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'93 4L60E shifting issues

3115 Views 7 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  daddytech
I have a C1500 with a 4.3. Just bought it as a beater. (It's been rolled). Has a little over 140K miles. From a dead stop, you have to put it in 1st or 2nd to make it move. Once it's rolling more than about 5 mph, all shifting seems to be fine. Info I've gotten so far points to solenoid(s), but I don't know which one (s). I Hope that's all it is, because it looks like a relatively easy fix.
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I thought that the 4L60E didnt come out till 1994.. and if that is the truth then you have a 700R4. As to the shifting issue im not really sure since it seems that there is a position issue as well. is the CEL on? if so pull the codes since that will help as well.
1993 is the first year for the 4L60E. And after some quick research, sounds like there were a few 60E's made in 1991 and 1992.

As for your issue, have you checked the dipstick? If the fluid is dark or burned smelling, it would be the clutch packs are burned up. Does it slip at all?
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1993 is the first year for the 4L60E. And after some quick research, sounds like there were a few 60E's made in 1991 and 1992.

As for your issue, have you checked the dipstick? If the fluid is dark or burned smelling, it would be the clutch packs are burned up. Does it slip at all?
Thanks for clearing that up. i read a write up about the 4L60E and the 700R4 a few months ago but couldnt remeber everything!!!
93 4L60E shifting issues

There's no slippage, the fluid looks and smells fine, and it's at proper level. Side note: there is a broken motor mount and the motor tilts down a bit toward the passenger side. Doubtful this is effecting trans, but I'm no mechanic.
It could be putting on the linkage. i would get that fixed asap since that will help to id more.
Broken motor mounts can defiantly have an effect on your transmission. The 4L60E and the 700R4 are basically the same transmission, same exact gears, different case. It could be a shift solinied, but if it shifts through the rest of the gears fine, like 2nd 3ed and 4th, then it prolly isent, cause there are 3 solenoids if I remember correctly, 1 for 1st and 2ed, 1 for 3ed and 4th, and 1 for reverse.

I'd suspect a dirty tranny filter, the old Chevys are know to have shifting problems when that thing is dirty. Also, make sure the correct fluid is in there, the wrong fluid can cause nightmares to happen, all automatic tranny fluid is not made the same.
The motor mount is an issue because it knocks everything out of alignment and can wear the seals on your transmission which are what keeps the fluid in. I would try changing out the fluid and filter in that thing and use the correct fluid as Ethan said because the 700R4 takes DexronII my 99 tahoe which i thought used the same fluid actually uses Dexron IV I also put a pint of Lucas transmission treatment in mine but it's had an issue with the torque converter lockout solenoid in the past and i was able to swap it out easy enough because it was on the front of the transmission inside the pan. (I did get a code in the computer telling me it was going out though) but i swapped it out and haven't had a problem since. not telling you what to do but that's what happened with mine when it started acting funny on me. but yeah if the fluid is burned then you may have to rebuild it or maybe try that half fluid swap out though i don't really see that working well. Heat is the number one killer of transmisisons and fluid so if you manage to get by without any major repairs then you may want to look into an external transmission cooler too. they do help.
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