While the Chevy Colorado never really caught on with retail buyers, like it’s import rivals. It did catch on with fleet buyers, and was the go-to truck for many small business customers to large power companies and the like. But they did have issues, particularly as the 4L60 transmission design grew older.
What Transmission Do I Have?
One of these issues was an unusual squawking or grunting noise that would occur during the 2nd-3rd shift. While the 4L60E tends to be a fairly reliable gearbox, problems like this can cause owners/operators both time and money.
What causes this problem?
According to technical service bulletin PIP5071, which you can read here, this issue affects the 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012 Chevy Colorado equipped with the 4L60 or 4L65 transmission.
Apparently, that rather loud and annoying sound is caused by the premature failure of the 3-4 friction and steel clutch plates. The apply plate and selective backing plate also fail and will need to be replaced. These are obviously very critical parts, and will need to be replaced immediately. If left unchecked, the friction material from the friction plates can circulate throughout the transmission and cause significant damage to other parts of the transmission, like the valve body.
How to fix the problem
Fixing the Chevrolet Colorado 2-3 shift squawking will require a complete removal and disassembly of the transmission. In this case, you could just rebuild the transmission. However other issues related to design flaws are likely to creep up later and cost you even more money in the long run. So you really might want to consider investing in a remanufactured 4L60 transmission from a company like Street Smart Transmission.
How much is it going to cost to fix my transmission?
Unfortunately, the problem described here will require the removal and disassembly/partial disassembly of your transmission. Given the labor time involved to remove the transmission from the vehicle (this is not a simple task), most repair shops will recommend that you go ahead and rebuild the entire transmission while it’s out. Since they already have to tear it down, it sort of makes sense to spend the extra money to do that. After all, you should get a lot more mileage out of your transmission once it’s rebuilt. And since they’ve already got the transmission apart, might as well, right?
Why a remanufactured transmission might be a good option
While you can’t buy a brand-new transmission, a remanufactured transmission is a terrific alternative. These are completely reengineered and put together on a factory assembly line. They often contain a lots of upgrades over their stock form, which means many of the design flaws that result in premature failure of components can be eliminated. This can give a reman transmission a much longer service life than it originally had.
Remanufactured transmission companies like Street Smart Transmission put each of their reman transmissions through a rigorous build process that ensures a quality product every time. It begins with nearly 100 trained technicians that specialize in different aspects of the build process.
This remanufacturing process starts with the inspection team that test all of the critical components from the donor transmission to ensure that they meet the original equipment (OE) tolerances and specifications. The case, pumps, gears, shafts, valve body and torque converter are checked for hairline cracks, metal tensile strength, warping and other parameters. If any component fails to meet the required specifications, it’s discarded and replaced.
All the parts are then cleaned and sent to the appropriate stations on the assembly line for reassembly. Throughout the process, quality control managers inspect the build to ensure that it meets the desired specification. Any necessary modifications or upgrades that are needed to correct factory design flaws are also performed or added. The valve body is rebuilt and tested on a special dyno machine to ensure that it performs according to the specifications. All of the solenoids are also tested prior to installation.
Once the build is complete and passes its final quality control inspection, the newly remanufactured transmission is sent to the dyno room, where it’s tested on a special dyno machine using a proprietary software program called C.A.R.S. (Computer Aided Real-world Simulation). This cycles the transmission through a number of real-world driving situations, to ensure that it performs according to the factory specs. It also helps to break in all of the friction components, that way it’s completely tuned and ready to go once it’s installed.
Warranty – One of the benefits of buying a remanufactured transmission vs. a rebuilt transmission is the warranty. Street Smart Transmission for example, covers all of their reman transmissions with a 3 Year/Unlimited Mileage Nationwide Warranty (there is a mileage restriction for commercial vehicles). This covers parts and labor for transmission repairs performed by any licensed repair shop in the country. It’s also completely transferable if you ever decide to sell the vehicle. Compared to a mechanics warranty on a transmission rebuild, a remanufactured transmission warranty offers superior financial protection.
What Transmission Do I Have?
Is a remanufactured transmission worth it?
If you plan to keep your vehicle for as long as possible, then getting a transmission rebuild is certainly a viable option. However, a remanufactured transmission is a much better alternative. You’re getting as close to a brand-new transmission as it is possible. Companies like Street Smart Transmission also modify the transmission to correct all of the factory design flaws, allowing you to get a much longer service life from the transmission. So in terms of value for the money, a reman transmission might be the better way to go.
