With an understanding of the circuits and components involved, a solid inspection and testing routine that covers all the bases can be adopted.
We see the 3-4 burnup issue frequently, but finding the root cause can often be elusive.Īll it takes to successfully stare down 3-4 slip and burn - and the anxiety that comes with it - is a good map and a plan to follow. Cracking a pump cover during stator shaft installation or compromising an input shaft seal are common, self-inflicted wounds that lead to smoked clutches. Compounding the difficulty of diagnosing the original burnup is the fact that it is easy to induce new causes for failure during repair/rebuild. Since the cause of 3-4 burnup can be due to a single failed component or a combination of leaks, the repair that worked last time won’t necessarily work this time - or the next. But it doesn’t have to be an exercise in frustration burnt 3-4 clutches can be transformed from a dreaded problem into a routine money maker. Some technicians get frustrated and throw multiple Hail Mary replacement parts at the transmission when facing this issue. Tech hotlines and internet bulletin boards are often jammed-up with people pleading for help with this 3-4 roasting. Burnt 3-4 clutch packs are notoriously common in the GM 4L60/E family of transmissions.
