Adding a friction modifier to the tranny

[fristim]

I own a 98 concours with 187000 on her. It has been a wonderful car. I've noticed that with the onset of the colder weather I get a hydraulic like whine when ever the car shifts gears. The gear changes are still smooth though. This only last until the car gets warm. Here recently I've noticed that the when the temps are below 25, and I start the car cold it wont move for about the first 10 seconds. Lately I've just been warming the car up and not moving it until its warm. A friend of mine suggested that I try a bottle of transmission fluid friction modifier. I put it and by the second day I could go out and start the car cold and drive off, still with a lil bit of a whine but it would go into gear. I've now noticed that every so often the torque converter lock up wont engage. I dont get a check engine light but I did get the code PO741, dont really know what to do here, the car shifts beautifully when its warm, I've noticed though that with the friction modifer the tranny does shift more crisper. Should I change the fluid and not put in the friction modifer or should i leave it alone and see what happens?

[danbuc]

Sounds like your seals are on their way out, and not holding fluid pressure properly anymore. The only REAL fix is to rebuilt it with new seals. That friction modifier stuff may work for a bit, but it's only going to temporarily postpone the inevitable. I would seriously start thinking about whether the car is worth a rebuilt tranny, or a reman unit. It's gonna need work sooner or later, just a matter of when, and how much. Good luck.

[zonie77]

I agree with danbuc. The trans is getting close to failure.

I'd still try fresh fluid in it. A drain and fill not a flush. And definitely clean the pan while it's off.

[VinnyT]

How does the fluid look? Brown, pink, foamy? Does it smell burnt? Most likely the tranny is on borrowed time like the other posters have said. How much friction modifier did you add? Make sure it is not overfilled. This would cause even more problems.

V.

[99Classillac]

I got the same problem! My tranny slips bad in cold weather up here in NYC for like the first 10 seconds the car is on. Still shifts normal though. I changed fluid about 10000 miles ago. Old fluid was brown burned looking. I looked for a reman trans and I found one for $1250 and I get a core refund of $550 afterwards.

[eldorado1]

I have heard some good things about GM's "Seal Conditioner". Like freeing stuck or slow solenoids, etc... I would recommend against using "friction modifiers"

[fristim]

The fluid has never been brown or burnt. Im really a religious about the tranny fluid there for it has been changed an average of every 20000 miles which for me is about once a year. When I add the friction modifier it was still red and is still red.

[danbuc]

It doesn't matter how often you change the fluid, 187000 miles is going to wear out the seal one way or another. Most of them them are just rubber and although constantly lubricated and protected by tranny fluid...they won't last forever. Just like piston rings.