Transmission Trouble (it quit)

[freshy21]

engine runs and revs fine just wont click into gear execpt park

 

[old409]

I haven't gotten into mine yet other than checking it thru the plate at the converter. Right now I'm finishing up a transmission for my grandson's Talon TSI/AWD. I'm old and crippled up and it takes me a lot of time to get anything done. I've been almost 2 months on this, just a little every day or so.

Is there a clutch or sprag set up inside the converter itself that could go bad and even though the converter is turning, it won't turn the transmission? Maybe next week I'll get into my truck, I'm anxious to find out what is going on with the trans. I'm planning on rebuilding it anyway and a new converter, also plan on getting the bellhousing bushing done along with the drain hole enlargement. Anyone have any other suggestions?

 

[Bent Bolt]

I have seen the splines in the converter to input shaft let go and have seen O/D planet fail , input shaft to planet. When they do fail, you have no movement. Leaves little to no debris in the pan.

 

[baddis]

wouldn't this cause a problem if it was the flex plate? or cause a god awful noise? mine did

 

[old409]

I have seen the splines in the converter to input shaft let go and have seen O/D planet fail , input shaft to planet. When they do fail, you have no movement. Leaves little to no debris in the pan.

This what I have, nothing in the pan and no gears at all. The only noise was a snap, just like somebody had knocked it out of gear. Another couple days on the Talon and i'll let you know for sure when I get it checked apart. Oh, to be young again and able to move about.

 

[F150hybred]

With no debris in the pan, it could possibly be a broken input shaft. It's a rare failure, but it does happen. Only way to figure that one out would be to tear down the trans.

 

[Sdude2008]

I have a similar problem. I have a 1988 2.9 auto. My trans had been slipping now and then, mostly when slowing to turn a corner... Anyway last Sunday I was starting from a dead stop and the engine revved high but no movement. A second later the trans engaged with a big bang. And that was it the truck wouldn't move. I got under there and found it had blown out the front u-joint. I replaced the joint in hopes I was getting away easy. Nope. Still no movement. I can shift through all gears and nothing. It does hold in Park though. Am I looking at replacing the tranny or could it possibly be something else? Converter? Flexplate? I am ready to grab a good deal on a rebuilt trans but before I do I thought I would get some advice. Maybe I need to just drop the trans to see what I can see? Thanks.

 

[F150hybred]

If it banged like that, odds are it now has a broken input shaft or a torque converter.

 

[Sdude2008]

I'm getting ready to yank it today. What should I look for? Also I didn't mention I topped 225K on this thing. Maybe it's just time to replace it altogether. Thanks.

 

[MAKG]

Naw, it's just broken in.

You can get a junkyard transmission with a guarantee for $300 or so. You can't get much of a complete vehicle for that...

Unless the thing is pissing itself left and right.

But I'm wondering how a transmission slips while slowing down. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

 

[Sdude2008]

Well when I would slow or stop it would slip. I guess I mean slip out of gear...Then when I would start to go again it would seem to slip back into gear and go. Also in the morning it wouldn't go right into gear. I would need to rev it slowly until it would pop into gear. At one point I changed the fluid and filter and it stopped slipping for a couple months. When it started again I put in some Lucas goop and it stopped again for about 4 months... No leaking ever. No noise or slipping at speed. No other symptoms. Even now there is no noise or anything. It just doesn't engage. I can shift into drive and give it gas and it just revs. Thanks.

 

[MAKG]

That's not slipping. Slipping means you hit the throttle and the engine revs up and you don't go anywhere.

That's incorrect shifting, and it sounds like a valve body problem (confirmed with a pressure gauge), very low fluid, or PCM problem. But it's a lot worse than that now.

 

[Sdude2008]

Right I start the truck. Hit the gas and I don't move. Finally it will drop into gear and it goes. That's what happened here. I was at a light. Hit the gas and it just revved but didn't move... when it did drop in that's when it blew out the u-joint. So is my next step to pull it out and see what's up? Thanks!!

 

[MAKG]

Your next step is to check the fluid level.

THEN pull the transmission if it's OK, or if topping it off doesn't help.

I suspect you're 3 quarts low...

 

[Sdude2008]

Fluid was 1.5 quarts low. I topped it off and still nothing. I haven't seen any fluid on the ground but when I get underneath the bell housing looks pretty grimey. Well it is cooling off a bit here so I guess it's time to see if I can drop the trans. I'm hoping I don't have to pull the exhaust crossover... one more thing. I had what I thought was a ticking lifter or exhaust leak which seems to be gone now. Maybe I was wrong and that noise was coming from the trans... Thanks.