Chevrolet Repair: Will The Silverado Saga Ever End???, vortec, brake fluid

Question
Yes...its me again. I tried to do another follow-up question, but apparently you have to ask it right away and not days later. And I did look to see if I could take this one to someone else...cuz I know trannys arent your thing, but it seems like nobody likes to deal with trannys. So I guess I get to bug you again. at least youre getting some type of entertainment out of the deal. I went and picked up that 97 Silverado off my buddy. The tranny was already yanked and sitting in the bed...(I planned on dumping brake fluid in it just to drive it on the trailer instead of having to push it) We get it on the trailer, and chat over a beer. He told me the tranny was blown. Digging a lil deeper into it, he tells me al forward gears worked...but reverse didnt. I swear I almost punched him in the forehaed for making it that much harder for me to load the damn thing. And who the hell rips a tranny out just to rip it out? Common sense say leave it in til you have a replacement or are ready to take it to someone to get rebuilt. Who needs reverse anyways? Thats what neutral and your shoes are for...right? So, yeah...Im half tempted to just put it back in and run it without reverse for awhile. Ok...let me get to the question part of this. In a 97 Silverado...with the Vortec and 4x4...what would cause the transmission to lose only reverse, and how can I fix it so itll have reverse again...without replacing it? Any ideas?

Answer
HI AGAIN CHRIS, WELL DO YOU KNOW IT TAKES MORE PRESSURE TO GO INTO REVERSE THEN ANY OTHER GEAR,SO WITH THAT BEING SAID THE FIRST THING YOU CK IS THE FLUID. I KNOW THIS SOUNDS DUMB BUT WAS IT CHECKED ??? I THOUGHT SO, SO THERE IS A REVERSE DRUM AND SEALS.IF THESE SEALS ARE LEAKING [BYPASSING THE DRUM THIS COULD CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. [LOOSING PRESSURE] IS THE OIL NICE AND RED OR BROWN AND UGLY ?? IF RED AND CLEAN THIS IS A GOOD SIGN BUT,DON'T GET TO EXCITED YET..IF IT IS DIRTY MORE THEN LIKELY IT IS REBUILD TIME...THE PROBLEM WITH NO REVERSE IS IT IS FORE SURE A INTERNAL FAILURE. SINCE IT IS OUT OF THE TRUCK GET IT TO A REBUILD SHOP,CANT BE THAT MUCH TO PULL THE FRONT PUMP AND THE CLUTCHES TO TAKE A LOOK SEE..LET ME KNOW HOW YOU MAKE OUT.. ..GOOD LUCK TO YA DUDE   TOM...