BONK/CLUNK NOISE VF SV6 automatic 2016

[Jasonjohn]

The factory normal scheduled trans fluid change is @ 150,000km unless it’s under the severe service schedule (= city stop start city driving in summer, towing, etc) in which case fluid is changed @ 75,000km
Many forum members feel that trans fluid should be changed every 50,000kms

So your trans fluid change is late by either 12,000km if normal driving or by 87,000km if stop/start city driving/towing but some forum members would say the car should have had 3 trans fluid changes by now. Fluid level may be ok but the fluid will be shite

Maybe just get the trans fluid flushed and the filter changed sooner rather than later while having the condition of the old fluid, old filter and the bottom of the pan checked

I’m f***ed then ..

 

[Skylarking]

I’m f***ed then ..

Probably not if you get a trans flush and filter change… soon… just don’t leave it for too long (too long is a very subjective term )

When doing a pan drop and flush, if you find huge amounts of crud in the bottom of the pan then maybe you could be fcuked, but maybe not. A good trans shop should be able to provide some real info on the trans condition.

Oddly, I’ve heard some say that in an old unserviced trans you should never flush the fluid. Doing so can wash out all the clutch particles floating in the old fluid that allows the gear clutches to grab so you may get lots of slip with new fluid. But I have reservations that such is true especially if the trans isn’t currently slipping and you haven’t indicated it’s slipping, just making gurgle noises

As to the bonk/clunk sound on selecting drive/reverse, get the flange checked/fixed as already mentioned through the thread

 

[Jasonjohn]

Probably not if you get a trans flush and filter change… soon… just don’t leave it for too long (too long is a very subjective term )

When doing a pan drop and flush, if you find huge amounts of crud in the bottom of the pan then maybe you could be fcuked, but maybe not. A good trans shop should be able to provide some real info on the trans condition.

Oddly, I’ve heard some say that in an old unserviced trans you should never flush the fluid. Doing so can wash out all the clutch particles floating in the old fluid that allows the gear clutches to grab so you may get lots of slip with new fluid. But I have reservations that such is true especially if the trans isn’t currently slipping and you haven’t indicated it’s slipping, just making gurgle noises

As to the bonk/clunk sound on selecting drive/reverse, get the flange checked/fixed as already mentioned through the thread

Yep no slipping, changes gears fine from what I’m hearing just the clunky metallic noises letting off and on the throttle. & going from drive to reverse and vice versa. If you can try and listen in the last video I sent of me switching from reverse to drive you’ll hear the gurgle noise, which is what I’m hearing while driving and when going from drive to reverse, but it won’t happen from reverse to drive which is strange. Clunks happen from both ends though. I hope there’s no crud ):

 

[Jasonjohn]

Probably not if you get a trans flush and filter change… soon… just don’t leave it for too long (too long is a very subjective term )

When doing a pan drop and flush, if you find huge amounts of crud in the bottom of the pan then maybe you could be fcuked, but maybe not. A good trans shop should be able to provide some real info on the trans condition.

Oddly, I’ve heard some say that in an old unserviced trans you should never flush the fluid. Doing so can wash out all the clutch particles floating in the old fluid that allows the gear clutches to grab so you may get lots of slip with new fluid. But I have reservations that such is true especially if the trans isn’t currently slipping and you haven’t indicated it’s slipping, just making gurgle noises

As to the bonk/clunk sound on selecting drive/reverse, get the flange checked/fixed as already mentioned through the thread

If I did a trans service now and then got told I need my transmission taken out and looked out would they have to flush the new fluid out ?

 

[dassaur]

If I did a trans service now and then got told I need my transmission taken out and looked out would they have to flush the new fluid out ?

Depends. If it's the torque converter, not necessarily - but that's about the limit of the everyday mechanic. If it's anything else it will need the pan off.

 

[Jasonjohn]

Depends. If it's the torque converter, not necessarily - but that's about the limit of the everyday mechanic. If it's anything else it will need the pan off.

Appreciate you mate

 

[Skylarking]

If I did a trans service now and then got told I need my transmission taken out and looked out would they have to flush the new fluid out ?

Reading between the lines here...

A trans specialist can drop the pan which should tell him a lot about the gearbox's condition (via the condition of the fluid and the type and amount of sediment sitting within the pan itself). Obviously with some issues, the specialists may not be able to determine everything that may be wrong by visual inspection but I'd expect they can hook up to the OBD port and check out all sorts of transmission parameters. After all they should have experiance and knowledge in such things.

