Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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(don't mean to be flip, it's just that it doesn't sound good JH. Hope I'm wrong)
Every once in a while as I am shifting from "P" into "D" or from "R" into "D" and I start moving, I notice the transmission slips. It happens mostly if I start to move too quickly after shifting. A mechanic friend says the transmission filter needs changed. The car has about 64k. If I shut the car off for a few seconds that seems to help. Any ideas?
So you may be lucky in this case.
I bought some from NAPA today to see if it might work wonders on my ailing Dodge pick-up tranny. The guy there says our local police department (town of 200,000) buys the stuff by the case full. That's a pretty good endorsemement, maybe.
Thanks
On my Subaru, the manual said that you didn't need to ever change the gear oil. Well at 90K it was very hard to shift, especially to 2nd and 4th. If I was in 4th gear and went over 55 MPH it would shudder. I drained out the gear oil and replaced it with fresh synthetic, and Lubegard. Immediately shifting was easier and smoother. Lubegard's claim of preventing gear shift shock still holds true, even 2 years later. I have also gotten up to 80 MPH in 4th with no shudder.
My Dodge was in a fender bender, and the transmission started to shake. Replaced the standard ATF and added Lubegard. Shifted very smoothly, but really improved when I added it the second time 2 years later. Now it shifts better than it did since I bought it.
My son has a Mazda with the infamous and weak automatic transmission. At 60K the transmission would stick when shifting from 1st to 2nd. The mechanic drained out all of the fluid, including the stuff in the converter, and replaced it with regular ATF and Lubegard. It has shifted perfectly ever since.
My local Transmission shop carries it as a standard product and loves it.
I'm a believer with the transmission additives.
I recently put the engine treatment in a vehicle and will see how it behaves on a trip to California in May.
He had to fight these guys tooth and nail to get the exchanges-they said it was his ECM and all kinds of other excuses. Now they will pay for the diagnosis at the Chevy dealer and one install. Moral to the story-check out anybody you get a rebuilt tranny from. Dealing with crooks is bad enough but add incompetency to the mix and wow loook out.
Looks like small claims court if #3 does not make the grade. Will keep you posted.
thanks Mr shiftright for your ideas.
Shifty
A friend who was in the car when it did this said it seemed to him, like the tranny was popping in and out, seeking gears. If I back off the gas, it stops. If I drop to second it stops. Just had a new fuel filter put in, 'cause to me, it felt like either gas starvation or too much gas.
Any ideas?
The reason I'm thinking of this is that a rebuilt 3-speed Hydramatic is a LOT cheaper than a rebuilt 4-speed, so I figured that if the tranny in Grandma's '85 ever did go out, maybe we'd just try having a 3-speed thrown in instead. Sure it'd hurt highway economy a bit, but this car doesn't go on very many long trips anymore.
Are you saying that's all I need? That would be great, so I think I'll try it. I don't want to over fill, so in case I have to take out some fluid to make room for the lubegard, what's the best way of doing that?
On my manual it was a simple drain and refill.
If possible I definitely recommend synthetic as well. It keeps the transmission cleaner, and I go 30,000 between changes. 15K on the conventional stuff.
If your Regal has the 3.8 litre V6 it may be one of the ignition coil pack(s) is misfiring, which is most notable under load.
A common problem afflicting the 3.8.
I'll post the solution for future reference.
Thanks for the thoughtful responses.
spark plugs
plug wires
ignition coils
If ignition checks out ok, then look for a worn converter clutch apply valve bore in the valve body.
This has saved major repairs on at least 2 automatic transmissions, and one manual over the years.
Remember to remove the appropriate amount of tranny fluid before adding Lubegard.
I noticed that putting it into drive causes a really loud screeching noise that doesnt go away...
I talked to a transmission repair man, and he told me that i could hope somehting was wrong with the axle and to check if when i put the car into drive, if I could see one axle spinning and not the other, it could mean that part of the axle broke.. as, this is a front wheel drive car
This morning i went under the car and could distinctly see the right axle turning and the other not when in drive, and a majority of the whirring noise appeared to be coming from that right axle...
guys, im really confused about what to do, I would really like a better idea of what is wrong so I just don't tow my car someplace and have them be able to say anything is wrong with it.. (or everything) have any of you heard of a similar circumstance? Do you think Id be better off taking the car to an Aamco or a toyota dealer, or just a local transmission shop? I am a college student, and I am really afraid of the potential costs here...
Thanks for everything...
After about 3 weeks on the Lubeguard now, as expected I do not feel or notice any difference in the operation of the transmission.
