96 Possible Tranny Problems? Maybe a Sensor?

My Car; 1996 Diamante, 3.0 Lt, SOHC, ft wheel drive with 118,000 miles...

My Problem;

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

So, the tranny wouldn't engage into 3 or 4 gear going uphill (rarely)...then in a rain, a water puddle caused (or seemed to be the cause) of the tranny not engaging into 3 or 4 gear at all. It acts like it wants to, but it slips out into neutral instead of engaging. The car still runs, but when running at 60 mph the RPM's are between 4-5 (k). It sounds like a huge mosquito is going to attack at any time.

Changed the tranny fluid and filter. Didn't help. Took it to a mechanic that said the tranny was blown, and it'll cost 1.5k to fix.

If it runs is the tranny blown, or is it a sensor? Don't want to spend that kind of money if it's a sensor, and if it is...any idea on which one?

Any info would be great! And not to mention I could stop :banghead: for a little while!

Thanks!

If it has 118k on the odometer than it is probably the tranny. Chances are somebody ran it hard and now your clutch pads are blown. I dont know much about how the automatic transmission works but there is a clutch and when it slips out of gear it because of the pads being too worn down. Now when you hear the really high rpm whine that is because the engine doesnt want to shift gears and it happens to be in alot lower gear than it should be. If you keep running it you will be having terrible gas mileage and your engine will begin to overheat and WILL do damage eventually. There is no easy fix for this I dont believe because the automatic front wheel drive assembly because its one piece that might require you to remove the engine just to replace. But there is a chance that the car might be in "limp mode" that means the car got the idea that it is wrecked either from airbag deployment or some other means. It doesnt want to shift to higher gears because it thinks its wrecked and doesnt want to do futher damage. I dont think thats the problem though, but you could bring it up with a dealer or mechanic