Transmission fluid smells burnt

[jpawela]

I got a transmission flush not too long ago since I didn't know how long ago my Pathy had one (I bought it used in Nov. 08) It was nasty...brown and murky looking. That doesn't say much about the previous owner since the oil was also very black. Anyway, it now is rosy red and clear, but it still smells really burnt. I was told by my friends that that's a tell tale sign of a transmission dying. Its shifting a little stiff at 1-2 but everything else is smooth with no slip.

 

Question is, should I just be putting some $$ aside for a new tranny in the future? Should I do another flush soon to make sure all that old crap is out of there? It's a 95 Pathy with now 109Kmiles and I do quite a bit of city driving.

 

Thanks for any input...

 

Oh, in case you ask, I don't have an external tranny cooler yet. Will get one before the summer months are upon us.

Edited February 14, 2009 by jpawela

[Kingman]

I've always thought transmission fluid smelled burned, even straight from the bottle. If it smells excessively burned, then yeah I'd do another good flush just to be sure. It also might be worthwhile to drop the oil pan off and have a look at that filter.

 

You should definitely put an aftermarket cooler on. My tranny was starting to go, but after I put the cooler back on it acted up once a short while after, and has been fine ever since.

 

At first I was concerned about the harsh shifts between 1-2, but after 8,000 miles of it, I attribute it to something it just does.

[adamzan]

If you use the nissanmatic C fluid, it will correct the rough 1-2 shifts apparently.

[jpawela]

^its got the nissanmatic c in there now and it didn't seem to make much of a difference from 1-2 shifts. However, when I had the old fluid in there, all shifts were stiff and felt like there was a man hitting the gearbox with a hammer. With the new fluid in, all downshifts and upshifts aside from 1-2 are as smooth as butter with that nissanmatic stuff. I'm just concerned that it smells burnt. My old Pathy I sold had a sort of sweet smell to its rebuilt tranny.

 

Thanks fro the replys, guys.

Edited February 14, 2009 by jpawela

[Precise1]

The burnt smell could be residual from the old fluid. It's pretty hard to completely flush the tranny and 1 qt of the old stuff remaining could easily make the new fluid smell. Yes, normally tranny fluid smells slightly sweetish.

 

OR

 

Your radiator could be clogged and you are burning the new fluid as the tranny overheats.

 

I don't have an external tranny cooler yet. Will get one before the summer months are upon us.

If you are worried about the tranny, put on a tranny cooler or park it until the summer months and then put on a tranny cooler.

It really is not hard or expensive at all. Especially when compared to the price of a tranny.

 

B

[adamzan]

I hope they flushed out the stock cooler as well. The problem is that it clogs, I still haven't found the time to install an aftermarket cooler in mine but when I removed everything to do the timing belt I flushed out that stock cooler real well. Seems to work OK so far.

[jpawela]

Yeah, I hope mine isn't clogged and overheating. The console doesn't emit any heat into the cabin nor does the 4x4 shifter feel warm around the boot.