loosing second

[Redlined]

Get up this morning to goto work. Car always takes a second for the "transmition to warm up" as I call it. ( wont move for the first couple seconds first thing in the morning. done this as long as I can remember) Anywho Start off and she stays in first till like 4000 rpms at VERY light throttle. Does it again at the next stoplight. and the next.

On the way home I played with it in Manual mode and 2nd seems to just freewheel unless I rev up a bit... and then I think its just kicking down into first. doesnt accelerate. doesnt cruise. doesnt Compression break.

This common? Is it fixable or am I scheduling a trans swap in the near future?

[wtdash]

1. Getting the 16 flashes of the Power light? If so, pull the codes (search on here).
2. Check the fluid level and smell it- if it's burnt, you're toast (sorry).
3. Check the USMB site for 'delayed engagement' or similar. There are threads about this over there.

GL,
Td

[Redlined]

power light works as normal. Fluids where just changed. Had the trans engine and both diffs done at the same time... ill check the fluid none the less.

[Redlined]

Fluid was Bright purple, clean, and smelled.... well... Like transmition fluid. appeared to be low. added a quart... then another... dipstick just shows a touch on the tip. Im more worried of getting the reading wrong and over filling the trans. I checked it after about a 15 minute drive. Engine was at full operating temperature. car was driven in all operating gears including reverse and engine was running when I checked the level... any steps im missing? (And yes. still no second gear)

[wtdash]

In my experience (it's been awhile), filling the trans fluid sux....but what seemed to work was get the the car warmed up and running, and to refill a little @ a time - by little I mean a pint - I'd then shift thru the gears, and repeat until it started to show on the dipstick. Then added less than a pint 'til it showed Full.

I've read the difference between Low and Full is ONLY a pint, which sounds crazy, but seemed not far from the truth.

As it started to show on the dipstick it got easier to read it, the more I got familiar with the process.

Did you look thru the USMB? There's a LOT of info about the 4EAT's over there.

GL,
Td

[Legacy777]

Just an FYI, manual button/mode likely does not do what you think it does. It is a primitive form of traction control and keeps the transmission from shifting into 1st gear when the gear selector is in the 2 or 3 position.

[Redlined]

So weighing my options. I could

1) Buy and install a used 4EAT trans.
2) Buy and install a 5spd manual trans out of a WRX
3) Limp the car along for 6 weeks with the trans the way it is
4) pay a well known mechanic chain a small fortune to fix it and hold them by the balls for the duration of the warranty.

Ive been considering a 5 speed swap for a while now. dont have any parts yet and with the current barge kicking into high gear I will soon have zero time to work on it so this is right out. So #s 1 and 2 are out. with 1 carrying the additional burden of "You have no clue what condition the trans your buying is in" being far more cumbersome on an automatic than on a standard. 3 is unacceptable as continuing to drive it in its current state is most likely to cause additional failures.

So... 4 then. Took the car to Aamco. They confirmed that second gear was completely gone, and that continuing to drive it was a recipe for disaster. They quote $1800 parts and labor to pull and put a rebuild kit in the trans. I could have wet myself. I felt that my hands where tied so I gave them the go ahead. The next day they called me back and advised me that apparently the torque converter had started to disintegrate. causing a plug blocking off lubrication to the second gear band. Additional parts where required. They had the trans out of the car and disembled along with the parts I had authorized them to purchase already so they had me over a barrel for $1800 which would be out the window without benefit if the additional parts wheren't installed. So again. I gave them the go ahead. Didnt hear from them today so assuming no additional complications. Total so far? $2500. Let me spell that out for you TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. Witch opens up an additional option I hadn't thought of. I could have simply bought another SS.

God help them if this trans fails before the warranty is up.

[Legacy777]

Unfurtunately, that's why even if you get two used AT's, you'd possibly still be under what it costs to rebuild one.

AT trans are ridiculous.