I really need some help! I swapped the vss with my boyfriend's because we know his works and his blazer is identical to mine. I cleaned the electrical connector to get all of the atf fluid out of it. This didn't solve the problem at all. Still doesn't want to shift and still no speedo. I put mine in his truck also and it worked with no problems so it's not the vss. Do you guys think I need a new connector piece because it got ruined from the fluid? Or I also read something about a buffer, could anyone give me information on that? I tried to trace the wires back and it looks like someone was under there at some point because there is electrical tape around the plastic tubing that holds the wires. Gah I hate it when people mess with stuff. I haven't had this car very long and so I don't know what the hell people did with it. I'm so frustrated I'm ready to cry. If anyone has any ideas that will help it would be most appreciated.

I should also mention that this problem started out very intermittent, and now I can't even drive it because the problem exists most days now. It would do it randomly a few times in about 3 months, and then it started happening more frequently. I only drive it when it is not acting funny. The truck would always start right up but in the past few days I have trouble starting the truck and I it's like the battery isn't charging.

UPDATE: Hey Gimpy, I think I may have figured it out, and in record time too! I checked the fuses and the IGN/GAU fuse was melted on one side of the plastic. I changed the fuse out and started the truck but it was dead. I got it jumped and the speedo popped right up to where it should be and I drove the car away like it's good as new! I've been researching my problem a lot and read that the IGN/GAU fuse controls many things including the alternator (which would explain the dead battery) the door jamb switch which I've always had problems with, the transmission/vss buffer, (which would explain my transmission and speedo problem), and if messed up it can cause the buzzer to come on when you turn the lights on which has happened to me recently. Maybe putting the horn/dm fuse in while the truck was running was somehow screwing up the ign/gau fuse. It's hard for me to believe that one little fuse could mess things up so badly. I'm wondering if this is a temporary fix or if the wires for one of these things that goes to this fuse are frying somewhere. If the plastic on the fuse starts to melt I'm assuming it can't be a good thing. What do you think about all of this?

 

I think that the plastic on the fuse isn't supposed to melt. If it's running OK now there isn't much you can do until it messes up again. I'd watch the fuse for some more signs of pverheating. Do you have the correct fuse in it? I know you had some issues with this before.
You really need to get the seals fixed. It's not really that hard but I would be concerned about finding metal on the VSS when you pulled it out. What kind of metal was it? Colorwise. You can change the rear seal in the truck but the front one requires pulling the t-case. You might try draining the t-case fluid and catching it through a paint strainer or cheese cloth. That would tell you a lot about the type of metal. There is an oil pump in the t-case and the pick-up tube for the oil does have a small filter (or strainer) on it. I would pull the t-case and disassemble the rear half which means VSS, tone ring and oil pump. You can get the pick-up tube out from there. The thing only holds 1 liter or 2.2 pints of ATF. Make sure you replace the gaskets on the adapter to the transmission and you might want to look at your trans mount. Mine was so saturated with ATF it ruined the mount. Costs about $20.00 for a new one. Suggest you get a good manual that covers this stuff. Haynes and Chilton are lacking in some areas. Sometimes the screws that hold the front seal in are pretty tight and tough to get out. Anpther word to the wise about the rear seal. They make two different kinds and I had to get a 1995 one for mine. The difference is in the length. For a 94 the parts book showed a short (1/4" thick) seal. Mine was about 1 1/2" - 2" long. Just lucky the guy at the auto parts store kind of knew about some of this stuff. Hey, you're learning. Keep up the good work.

 

I'm really thinking that the fuse melted because it was under a heavier load than it should have been. I just found out that the previous owner had a heavy duty alternator in it before for the plow setup and all that. I don't think he changed the fuse or anything else to compensate for that so perhaps it's residual damage. I think this took a long time to happen as things slowly kept getting stranger with the electrical system. The fuse in it is the correct one. I am going to fix the seals very very soon. The metal was little itsy bitsy pieces of metal, like if metal were grains of sand, and it was silverish dark gray. It was stuck to one side of the vss magnet. When I removed the vss from my boyfriends truck his was the same way so I assumed it was normal. I looked at the t case fluid when I pulled the drain plug 2 weeks ago because all of the excess drained out. It was red. A darker red but the fluid still looked good and I didn't see any metal in the pan I drained it into.
Where is the trans mount? I looked around but I'm not sure what it looks like.

 

The ttrans mount sits under the adapter from the tranny to the t-case. It's black in color (even new) and bolts to the crossmember. You don't have a tailstock on your transmission because it's 4 wheel drive so you have am adapter between the trans and t-case. If is's soaked with fluid you can bet the rubber part is probably shot. I took handfuls of it out mine was so bad. You'll probably need to pull it anyway when you drop the t-case.

