
Originally Posted by
BillBoost37
Clutches are what turn the fluid darker in color. Clutches wear..think of brake pads, the clutch is the same principle.
The soleniods the guy tested for were likely the shifting and torque converter soleniods. He likely didn't screw a pressure tester into the top of the transmission then tell the pressure solenoid to vary pressure while watching the manual gauge with a hose leading to the trans. That's the only way I know of to test that soleniod properly.
Often a shift kit does help and many use it as a last resort before paying for a trans to be swapped or rebuilt. You can get the Transgo one and install is relatively simple. Drop the trans pan (draining fluid in the process) with 20 10mm bolts, then remove 5 8mm bolts to get the accumulator off the trans and remove another 6 or so 8mm bolts and put in a few springs and spacers per the picture, bolt it back together, put it back in and put the pan/new filter in place. Refill with 6-7.5 quarts of fluid ...then start the testing.