Re: Squall what's that
I think he just bought the truck off ebay (not the tranny).
Given the history of these trucks, there is little likelyhood that any transmission noise will be fixed with a couple of bucks. Personally, it sounds like the tranny is likely toast. AWD + Turbo V6 + Weak Transmission = Broken Transmissions. The 700R4 isn't the most durable offering GM has ever put into vehicles. I'd say it isn't half the transmission the TH400 is. However, the TH400 doesn't have 4 gears.
My recommendations:
1.) Don't drive the truck until you fix it. If that's not possible, drive it VERY conservatively. Be as easy on it as you can be. If you see boost, you're driving too hard. Track down somebody on the board who is near to you and can give you an opinion.
2.) Start saving money for a transmission. Sooner or later you're going to need to put a tranny in. Its a ticking time bomb, only problem is you don't know how much time is left.
3.) Figure out what transmission you want to put back in (you don't want to dump money into a trans that you don't want to keep). This will depend upon what you want to do with the truck. Search this board extensively. See what experience some of the other guys have. You will find a few options:
A.) Well built 700R4 (basically what you have now only fully functional). There are a couple of builders on here that can help you out with this. A correctly built 700R4 won't be cheap, but it should also last more than 6 months (or less). If you've got a fast truck (11's or so) you may be getting to the point where the 700R4 won't last more than a season if raced regularly.
B.) TH350 or TH400 conversion. These are only 3 speed trannys, but are significantly less expensive than building a comparable strength 700R4. If you've got a drag only truck, 3 speeds is probably acceptable. Think seriously about that option if that is your situation.
C.) 4L80E conversion. Basically, the 4L80E is a TH400 with overdrive. Capable of handling 800+ hp. But heavy and extremely expensive (figure $4k to $6k depending upon the trans and conversion parts required) and require a computer to run the transmission (among other things). This is not for the faint of pocketbook. This is best suited to trucks in the 10's or lower that must maintain their streetability (ie need overdrive).
4.) Figure out who you're going to get a transmission built by and who's going to put it in. Most local transmission shops have no idea how to build a trans to live in a Sy or Ty. They think "I can build a tranny to live behind a 450 hp SBC in a 'Vette, whats a silly little S10 gonna do". Problem is, the AWD system means you can't rely on the tires to break free and save the trans from damage. The trans IS the weakest link and needs to be built correctly in order to avoid needing replacement every 3 months or less.
'JustDreamin'