This further substantiates my opinion on all additives (engine and tranny). If you have a well running engine or transmission you do not need an additive. In all probablilty you will notice no difference and are wasting your money. As a last resort, if you are having a problem and in lieu of repair then you have nothing to lose, go for it.
Since I buy used cars I don't have perfect transmissions. It has measureably helped 2 of my vehicles and is so cheap that I put it in the third as a preventative.
Son's car that hadn't been serviced at all in 60,000 miles wouldn't shift well between first and second. It was the notorious CD4E Ford Tranny that is prone to breakdown if not babied. A complete flush of the fluid and adding the correct portions of Lubegard stopped further damage. The Difference was immediate. Cost $75.00. Beats the $2,500 repair estimate.
This particular transmission, in its early days (let's say 1994 through mid-1997), had a tendency to self-destruct. If you were lucky, it did it before the three-year/50k-mile warranty ran out. Not everyone is lucky.
And even if you could fix just the damaged hard parts, which would cost you not much less than buying the rebuilt unit, you'd still have some six-year-old pieces in there waiting their turn to bite the dust.
Let's hope Visa is in a good mood.
1995 model that had 56k on its odometer, last October. Two months ago,I added a cooler with for
the transmission. The system works except that now I sense that the shifts are a bit harsh. I went back and drain the ATF fluid and put semi-synthetic instead. I can still notice mildly hard shifts on ocassion and I can hear a "click" whenever the unit changes gears. I don't think it's the oil cooler since when I bypass it, nothing changes. The tranny is relatively new (mileage wise). The original transmission lasted well beyond 210K without a cooler and had better shifts up until the end. I have a light foot when driving. Can someone suggests a possible solution to remedy this?
Two months ago my automatic transmission starts "bumping" when shifting to 2-3 gear. When I came to mechanic, he says I need transmission-rebuilt. New transmission costs $1600+labor+tax. I paid $1400 for all to rebuilt old one. Got 6 month/6000 miles warranty on it.
Now, 2 months later I have same problems again. Bumping. Came to same mechanic for the warranty. He looked at the transmission and told me, that I do not have good motor-mounts installed or they are missing - so because of that engine broke the transmission again
His argument was that it was not transmission fault, it was motor-mounts fault and because of that warranty is not applicable.
What should I do ? How I can argue with him ? should I rebuild transmission again or what ?
Please, HELP
86 Corvette: Since you are not shifting into fourth gear, you may not be able to get TCC apply. For some reason the shift valve is stuck. Sometimes a fluid change will help loosen stuck valves. Or you may have a TV cable that has stretched or somehow gone out of adjustment. These are the cheap "fixes". Worst case, the 3-4 clutch pack has failed. That fix would mean a removal and rebuild. If it comes down to a rebuild consider a 700 that has the upgraded hydraulics. Mid year 87, the valve body and pumps were changed. Mostly for shift feels and some durability. Terrible thing to say but good and honest tranny guys are tough to find. Many times a twenty buck part will fail and some guy trys to sell a two grand transmission. So most people are better off getting two or three estimates for tranny work, you'd be shocked how many times the prices and quality is all over the place.
I am specifically talking about the MAzda protege 99-00 models.
Taking it on faith that something in an inexpensive car with a known poor record] will last beyond it's warranty or as long as some other make can be dangerous to your wallet!
My local DC dealer assured me the DC self destructing tranny problem was long gone-hope he is right but maybe not.
The other day, my Sienna CE was rear-ended. I was stationary with my foot on the brake, waiting to turn a corner, when a 97 Rav 4 bumped my rear. The impact was quite strong, but not enough to do a big damage on my bumper. It held up well and there was only a slight dent on it. I already had the repair done on it by the dealer who informed me that they did not note any serious structural damage on it or the chassis/body, so there was no need to replace it.
I am curious to know if the rear ender might have caused any damage to my tranny, brakes, steering, wheel alignment (my front wheels were positioned to turn) or others.
Some 700 miles after the car was returned from body shop, brake pads wore out completly and scratched the rotors. Replacing them at dealership cost about $500 (expensive OEM parts and diagnostics). Most probably the pads were already almost worn-out, and the stress when hit was the last straw. At least it is what I believe - of course, it can be just a coincidence...
After the experience, I would insist on thorough checkup. Including brakes, etc. By mechanic, who maintains and fixes the systems every day: even while the body shop is a department of the same dealership, they are separate from mechanical.
I believe that alignment is needed after all body repairs, even very small.