reinier1

Hi Admin,
There are no easy answers to this type of problem, since there are no cheap fixes when it comes to transmission repair. However, a very large number of transmission problems are directly related to the condition of the transmission fluid. Merely replacing the fluid, or even just topping up the levels might resolve some issues with harsh shifting, hesitation on take-off, and similar problems but there are no guarantees on this.

Hope this helps.

Hi Admin,
Finding and correcting the cause of the fluid overheating issue should take precedence in this case. If fluid cooler lines are blocked, it will make no difference to whether a rebuilt or new transmission is fitted, because the fluid overheating issue will destroy either as well.

However, I would recommend a new transmission as opposed to a rebuilt unit, if by “rebuild” Rick means rebuilding his existing unit. Overheated fluid can literally fuse internal parts together, which means that just about everything in the transmission has to be replaced to avoid any issues in the future, which makes fitting a new transmission the better option from a reliabilty perspective.

The RPM issue is more likely to be related to engine management system malfunctions than to the transmission, but there is not enough information to venture a diagnosis on this issue.

Hope this helps.

Hi Admin,
Marks’ transmission guy is right-this transmission has several known issues that range from worn or degraded servo pistons, to defective valve bodies, to fluid passages that get bunged up with sealant during assembly. Since all the software checked out OK, the problem it is unlikely to be electrical. Depending on the actual cause, most mechanical issues also have known remedies which are usually more cost effective than a complete rebuild or replacement.

Hope this helps.

Hi vitesse04s,
The $450 charge does seem a little steep, but it is standard practice to charge diagnostic fees which are applied to the repair bill if you choose to have the repair done. Diagnostic equipment is very expensive, and a comprehensive check can sometimes take several hours-time that includes test drives, and/or time required for the transmission to cool down before further tests are carried out, but still, $450 sounds excessive.

However, did they provide you with am itemized list of the required parts, or an estimate on the actual hours needed for the minimum repair? It seems to me you could spend the money more profitably on a rebuilt transmission if the repair shop will not provide you with a firm quote which must include a list of required parts, as well as the number hours required to complete the repair.

Hope this helps.

Hi Admin,
Did your car receive all of its scheduled tansmission services?
This type of issue is usually caused by slippage of the internal clutches, but sometimes also by sticking shuttles in the valvebody. A sticky valvebody can sometimes be freed by the addition of a suitable solvent, but clutch slippages need to be seen to by a transmission specialist.

Old, dirty,and contaminated transmission fluid eventually forms various gums and varnishes that get deposited on all the internals. The cleaning agents in the new fluid removed some of it, but the issue resurfaced because not all of the old fluid was removed, which means that most of the contaminants were re-deposited on the clutch surfaces. I would recommend a proper service by a transmission specialist to firstly clean out all the gunk, and secondly to adjust the clutches to specs.

Hope this helps.