Jayselectricco

That would make sense, the range was causing the converter to not lock up and that's what burnt my torque converter up. The new would have been next if I hadn't of pulled it.

That's a really good question. I am not really sure what the rpm difference was, but I know it was driving differently. I actually liked the way the transmission shifted better with the range plugged in. I do remember it being below 2k in high gear running 65-70 about the same as it is now, but it was definitely shifting different.

Do you have a 5.3 or 4.3? I have searched and searched for what exactly the AFM disabler does to keep it out of v4 mode, and what several people have told me is that it tricks your computer into sensing a heavy load to trigger the v4 off. If that is what's happening then there is no way the torque converter is not behaving differently. It may be that it effects the 4.3 differently than the 5.3, or may be something in the new firmware that doesn't agree with the 4.3. When my TQ went out I did the thermal bypass and added 2 transmission coolers, along with the new TQ but my temps still went very high. I thought I would just pull the range out and try it, and my temps dropped tremendously. I pulled a big load over an hour mostly uphill and my trans temps never got over 169. However with the range in the same trip unloaded id be going past 240. Very Crazy! I have a friend that has a Range on his 5.3 and its been on for years just like you with no problems.

Hello, To answer your question ... yes and no. First of all the thermostat was definitely bad, it goes to 210 and stays there, before the oil pressure would never drop under 40 because it was never getting to a "hot idle." The P06DD came and went, and most of the time would come back when it was nearing an oil change. I thought this had something to do with old oil causing it however I discovered that it was something different. My torque converter went out and I was inspecting the transmission cooler lines and seen a leak, however it was not transmission fluid leaking it was oil. I traced the source of the oil leak back and it is actually leaking around the 2 stage oil pump wiring harness and running down. So I thought Ok so the oil is shorting out the wires in the plug causing the P06DD, however cleaning it had no effect on it. What did have an effect is putting the oil back in that it had leaked out. As long as I keep the oil level up P06DD stays gone even if the oil gets past 5k miles (I try to change it every 3-4k miles) still is gone. I can't say for sure that the oil in the connector is not still causing it, or that may be on the way. Just seems as tho I will loose about a quart every 2500 miles or so and that is what is triggering the code. Its kind of hard to read that dipstick accurately anyway. The real fix would be to change out that wiring harness and put new seals but you have to drop the oil pan to get to it, so might as well change out the oil pump and all when I break down and do it. For now I seem to be keeping the check engine light at bay by keeping the oil level right. Oh also, I did get one of those Range AFM disablers and that stops that code from ever coming on, however that thing will never go back in my truck because it caused my transmission temps to go 240-250 under normal driving, and I could pull it out and run 130-160. Worst purchase I ever made getting that RANGE, it cost me a torque converter.

Your welcome! If it has a pending code, or check engine light on it won't go to V4. If you scroll through the dash info thing at any of the screens that show MPG it will show you when it changes. The V6 or V8 in the corner will turn green and show V4.

I am also in NC however the county I am in doesn't require emissions testing. Maybe yours will be that way soon.

Yes I love it, it works for the 4.3 as well. Having a 6 cyl cut back to 4 is crazy in my opinion, it doesn't seem to effect my mpg but makes it drive so much better when it stays in 6. I also think it will help with preventing the lifter failure as well.

I want to thank you for your post, because I took your advice and didn't drive it any more. I pulled the transmission myself and replaced the torque converter, replaced fluid and filter again, flushed out cooler lines, and now my truck is running better than it has in a long time. It shifts perfect, my transmission temp runs 130-170, and my fluid is staying red like its meant to.

Ok Thanks, so the 4.3 does have a different torque converter than the 5.3? Its a 6l80E transmission just like the 5.3 has only difference is the torque converter?

What was the fix for this? Was it the torque converter?

I was reading in another post of yours that the 4.3 V6 has a different torque converter? Do you think by the looks of the pictures of the pan that in fact my torque converter with the 4.3 V6 is in fact failing? and if so what torque converter would you recommend replacing it with, or just replacing the whole transmission ? thanks

Thanks that makes total sense! I think I will just take out the transmission and get it rebuilt and I heard that you can get a ZL1 torque converter, that it is more reliable?

So my radiator transmission cooler was apparently clogged because there was very little difference in temp between my trans coolant lines. I bypassed the radiator and installed a transmission cooler and changed our 6 quarts of the burnt fluid. I drove it for 30 min and the temperature stayed around 180, however got up to 220 before I got home. I thought the fluid was just burnt but it has a grey color to it... Could this be clutch material or metal or something? Thanks

Yep sounds like that's what I am going to have to break down and do, take it to a good transmission shop. Thanks !

