Auto Transmission Problems

[Gareth A]

Hi Everyone.

 

I have a 2002 S-Type 3.0 Auto. The car is mint, with 77000 miles on it.  When the engine is cold, the transmission works as it should. After about 3 miles or so, it will then start to slip, before losing drive completely. After this as happened, if the selector is moved into and out of drive a few times, it will eventually go into drive again, but will drop out again after only a few hundred yards.

 

I am thinking that first thing to do is to change the fluid in the box.

 

Any advice you can give will be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Gareth

 

[Raistlin]

Welcome to the club :)

 

Any auto transmission problem which seems to be related to fluid viscosity (ie when heating up) would suggest an examination of the fluid. Firstly to see if there is enough in there Gareth

[Gareth A]

Thanks. Will have a look over the next few days and report back.

[Gareth A]

Hello,

 

Well, I have changed the transmission Oil on my car, checked for the correct level etc.

 

The test drive didn't get very far until the transmission started slipping and losing drive again.

 

Initially it was great and went down hill quickly - within a mile.

 

The symptoms that it gives are what you would get if the transmission fluid was low - but its not. You lose drive and when stationary, give a few revs and it will grab and go a few yards before losing drive again.

 

The old fluid was clean and didn't smell burnt.

 

I am now thinking that a replacement 'box is the solution.

 

Do you agree?

 

Thanks, 

[Phil58]

I had something like this on a rover 75. It was torque converter. Hence second hand box fitted to it then sold it.

[mindofitsown]

I don't suppose this post will help you much but my partners car (peugeot 206 Auto 56K miles) has the very same problem, works fine cold but slips when hot. It used to work fine but then one day it appeared 'slip out of gear' particularly on bends. So I checked the fluid level and topped up but then it started to happen again. Checked the level and found in just a few miles a lot of fluid had disappeared. Couldn't see the source of the leak but noticed the undercarriage and rear bumper was coated in a mist of fluid. Thought then that the leak is obviously only happening when vehicle is in motion (hence no real puddle on driveway). Traced the problem to one of the diff/box output shaft Oil seals (FWD). First thing to do then was drain existing fluid at which time I found a lot of water came out first, then fluid Oil!. Realised then that the water and Oil seal deterioration was the result of having to drive through lots of flood water in previous months. Don't do this with auto tx! Ok so then replaced the seals and filled with fresh fluid. Problem appeared to go away having driven 8 miles to town then back. All was well until just outside the house when all gears just slipped and would not return when really hot. Pushed car onto driveway and noticed the engine/tx smelled really hot. Checked level and found it was fine (no leaks). Conclusion is that either tx or torque convertor are damaged from the previous low fluid and/or water ingress or, the convertor still has a lot of water in it because most of the liquid in it wont drain when draining tx. Only solution is to pull out convertor. Its still waiting for that.

[Gareth A]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

 

That pretty much seals it then - its the torque converter.

 

We had another look at it today. There's also a noise which sounds a bit like a dry bearing coming from the transmission tunnel area. When the drive is selected the noise alters in tone and sometimes disappears. Its louder when the transmission is in Park.

 

Going to get another box for it. Its a decent car otherwise.

 

Will let you know when its fixed.

 

Cheers,

[Mr Lawrence]

Don't bother changing the box, just the converter.