Introduced back in 2008, the 6T40 was General Motors’ first attempt at a 6 speed automatic transmission. It was used in everything from Cadillac SUVs to big Chevrolet sedans. And it was fairly reliable at first. However, 6T40 valve body problems can put a serious dent in your wallet. So let’s find out what you can do about them.
What Transmission Do I Have?
6T40 Valve Body Problems
It’s the job of the valve body to distribute highly pressurized hydraulic fluid/transmission fluid throughout the transmission. If a gear needs to be changed, the right valve will open and a stream of transmission fluid will flow down the right passage to a clutch apply piston, where clutches will move and gear ratios will change. This is a very complicated dance, and if even one small thing doesn’t work right, the transmission won’t be able to do its job.
Some of the most common 6T40 valve body problems are damaged bores and valves. As the valves move in and out under pressure, they can damage the walls of the aluminum bore that the valves are seated in. If the damage is very light, the valve bores can be repaired. But that’s usually not the case. Some of the symptoms of a bad 6T40 valve body include:
- Unusually harsh shifts
- Delayed gear engagement
- Torque converter not engaging
- Noise on downshift
- Flared shifts
- Loss of gears
If you want to keep your vehicle on the road as long as possible, then you’ll want to consider investing in a remanufactured 6T40 valve body from a company like Street Smart Transmission. These are built in a factory by trained technicians, and the valve body has to pass multiple quality inspections throughout the build process. Once complete, the remanufactured valve body is then dyno tested on a special program called CARS (Computer Aided Real-world Simulation). This puts the valve body through a number of real-world driving scenarios, so technicians can see if it operates properly, and make any necessary adjustments before its shipped to the customer. And it gets a 3-year/unlimited mile nationwide warranty, which can even be transferred to a new owner if you sell the vehicle.
What Transmission Do I Have?
To learn more about a remanufactured 6T40 valve body from Street Smart Transmission, click here.
