Hi All,

I posted three days ago about my wife's 245 that had a slow shifting automatic transmission when the weather is cold. Once the car is warm it shifts better. But since we live on a mountain, we do a lot of driving on hills. First thing in the morning, it takes the car to 4 or 5 on the tach to shift and then the car runs ok. I know that this cannot be good for the car.

Took it to my mechanic who diagnosed it as having three quarts low! He refilled it, and it still is shifting the same way. He recommends putting in a used tranny because of what he calls "stuck valves."

I have been reading the archives. Some have recommended a flush of the tranny with Mobil 1 tranny fluid. I guess I am desparate for a fix. Has anyone else done this flush successfully to fix a tranny problem like mine?

Thanks in advance,
George

Also have a good, good look at the shift control/kickdown cable. Before you drive or start the car on a cold morning, turn the throttle 'spool' (where the throttle and shift cables attach at the throttle body) all the way open. If the cable doesn't return immediately when you let the spool close, there is a problem. If it is binding (always cold mornings are the worst) it will do EXACTLY that. Hilly areas exacerbate the problem since one has to step on the gas harder to get rolling and the cable therefore gets pulled out more, but can't retract. It will hold the gear until it either warms up and functions properly, or the trans gets to the maximum and allows it to shift regardless of the shift control cable position.

However, if the kickdown cable is functioning properly (should be virtually no resistance on it at any given time), then I suspect that your problem is valve body related. Sometimes a trans flush helps, but sometimes a used trans might be a more effective solution.

I'd definitely flush it, but not with Mobil 1. The added expense of the synthetic multiplied by 12 quarts is unneccesary, IMO.

What I would do instead, is add half a bottle of Trans-Medic to the existing fluid, drive the car around for a couple of days, flush it with conventional fluid including changing the filter, and add the other half-bottle of Trans-Medic. If indeed it's a matter of stuck valves, this stands a good chance of helping.
--
1991 245, 61k miles, looking for a 5 speed 92-93 245 cheap.

What have I got to loose? I am on my way to NAPA in the next hour.

I would recommend flushing transmission with 1/2 can of Berryman's Chemtool B-12.

Start with transmission cold and beging cycling upshift and down shift to work it thru the valves. After engine and tranmission warmed up for appx 20 miles. Add the other 1/2 of the can, repeat driving.

If this corrected the slow shift/erratic shift, drain the ATF and add fresh ATF.


This has saved many transmissions that at first seemed to need overhaul or replacement.

One word of warning, never add more that 1/2 can at a time or it will boil the ATF out of the transmission vent.