So I got everything back together and installed the new surecool bypass. After getting my transmission fluid up to the proper level it seemed to be shifting great. I put it in manual mode and when I shifted between M5 and M6 you could tell it changed gears. The temperature however kept climbing up into the 240s and then when in high gear seemed like it changed gears again and rpms dropped lower. Almost like the torque converter was not switching between modes the whole time and finally did? I also noticed that when I put it in gear or in reverse the lights dim a little and bogs the truck down some and vibrates some. What is really crazy though, is when I was going up a hill, it shifted into high gear instead of downshifting. Also when I was letting the truck idle in the driveway, I seen a message that popped up that said engine oil level low, add oil... checked the oil and it was fine...Almost seems like I have some kind of computer/electrical issue here. I was reading that the torque converter clutch solenoid valve can cause symptoms similar to this. Do you guys think it would be worth my time trying that, since there was no metal in the pan? Or can the torque converter still be bad even if there is no metal shavings on the magnet? What are your thoughts on this? Thanks for all the help!

Ok so I am just getting around to dropping the pan, I haven't been driving it. There is no metal whatsoever or anything shinny in the pan or on the magnet, just some sludgy looking stuff on the magnet. So is this a sign that the transmission and converter may still be good? I am changing the filters and fluid with AC delco fluid, and putting in one of those surecool thermal bypass and going to see what happens.

Thanks for the info, that will be very useful.

So you have the 4.3? What do your transmission temperatures normally run?

Ok thanks, I will drop the pan and check it out.

Thank you! Yeah it is crazy to have a transmission thermostat in my opinion, and then not have the high temp warning come on until 260 something... if that thermostat starts sticking it will cook peoples transmissions before they even know they have a problem.

So your saying that the fluid change probably washed away the gunk that was keeping it functional? Do you think its possible that the filter could be clogged up? I guess I could drop the pan and see if there is any metal in there. If there is no metal could the converter still be bad? Thanks

The fluid was old and dark looking, didn't smell burnt but didn't smell too good either. I have heard that the 4.3 doesn't have the transmission cooler like the 5.3s do, and I wonder if turning the thermostat around has somehow caused this problem? I did clear the codes and drove it down the road and back, kind of seemed like from 3rd to 4th gear when it changes gears it revs back up to where it was before it shifted but did seem like it changed gears, and then going in to 5th and 6th was fine... I don't hear any noises or don't have any shuttering, and it feels like the transmission is shifting better except for that weird shift its doing.

Here is my issue... I have a 2014 Silverado 4.3 4x4 with 130k miles, I got one of those Range AFM disablers and it was working great with no issues. I was driving down the interstate the other day and seen my transmission temp up to 240. So I "flipped the pill," or reversed the transmission thermostat, and also replaced transmission fluid (by siphoning and refilling from dipstick tube). Right after that the same day I am driving I get some weird shifting, almost like the 2 stages in the torque converter isn't working, almost like its staying in 1 stage. It goes in limp mode and I get the codes p0741 and p0700... So... did my torque converter just go out with the new fluid? Or is my transmission filter clogged causing this? Is it something to do with flipping the pill? Is it the Range screwing with my TCM? What do you guys think? Thanks

Well it wasn't stuck off in my case, because the code hasn't come back for me. I was just sharing my experience with others that have this code, and they were telling me that they change the oil and it goes away but comes back on right before the next oil change. You can prove that its not stuck off by watching the oil pressure at a hot idle. On the 4.3 the oil pressure will drop back to 20-30 psi when the 2 stage oil pump turns on and puts it in "low pressure mode." If it doesn't it never will drop below 40. Also if it is stuck off you would never be able to make the code go off and stay off for thousands of miles by just changing the oil. I guess the dirty oil could be making their "flakey" oil pump start to intermittently stick off when its close to their oil change.... the oil usage on my truck is more like a quart every 3k because I change the oil every 3k and notice that its about 1/3 of a quart low. Most people that I have talked to say their trucks use oil due to the AFM, at least the ones that I have talked to with my generations Silverado.

Just like when my thermostat was bad, my temp never got up to 210, so the truck was still in "warm up mode" In warm up mode the 2 stage oil pump stays in high pressure mode until it gets to temperature. So the truck gave a P06DD "stuck in high pressure oil mode" lol. Once I replaced my thermostat the temp came up to 210 and code went away. The code I got was nothing related to coolant problems, but it was that system causing the oil pump code. Crazy that the ECU was commanding the oil pump solenoid to stay in the high mode, and then give a CEL of stuck in high mode at the same time. I'm glad I didn't spend $1200 getting the oil pump replaced, just to see the CEL come back on. And thanks everyone for the replies, I was just curious about why that more than one person I have talked to with the 4.3 that has this code makes it go away with an oil change, but then comes back right before the next oil change. Once they change the oil again then the code is gone until close to the next oil change... I don't buy that it's the oil pump stuck in high mode, because it obviously switches between the modes for several thousand miles without any code. When you look up this code it says the first things that could cause this code is LOW OIL, WRONG OIL VISCOSITY, WRONG OIL FILTER, and then the OIL PUMP bad. So if the truck isn't sensing the viscosity of the oil, then how can the wrong oil cause this? Is it sensing the flow of the oil? And the flow changing when the oil breaks down or gets dirty? Or is it just that the engine is using oil due to the AFM and is over a quart low causing their code? My 4.3 will use about a quart every 2k miles and I have heard that's normal because of the AFM. Maybe that is what is happening... people have told me that if it gets over a quart low then the CEL will come on, but they never mentioned what code it was. Could it be that P06DD is the generic code that comes up when you have low oil?