cooler. So the flow would come from the gearbox ---> factory radiator oil cooler ---> aftermarket cooler ----> gearbox.

it works a treat... i haven't test driven the car on the highway yet. I'll test it this friday night.

i took the magna out on the freeway.

Seems like the overheating has been fixed. Well it wasn't over heating, more like hotter than usual. the highest it ever went was about 3/4.

I also think that there is a relation between over heating and the gearbox. The ATF must become too thin or something... as the engine revs harder to main the same speed.

Anyway last night, the rpm was constant

problem busted....