Transmission woes

[kiddiccarus]

It has been a while since I have been in here with coaching and work but my little lady will always bring me back for advice when she is "in need"
Last night the Overdrive went out on the LX on the way to work. On the way home the thing would not shift well. I was doing 45 mph at 6 g Well after it "warmed up" it began to shift fine. This weekend I am going to change the filter and fluid.


So it looke like I am going to be shopping for parts and a transmission (T5 of course) Dont know how to feel about this. I want a T5 but not because I HAVE to.


Suggestions??

 

[rd]

I just bought an 89 Lx 2.3 auto notch with no overdrive. It had 1-2-3 and converter clutch lockup, but no od. I bought a spare trans for $125 and installed it, and for a month, it has worked fine. I have not taken the old one apart yet, but I found a Bronco 2 owner at work who has, and who says its not too hard. He has the pump alignment tool also.

I had single solenoid transmissions. The orig had a bit more large metal flakes in the pan when I pulled it than I want, so I put the other trans in with its own torque converter and installed an in line filter.

But I just found a four cyl 5 speed in a salvage yard. All I need is a day off to go get it......

 

[kiddiccarus]

I have been through all the J/y's here there are no 4cyl T5's anywhere local.

 

[kiddiccarus]

one of my buddies said that it may be the torque converter. I have no clue how to test the thing to see if that is the problem

 

[egnorant]

sounds familiar

I have the same problem...91 A4LD with no OD! Transmission guy said $900.00
and I have discovered that this is a good price. I decided t0 learn to rebuild myself. Careful study said it should be the rear one way clutch gone bad. Sure enough it was toast. replaced all the wear parts and thrust washers, bearings etc. Spotless rebuild, measured clearances, triple checked function of all parts. Still acted EXACTLY the same!!! Pulled it apart again and replaced a star cluster...Nope, same thing. About $600.00 into this experiment by now, I'm just lost, then I found a T-5 for $150 with all the parts for the swap. Nuther $140.00 for the clutch kit and I get to drive the vert again!
My brother bought a ranger A4LD for $75.00 and swapped the bellhousing, valve body and bent the stuff out of the shifter arm to make it fit. NO new gaskets, just fluid. 11,000 miles and it still works great. I'd rather be lucky that good sometimes.
Bruce (TX)

 

[kiddiccarus]

wierd thing now. I get in the car "warmed up" engine. Drive and it had Awesome low end Toque but wont shift out of passing gear and at 45 I am red lineing so I get out of it and baby it for like 3 miles, then it is all shifting fine like it never has a problem.

Friday am I am getting a plastic tarp from Walmart and changing the Trans fluid and filter (hoping not to find shavings)

 

[kiddiccarus]

So far So good, the Tranny is running fine after a new filter and fluid. Still a pos though.

 

[babybudistmonk]

well, I had the same problem, except i bought mine that way. The previous owner went through 3 a4ld transmissions. The only reason the first one faild was because he ran it out of fluid. That tranny lasted him 180,000miles. The other 2 were jy dogs. I sent mine in to get rebuilt last week and it is installed. For the tranny rebuild and a new torque converter, i spent almost $1,000. As of right now, it is working just fine. If you can find a guy to give it a quality rebuild, they can be a very good transmission. Just becareful, these things are sticklers for cleanlyness. If your not careful and too much junk gets into them they will blow. I'll let you know if i have any problems with mine.

 

[rd]

I recommend adding a small inline filter, I get them from Carquest, in the cooler to trans return line. These will keep crud out of the governor area.