next time you are here, give me a shout.

Its hard to say since the trans was under a load pulling a trailer,. but on my 49, I blew that trans cooler line off twice and ran it out of fluid about 3 months apart (I've redone the lines this last time) and it still works. Both times for me the trans was cold, having just started it after it had sat for several hours.
Once the fluid level get below the filter, the trans quits functioning, and that happens pretty fast when a cooler line blows. Once the fluid flow stops, all the internal pressures go to zero instantly. The only damage that can happen is during the time between the full fluid and no fluid, maybe a few seconds. I would think mostly the hot parts loosing the fluid flow are mostly what would be damaged, but as soon as the pressure drops, nothing should be under load.

The cooler line has to be repaired either direction. if you take that expense away, how much dos it cost to take the chance? It does have a lot of miles on it, but do you feel comfortable with the place its at rebuilding or replacing the trans?

Fix the line, and dump $100 of fluid in it might work for a long time, or it might get you someplace you know and trust better, or you may have wasted $100. If your really concerned, forget the filter change (if it adds that much to the cost of taking a chance) you can do that at a different time. I suspect you have probably wasted $100 before on something. Put it in proper perspective.

Could the existing thermistor temperature sensor be relocated to a place where it would serve the dual purpose of warning of too low ATF level?

My historical experience with traditional float liquid level switches is bad.

I eventually found through expensive trial and error that “level tape” sensors worked most reliably in turbulent gritty liquids. These are sealed “tape worm” looking devices where the flexible cover gets squeezed by the outside liquid, which electrically shorts out a long resistor sealed and isolated from the bouncy hot, gritty, corrosive liquid.

The salesman who gave me the first level tape to try bragged that
“ If the Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant had used these level sensors its core would not have overheated.”

It needs $100+ in fluid regardless and they would probably charge the same labour to pour it in so the true cost is a pan gasket and filter.

Pulling the pan has the added advantage of telling you whether you need to just continue on pulling the trans.

Kevin

Well they put the lines on, filled it with fluid, and took it for a long test drive and everything worked as it should! I will get it home and do the filter and fluid, and then destroy it...

Or trade/sell it quick...

I would expect nothing less, Rhino!

I bet that broke the dealership's heart!

I suspected that would be the outcome. A long run on low fluid would probably be a different story because the trans slowly looses pressure and heat builds, but a fast dump like a cooler line breaking drops the fluid pressure pretty much instantly.

Good to hear you get to kill the trans on your own terms!

That is good $ news.

Considering all that has gone before transmission wise,
consider spending modest $ to “watch over” the health of that particular transmission.

Would it be crazy to buy one of those “back up cameras” but put it under the truck aimed at the trans, or trans+engine?
water and grit splash might present challenges

Maybe hire a trans-woman AND trans-man to say daily prayers for the life and health of your trans.

"Maybe hire a trans-woman AND trans-man to say daily prayers for the life and health of your trans."



that's the best advice i have ever heard for Rhino's problem, bar none !
too bad it took so long for someone to think of it !

Went to Ohio today with my 4x4 gas truck and open trailer to pick-up the pickup. Decided to put the gas truck on the trailer and see just how the trans would work on the 364 mile drive home through Chicago traffic the last 90 miles. Seemed to work fairly well, but noticed a bit of slipping though I noticed it before the trans line blew, so nothing has really changed. Think it is still worth changing the fluid again and the filter? Anyone know the adjustments on a 68RFE trans? Everyone I talked to won't touch them..

I feel bad for Jim as he broke down on the way to a transport pick up for me. But he delivered my truck exactly when he said he would and communication was always immediate. Thank Jim!! (I'm the bald guy)

Oh, and:

My beard gets whiter by the transmission...

Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread......

I may be opening up a can of worm {gears} but...

If a high mileage automatic transmission is slipping in some load conditions should a gearhead reread the SAE paper in Chrysler/Lubrizol ATF and consider switching to.a ATF that test equipment found had a higher clutch hold capacity ?

I think I once did the opposite:

My high mileage 46RH was “bump downshifting” while coasting to a stop.

I had been using ATF+2 with the addition of Lubegard “Red Bottle” additive.

It was also time for a filter change.

I bought the new “improved” ATF+3 that I knew was nearly all synthetic
an official Chysler 46RH filter
dropped the pan
changed the filter,
refilled the trans with ATF+3,
and decided to not add Lubegard Red Bottle (yet).

The bump downshifting was totally gone on the next drive, and for 3 more weeks.
I did not add Lubegard Red bottle because “well enough should be left alone.”

Then i began a 800 mile trip over mostly level Interstates to Florida,
and the Torque Converter lock up clutch began slipping at about 650 miles.

you should be the bald guy Rhino !
my hair falls out by the clumps when i have to deal with stressful conditions i can't solve.
but being 70 years old may have something to do with it ? .....

you should be the bald guy Rhino !
my hair falls out by the clumps when i have to deal with stressful conditions i can't solve.
but being 70 years old may have something to do with it ? .....
[/quote

I have hair for days, but my sister is losing her hair...LOL..

i'll bet she is a bit "perturbed" about that.

The amount and color of hair is way to high of concern to way too many people (says the guy that is loosing his gray hair at a pretty fast pace).

I had a bald guy with a very gray beard tell me that being bald was a sign of having a perfect head that shouldn't be hidden, and gray hair was a sign of wisdom.

I believe the gray hair is caused by children, I've never seen anyone that had (or were near) children that their hair didn't start turning gray soon after. Loosing hair is caused by being married (or trying to be). Some say both traits are natural, but I don't believe them.

Oh yea, the transmission... Change the filter, the fluid, and adjust the bands. My transmission (RE46) with only 44K miles on it had a pretty clean pan, but the filter was getting dirty already and the magnet had a little fuzz on it. I changed both about 1,000 miles after the cooler line failure transmission flush. I added a trans pan drain plug at that time as well.