# Uses transmission fluid **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [October 25, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uses-transmission-fluid/6415 "2007-10-25T14:11:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scrapiron\_50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c57346/32.png) [@scrapiron\_50](https://community.cartalk.com/u/scrapiron_50)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uses-transmission-fluid/6415/1 "2007-10-25T14:11:17Z")
2003 Chev S-10, 4.3, auto, 4x4. Uses transmission fluid, low vacuum, idles pretty smooth, but just doesn’t run good. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Loafer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/loafer/32/28_2.png) [@Loafer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Loafer)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 3:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uses-transmission-fluid/6415/2 "2007-10-25T15:11:27Z")
If it’s not leaking on the ground then the only two places it can go is into the engine cooling system or into the t-case adapter between the transfer case and the transmission. ---
**Author:** ![mr\_josh](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mr_josh/32/3008_2.png) [@mr\_josh](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mr_josh)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 3:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uses-transmission-fluid/6415/3 "2007-10-25T15:14:59Z")
Any chance that this transmission has a vacuum modulator? I think it’s too new for that, but if it DOES have one, I would say that’s definitely the culprit. ---
**Author:** ![Loafer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/loafer/32/28_2.png) [@Loafer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Loafer)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 3:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uses-transmission-fluid/6415/4 "2007-10-25T15:23:17Z")
It’s a 4l60e transmission, so it’s all computer controlled. My brother has a Ford C6 that is sucking trany fluid through the modulator…it eventually puddles up on the passenger side floor from one of the heater control actuators. Never seen anything like it. I asked him what he as going to do about, he replied ?open the door and let it drain out? ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2007, 9:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/uses-transmission-fluid/6415/5 "2007-10-25T21:29:21Z")
Yes, GM products were famous for sucking out transmission fluid through a defective modulator. White smoke in the exhaust was a sure tipoff. Newer transmissions are elctronically controlled, so this one may not have a vacuum modulator.