Question about auto tranny

[The Shape]

I bought a '93 model coupe for a daily driver. Sometimes it wants to wind out first gear and then shift really hard into second. The tranny is full but the fluid is kinda dark. What are your opinions on changing old tranny fluid? I have heard horror stories about changging brown tranny fluid and the tranny not pulling itself off the ramps. I only have about 400 bucks in this car so I am wondering if I would be better off just driving it till it drops.

 

[JamesBaumann]

I don't personally see why changing the tranny fluid would be a bad thing. If it is brown, then go ahead and give her a change, your A4LD is going to need all the TLC it can get in order to not crap out on you.

The procedure can be messy, but it is really quite simple. I'd start by loosening off the bolts on one side of the pan, and letting it drain out a little from there. Make sure your drain pan is big because the tranny fluid is going to come out in every which way. Still don't know why they didn't put drain plugs on the transmission pans. Then from there you just want to slowly loosen off the other bolts and let it all drain out. Then bolt it back up and put some fluid in until it's full.

The only reason I can explain this procedure is because I helped a buddy change the tranny fluid and filter on his A4LD just a couple weeks ago or so.

 

[glorkar]

If your tranny is slipping that bad, your problem might be more than just burned fluid. After you change the fluid, I'd check to see if there were any metal shavings/particles in the fluid/filter. If there is, you may want to think about changing the torque converter.

 

[The Shape]

Thanks for the replies guys. I service the AOD in my GT at regular intervals. I guess I may drop the pan and see what it looks like. I mainly bought this car as a beater, but I actually kinda like it now. The gas mileage is great compared to my GT and I love the look of a coupe with 10 holes. I figure I will drive it till something major dies on it and then use it to give the extra 5.0 engine I have a home.

 

[JamesBaumann]

There is a magnet in the transmission pan. I am assuming that it is there to pick up any metal shavings that may be running throughout your fluid. You'll see it as soon as your get the pan off.

My point is just that there shouldn't be metal shavings running through the fluid, because if there were then the magnet would have caught them. Changing your fluid is definitely a good idea though.

 

[glorkar]

But you see, if there are metal shaving on the magnet, then they would have had to go through the fluid at one time or another. Obviously the had to come from somewhere. They more than likely come from inside the box, but the torque converter is pretty sensitive and can cause all sorts of problems.

 

[JamesBaumann]

But you see, if there are metal shaving on the magnet, then they would have had to go through the fluid at one time or another. Obviously the had to come from somewhere. They more than likely come from inside the box, but the torque converter is pretty sensitive and can cause all sorts of problems.

Exactly.

I'm just saying that they shouldn't 'theoretically' be running throughout the fluid anymore.

 

[glorkar]

point noted.

 

[My80Cobra]

If you change it it will just loosen crap up and plug the valve body and make it worse. There has been much discussion on this topic, if it were mine I would leave it..

 

[The Shape]

If you change it it will just loosen crap up and plug the valve body and make it worse. There has been much discussion on this topic, if it were mine I would leave it..

Thats the advice I got from a friend who does tranny work for a living. He said if the fluid has been in there long enough to turn brown without being serviced then it is best left alone. He said changing the fluid can alot of the times make a bad problem worse.