Please help ... is my 4L80E damaged?

[seza]

Hi all,
1994 chevy burban had'nt moved for well over three years as a result - it looks like the
main front seal (oil pump) was damaged which caused AFT leaks.
I kept oil topped up but yesterday I went further and faster than I normally drive which caused it to loose copious amount of AFT oil
so much so I was not able to go into reverse by the time I got home.
Since I've added a good gallon of oil - she now move but very sluggish!

is the trany shot?
is the oil pump seal needed to build pressure?


thanks

 

[stutaeng]

Hi all,
1994 chevy burban had'nt moved for well over three years as a result - it looks like the
main front seal (oil pump) was damaged which caused AFT leaks.
I kept oil topped up but yesterday I went further and faster than I normally drive which caused it to loose copious amount of AFT oil
so much so I was not able to go into reverse by the time I got home.
Since I've added a good gallon of oil - she now move but very sluggish!

is the trany shot?
is the oil pump seal needed to build pressure?


thanks

That doesn't sound good. Is the fluid level ok now?

I don't think the front seal is needed to build pressure. You probably just ran it dry and burnt some clutch pack and/or the reverse band.

Does the fluid smell burnt?

I would drop the pan to see if you have a lot of clutch material in it.

 

[SAATR]

The front seal does not influence line pressure, so that shouldn't be the issue. Cavitation may have damaged the pump if it was run extremely low. How much fluid has been added is irrelevant. What matters is whether or not it is filled to the proper operating range. Park it on level ground, start it, and check the fluid. If it's cold, add until the level is at the top of the cold range. Run it through all the gear slowly, from P to 1 and back. Do this two or three times, and then check the level again. Keep adding as long as the fluid level keeps dropping below the range. Drive it and see if it has improved. If not, dropping the pan is usually step one to determine if damage has been done.

 

[RichLo]

If it wasn't run low for too long you may have caught it in time but I would still do a full oil and filter change then drive it for 500 miles to move fresh fluid around and change the oil and filter again. 4L80s are tough enough that you may be able to recover it.

 

[seza]

Thank you guys for your input and suggestions,
We lowered the trany, the front seal is in perfect condition no oil around it whatsoever,
my question to you good guys is it safe and simple to remove the bolts and plate holding the seal?

 

[stutaeng]

So it wasn't leaking from the front pump seal of the transmission then? Was it the engine rear main seal then?

What bolts and plate holding the seal are you referring to? I don't recall any of than on the transmission?

 

[seza]

Stu, contrary to what I thought - the front (oil pump) looked in perfect condition not even wet,
sorry for luck of terminology - I think the plate I am referring to is the front of the oil pump?
I am not sure if we remove the bolts and pull out the oil pump if we cause any further issues inside the trany
that might require calibration or anything like that>

 

[seza]

Stu, contrary to what I thought - the front (oil pump) looked in perfect condition not even wet,
sorry for luck of terminology - I think the plate I am referring to is the front of the oil pump?
I am not sure if we remove the bolts and pull out the oil pump if we cause any further issues inside the trany
that might require calibration or anything like that>

sorry I meant front oil SEAL looked in ...

 

[stutaeng]

sorry I meant front oil SEAL looked in ...

No reason to remove the transmission pump (7 bolts.) You can even remove/replace the boost valve (supposed to be a sort-of a common issue) through the oil pan once you remove it. It's on that red arrow on the second photo...or the other side of the arrow, I can't recall at the moment.

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[seza]

the reason we want to remove is so we can easily pry the seal out to replace it?
so you are saying it is safe/easy to remove the pump via the 7 bolts?