Obviously you can drop the pan and then do a flush yourself, but unless you know how to read the fluid and pan contents you may be wiping away evidence of the trans condition. Sometimes being too cost focused (yeah I can understand why we all do this on occassion) can lead to further issproblems down the road. To be considering a home flush and then considering fluid reuse if it doesn't solve the problem may not be the best strategy to take. You really need to bite the bullit and atleast talk to a trans specialist rather than trying to second guess everything via a forum diagnosis.

Really, the 6L80's is a good box by all accounts even though its had a few problems over the years; loose flange (tsb loctit fix), internal knock (tsb said to be normal), split torque converter neck (tsb? manufacture defect) and i think some others... The trans specialists should know all these issues and hopefully they'd be honest to deal with and not looking for a quick $$$ at your expense.

PS: if you flush the fluid now and them have for example further TC clutch wear, more metal will go into the fluid which means it should be tossed, the underlying issue fixed and new filter and fluid put in ...

 

[dassaur]

Reading between the lines here...

A trans specialist can drop the pan which should tell him a lot about the gearbox's condition (via the condition of the fluid and the type and amount of sediment sitting within the pan itself). Obviously with some issues, the specialists may not be able to determine everything that may be wrong by visual inspection but I'd expect they can hook up to the OBD port and check out all sorts of transmission parameters. After all they should have experiance and knowledge in such things.

Obviously you can drop the pan and then do a flush yourself, but unless you know how to read the fluid and pan contents you may be wiping away evidence of the trans condition. Sometimes being too cost focused (yeah I can understand why we all do this on occassion) can lead to further issproblems down the road. To be considering a home flush and then considering fluid reuse if it doesn't solve the problem may not be the best strategy to take. You really need to bite the bullit and atleast talk to a trans specialist rather than trying to second guess everything via a forum diagnosis.

Rearly the 6L80's is a good box by all accounts even though its had a few problems over the years; loose flange (tsb loctit fix), internal knock (tsb said to be normal), split torque converter neck (tsb? manufacture defect) and i think some others... The trans specialists should know all these issues and hopefully they'd be honest to deal with and not looking for a quick $$$ at your expense.

PS: if you flush the fluid now and them have for example further TC clutch wear, more metal will go into the fluid which means it should be tossed, the underlying issue fixed and new filter and fluid put in ...

I believe OP has 6l45 not 6l80 but same things apply of course

 

[Jasonjohn]

Probably not if you get a trans flush and filter change… soon… just don’t leave it for too long (too long is a very subjective term )

When doing a pan drop and flush, if you find huge amounts of crud in the bottom of the pan then maybe you could be fcuked, but maybe not. A good trans shop should be able to provide some real info on the trans condition.

Oddly, I’ve heard some say that in an old unserviced trans you should never flush the fluid. Doing so can wash out all the clutch particles floating in the old fluid that allows the gear clutches to grab so you may get lots of slip with new fluid. But I have reservations that such is true especially if the trans isn’t currently slipping and you haven’t indicated it’s slipping, just making gurgle noises

As to the bonk/clunk sound on selecting drive/reverse, get the flange checked/fixed as already mentioned through the thread

Took my car to a holden dealer, they can’t find any bulletin that exists regarding the flange splines and glueing with loctite. They tested it no codes thrown, clunk diagnosed gearbox they said the transmission fluid was clean (find that hard to believe after 162000kms) and offered to do a transmission flush to see if the noise would go away, but why would they if the fluid is clean going by them. I called fluid drive and they said going by the clunks it needs a new auto

 

[NJD-1992]

Took my car to a holden dealer, they can’t find any bulletin that exists regarding the flange splines and glueing with loctite. They tested it no codes thrown, clunk diagnosed gearbox they said the transmission fluid was clean (find that hard to believe after 162000kms) and offered to do a transmission flush to see if the noise would go away, but why would they if the fluid is clean going by them. I called fluid drive and they said going by the clunks it needs a new auto

Your car is a VF Series 2 from memory?

Holden wouldn't have found it, because on the ACDelco TDS system, they use your VIN number to identify applicable service bulletins. It doesn't blanket show everything. By your VIN, according to Holden it wasn't an issue applicable to your car. But as RevNev has found doing it to others, it is an issue on cars that dont show as part of the Service bulletin. Same how there has been evidence of cars experiencing the EPS rack failure, that aren't a part of the official recall VIN's.

The bulletin has been posted, print it out and take it to them, and tell them to search the document number in their system.

(And enjoy the look of surprise on their face at the fact you found it)