tranny sluggish, temp gauge

[jmann]

You all helped me get it to start a while back...now a few details...

93 GC Laredo, v8 automatic...

When COLD, I put it in gear and the tranny is sluggish getting going. I give it gas and it slowly pulls forward, but is not right. After a brief period it it fine. Same in drive or reverse...haven't tried manually going into 1st. Fluid is topped off, if not a smidge overfilled, but not foaming. All other tranny operations seem fine. Maybe it winds out a bit when I am really stepping on it--it stays in 2nd gear a bit too long...but that doesn't seem unusual.

Also, my temperature gauge briefly goes above 210 at the end of the warmup period, then drops down to normal. It is level for the rest of the drive. Coolant level is fine, in radiator and bottle. I sometimes fainltly smell some antifreeze in the cabin when this happens...or is it my imagination? I had the radiator replaced mid-december...just noticed this about a week or so ago. I had this trouble in my old '85 duster (4 cyl) and it eventually led to a headgasket leak...don't want that to happen again!

Thanks for any help ... Jerry

[Cam7]

The transmission not acting normal when the vechile is cold is from age and wear. There is not much you can do except do a rebuild or might add some Lucas Trans additive sometimes that will help. As for the cooling smell check the carpet around the heater vents and see if there is any damness. Could be a leaking heater core also check hoses and thermostat a small leak can cause a anifreeze smell. The temperature guage going past the 210 mark could be from a small leak or could have some air in the system. If you cant find a leak you will need to do a pressure test of the cooling system to see where the coolant is leaking from.

[johnson110]

A word about lucas i added some to my transmission thinking it would be good, well it started shifting bad prior to adding the treatment it shifted just fine, dropped the pan changed fluid and filter twice now its shifting ok! just be careful of treatment, i would stick with atf 3 only transmission fluid!

[JDPascal]

Changing from the ATF+3 to the ATF+4 in my 96 5.2 has helped immensely in the shifting and cold weather operation.


While the ATF+3 was what was recommended when new, the ATF+4 was not available at the time. The ATF+4 makes a difference!!!

JD

[johnson110]

Where do you get atf 4 tranmission fluid is it a dealer item ony? i used atf3 quaker state from auto parts store/ is it worth to drop pan and refill wiyh atf4?

[JDPascal]

The ATF+4 is a dealer only item. It is the factory fill for newer Chrysler products and an approved upgrade for older models where the ATF+3 is required.

No other manufacturer is liscensed to make it yet. Amsoil is the only ATF that "claims" an equivelent status to +4 at this time and who knows how close they are. Anyway, the +4 is cheaper by $4 here so I'm using that.

Word has it that the +4 has some or all group IV synthetic oil in it. I don't know about the additive package differences.

I do know that it has made a difference in how my transmission works in our "cold" weather...

JD

[JDPascal]

It is not really necessary to drop the pan to change the tranny oil unless it is time for a filter change and band adjustment.

I have started changing part of my transmission oil every 2nd oil change. (10000KM).

I use a marine type pump for changing oil in the lower unit of an outboard motor with a 4 ft clear plastic tube (1/4" id) to put down the dipstick tube.

Like this one. (hope it works)

http://www.iboats.com/mall/index.cgi...t_id=742454936

This lets me pump out a liter of oil in about 1 1/2 minutes. I pump out three liters and put 3 liters new oil in each time.

This will also work when I go to change the filter next time so I don't get oil all over when I pull the pan.

I think that if you change out a portion of the fluid more often then the "varnish" deposits may not tend to develope as readily.

JD

[johnson110]

Thanks for the reply!

[jmann]

Thanks for all the great advice! I will go pick up some ATF+4 and a pump... I appreciate all the detailed info...

Jerry