Transmission

[JoshydillingerLX]

When it scratches while you shift on an automatic transmission, does that means it just needs transmission fluid? Or the tranny is messed up?

[running strong]

I would be careful. Check the fluid, and take note of the color. If it is empty then the transmission is probably gone already. If the fluid is red then i would drain it and look for anything not normal. If its black or dark red then i would leave it alone. Changing fluid in an automatic transmission that had gone hundreds of thousands of miles on the same fluid may need the dirty fluid to not slip. My wife had a 2000 Buick that never had its fluid changed. Shifted like crap, changed the fluid, major transmission slippage.

I, honestly, would be looking for a tranny at a salvage yard if i heard something like that.

[conozo]

Not sure what you mean by scratching. Thats not something i've heard before. I would make sure its actually the transmission and not something like the driveshaft or something like the disk brake dust shield scraping the brake disk. Check your tranny fluid, ammount and color and report back.

I disagree about not changing the fluid, if you changed the fluid and the tranny was worse than there was something wrong with your tranny in the first place, infact it should probably have been changed a long time ago to prevent the damage. Automatic tranny fluid will get dirty because there are clutches in there that wear a little over time and gets in the fluid, plus the tranny fluid looses some of its lubrication properties over time with the constant heat up and cool down.

I got a auto tranny for sale if you need one too.

[running strong]

That's what i was saying. The old tranny that never had a fluid change may need the dirt and grime and friction to work properly. If the tranny needs the friction to actually shift, then changing the fluid takes that friction away.

The fluid was never changed before we bought the car. I changed the fluid and the tranny started slipping like mad. Put the old fluid back in and the tranny lasted five years before dying. That was the advice that the tranny shop gave me because rebuilding the tranny was out of the question.

This could be an isolated incident. The car was 11 years newer and made by a different company.

Ultimately its up to you. At the very least i would save the old fluid, just in case.

[JoshydillingerLX]

It's not scratching, it sounds similar to a grind. Everyone keeps saying just put new traansmissikn fluid &I should be fine. I'll check back in with you guys.

[gp02a0083]

I'm not sure if this is the same thing we are talking about , but when you go from park to reverse and then drive it makes a crunch or gear crunching sound? I had a similar problem on my 87 I last had before the transmission gave out. It lasted about 40-50k miles ( after it started so it failed at about 170K) before the 4th band went and sun shell gear (caused the grinding) went.

[conozo]

That's what i was saying. The old tranny that never had a fluid change may need the dirt and grime and friction to work properly. If the tranny needs the friction to actually shift, then changing the fluid takes that friction away.

The fluid was never changed before we bought the car. I changed the fluid and the tranny started slipping like mad. Put the old fluid back in and the tranny lasted five years before dying. That was the advice that the tranny shop gave me because rebuilding the tranny was out of the question.

This could be an isolated incident. The car was 11 years newer and made by a different company.

Ultimately its up to you. At the very least i would save the old fluid, just in case.

OK, I got you, i thought you were advising to never change the fluid in any car. For this case saving the old fluid would be a good idea.

[Dr_Snooz]

Putting the old fluid back is a new one to me.

[Hazwan]

I'm not sure if this is the same thing we are talking about , but when you go from park to reverse and then drive it makes a crunch or gear crunching sound? I had a similar problem on my 87 I last had before the transmission gave out. It lasted about 40-50k miles before the 4th band went and sun shell gear (caused the grinding) went.

I have the same crunch going from P to R and vice versa. Looks like my transmission is acting funny now too. Randomly takes forever to shift and sounds like its slipping sometimes.

[conozo]

Putting the old fluid back is a new one to me.

Instead of "If it aint broke don't fix it" this case may be "If its really broke don't fix it."

[gp02a0083]

I have the same crunch going from P to R and vice versa. Looks like my transmission is acting funny now too. Randomly takes forever to shift and sounds like its slipping sometimes.

yah my 87 lasted for about a year or two like that, I was running Dex III in it at the time, lasted to 170k then the 4th band gave out and sun shell was cracked and the sun gears were shot. From what the transmission guy told me it was the sun gear / shell making this sound. Since then I only use AFT-Z1 , I have about 3 cases stock piled being the DW-1 appears to cause premature failure as well.

[firefighterwhite89]

Find 5Speed trans A2K5>A2Q5/swap!

[2oodoor]

I cant stress enough how important it is to have the dam tv cable adjusted and moving freely, it can destroy the tranny if its not in tbe sweet spot.
And sob clunking couldnt just couldnt be a fuggin cir clip not too snug on an inner cv axle yoke could it hell no it wouldnt pitch in and out when changing directions.
hope you guys get more optimistic before condeming parts.
You can make even minor changes like tire size, tune up, seasonal fuel mixtures, engine mods AND THE TV CABLE will need tweeking. For those 86-87 lxi cars the cable can get corroded up by the plenum/throttle linkage area and hang up as well.
if the cable comes loose out of the lever down at the tranny it will clunk chunk not go in right gear totally gorilla dooky chuck.

[firefighterwhite89]

Wtf did I just read/\

[MessyHonda]

make sure the cable is adjusted properly. my tranny would crunch too going from park to reverse. It ended up being the adjustment cable.

[2oodoor]

Wtf did I just read/\

Sarcasm placard wasn't displayed, my bad

[firefighterwhite89]

Lol.

[Fixedit]

Hahaha, ah man.

I always get a click/crunch shifting out of reverse, but only once each start up. R to P or R to D. I say a 5 Speed swap is the only true fix, I'm too stupid/lazy to try and understand every automatic I ever own, I'd rather just have to do the occasional clutch replacement.

[gp02a0083]

I cant stress enough how important it is to have the dam tv cable adjusted and moving freely, it can destroy the tranny if its not in tbe sweet spot.
For those 86-87 lxi cars the cable can get corroded up by the plenum/throttle linkage area and hang up as well.
if the cable comes loose out of the lever down at the tranny it will clunk chunk not go in right gear totally gorilla dooky chuck.

I can vouch that my 87 lxi had some bs issue with the tv cable hanging or sticking, i tried adjusting it and even had my father look at it. we both ended up with the same result. Still had the same thing happen after the trans was rebuilt.