----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian" <polaris650_92@yahoo.com>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2001 5:26 PM
Subject: [MV] M1009 Transmission Problems
> Hi,
> I own a blazer, what transmission problems are they
> prone to? Are there any warning signs? I have about
> 47,000 on mine.
Make sure your radiator is in good shape, as they can look externally good,
but have cores with diminished cooling capacity or ones that are downright
plugged, and you won't notice a thing until your Blazer feels lazy about
shifting into third, and/or 'winds up' before going into reverse. The
transmission cooling lines run right through your radiator, and, as it turns
out, the area of the rad most likely to plug is also coincidentally the area
responsible from keeping your transmission fluid at a respectable operating
temperature. From bitter personal experience, the THM400 that the 1009/1008
vehicles are equipped with gives no warning whatsoever before it broils, and
the job to replace the direct-drive clutches and associated over-temp
components runs about CAN$800 with labour. If you try shopping for a used
THM400 transmission to know that all 400's are not created equal, and
finding the correct one in the local Nickel press or junkyard might prove
daunting.
I've piggybacked external 20,000 GVW transmission oil coolers on each of the
CUCV units at work to head off any more emergency pitstops at Mr.
Transmission in far-flung lands, and for the investment required, they're
nothing but good insurance.
Andy Hill
MVPA 9211
Vancouver, B.C.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Aug 07 2001 - 09:34:10 PDT