Transmission people

I bought a 96 SHO with transmission problems, I know this is a not a sho board but its really just a Transmission overall question.

Yesterday I changed the filter and transmission fluid and didn't find any lose metal in the pan but the fluid was dirty and black. I stuck 4q of high millage merk 5 fluid and 1q of lucas in the tranny. Let the car warm up and nothing on the stick so I added 2 more quarts and the level was about half way on the XXX marks. I stuck it in drive and the car shifted good around the block no problems, then I went around again and the tranny started to slip like before.. Still the same amount of fluid on the stick.. When the problem start the car gets really doggy and drops to its face and the car wants to stall, I'm kinda thinking it might just be the torque converter? What do you guys think.. Before i buy a new transmission or have this one rebuilt I need to know what my problem is first. Thanks for all your help guys.

Jerry

Slips when taking off from a stop, or slips going into gear ???

- Dan

sho

well its both... when you put it into drive or reverse you have to give it gas, then it reves up then slides into gear but you still have to give it hell to go... then when you get it going it slams into gear sometimes too

hope that helps bro

Right, its slipping when i take off, but the first time around the block it was fine...

This is a common problem in that transmission. Early units had an aluminum piston in the forward clutch, they were prone to cracking and leaking. I thought they revised it before 96 however, but that is right around the time they did so yours may have never been updated.
I highly doubt the problem is in the torque converter, I have never seen failure of an SHO converter excluding pump drive strip out. You may have an issue with the pump. My wifes minivan has the same transmission. The pump bearing failed, comtaminating the pump and destroying it. It ate the shaft too. I had to buy a new pump body, then I bought the sonnax pump cover,shaft and bearing (bigger than OEM). Hopefully I am through with that problem. It has been behaving for about a year now.
Alan

Thanks Alan, so do you think I should just replace it? I found a guy thats selling one from the 98 SHO with 85,000 on it for $350..

Thanks,
Jerry

$350 sounds cheap. If it was me, I would get that 1. I don't know how you can verify the mileage, but pull the pan and see what shape its in. Just to rebuild the 1 you have now, it will cost you more than the $350 and this way, you can still drive your car while you rebuild it.

Unfortunately I wouldn't use an 85,000 mile transmission, unless it had been rebuilt and updated. If you want that transmission to last you need to have it rebuilt by someone who knows the little tricks. If you do replace it I will buy the torque converter core. SHO cores are hard to get.
Alan