 

Okay, I got the transfer case out. The trans mount is fine. The seal was so bad that it's coming out in tiny pieces and being a serious pain. I'm going to have to spend a tedious amount of time getting it all out of there tomorrow. Also, I found out that I need a new vacuum switch because there was fluid in the lines so I'm going to grab one of those tomorrow and suck as much of the fluid out of the lines as possible. I'll update more when I get everything back together. Thanks!

 

Sorry I missed the beginning of this thread. However hopefully this will help answer some of your questions.
Your main concern here is the tranny. The 4x4 tranny does NOT have an output seal, the seal is located in teh t-case. IF that seal fails your t-case will fill with tranny fluid, hence when you remove the service plug you get a gusher. No doubt this is also why your rear t-case seal failed, the t-case has too much fluid and it keeps coming from the tranny.

As for the HVAC (heat, ventilation, and air conditioning) being affected by the t-case it goes like this. There are 3 vacuum hoses attached to your t-case, one of those hoses provides vacuum from the engine, and this hose is also tied into your HVAC system, and all of your vacuum systems. The 2nd hose provides vacuum to your front axle to lock in 4x4. The 3rd hose is for ventilation of your t-case, it runs up into the engine compartment next to the distributor cap. If that vacuum switch fails, your t-case fluid will get sucked up into the vacuum system, and eventually affect your HVAC system, very bad, very, very bad. That little switch is part of a unit, a $150 unit.

As for your tranny problems, I didnt read everything posted, however if your tranny fluid is low, your tranny wont shift properly, and if its really low it may not shift at all.

Now that you have the t-case out, I would replace both the input and output seals, and the vacuum switch. Check your hoses for cracks or other wear. If you run your hands up and down the vacuum lines and they come back black, replace the hose. Assuming this black isnt from a leaking oil cooling line or general road grim. One of the first signs a vacuum hose needs replacing is the black residue, and second sign is soft rubber, and Id be surprized if you didnt have cracks especially are the ends where it attaches to fittings.

If you have a vacuum leak it WILL affect your engines performance, and then it WILL affect your tranny shift points. Everyone assumes its the tranny, when in fact the tranny is only doing what the puter told it to do, and the puter is getting its info from teh engine sensors, and they are reading fals info because you have a vacuum leak. The leak will cuase a rough idle, hesitation, bucking, odd shift points, etc, especially under light trottle.

? ask

 

is there a way to put a rear seal in the transmission? or a "better" T-case front seal available? this seems like a common problem, dad has had it happen to 2 of his. (a '96 & a "98). i may be getting the '98 soon. trying to learn all i can about the upkeep of these vehicles.

 

No to adding a rear tranny seal. Yes to a better input seal, get the double lipped seal.

I want to clarify something I posted earlier. Teh little swicth Im referring to is your HVAC control switch (dial in the cab of the truck that you trun to change from heat to ac), that is $150 or so. The vacuum switch on teh t-case is $12 or so.

 

Thanks for your info. I've been having a lot of luck finding information about my issue and so I'm pretty up to date on all of it but you clarified some of the stuff I was unsure of. I already bought a double lipped input seal, just have to keep slowly working the old one out. My questions now are, what would you say is the best method to get the atf out of the lines, and how do I know if the fluid has gotten into the HVAC? Thanks for all your help.

 

Having a few drops in the lines is no big deal. If it were my truck, and me being hte cheap !astard I am, I would pull the vacuum lines off the vacuum switch and at the intake maifold, then let it drain for a couple hours/days. Dont forget to reconnect them.

The best thing is to replace the vacuum hoses with new. Fortunately vacuum hose is cheap, unfortunately its not an easy thing to swap out. The biggest headache will be the top passenger side tranny to engine bolt. The bolt holds a clamp and that clamp holds your vacuum hoses to the t-case in place. The easiest way to get at the bolt is to lower the tranny while still attached to the engine, tip it back until the distributor almost hits the firewall. 3' of extensions and a wobble socket. One of those hoses goes under the battery, you have to remove the battery and battery tray, the other two go next to the distributor, one is vacuum feed and the other is a vent, look for teh plug on the end. The vacuum line attached to the intake splits at a tee, and it runs into the cab of the truck. Depending on year depends on where it goes into the cab, older truck in the middle of the firewall, newer trucks in past the drivers side fender. Dont forget the hoses running to teh EVAP system (charcoal canister).

ATF in the HVAC- HVAC will stop working properly.