95 Lumina problems

[Anderia]

I have a 1995 Chevy Lumina, Im not sure whats wrong. I got it from an auction and these are the two things that I noticed. It changes gears rough (kinda jerks as it goes thru the gears) when accelerating and as you slow down. Also, it feels at times like I am driving with the emergency brake is on but it isnt. It is like the brakes are sticking, then eventually they will release. They were grinding on the way home. So I had the calipers, brakes and rotors replaced today, and still had the problem. After those were replaced, I smelled what what smelled like brake fluid each time I would apply the brakes. Any ideas?

[jeffcoslacker]

Well with new brakes on it, it will smell like brakes whenever you use them, until it all seats in.

Problem is, I doubt the brakes were the performance problem.

When the torque convertor control won't unlock when it's supposed to, you get an effect they sometimes call "trailer hitching" where the car feels like it is pulling a heavy trailer (or driving with the parking brake on) because the locked convertor puts too much load on the motor...will make the shifts abnormally harsh as well....it's not supposed to be locked when shifting.

I suggest you get it diagnosed by a transmission specialist...TCC failure is common problem in these, and not uncommon for someone to trade one off rather than spend the money for the repair if they were considering getting a different car...

[jeffcoslacker]

I'll spare you my "why you should never buy cars from the auction" speech...

Used to work for dealers, wholesalers and auction services...I could tell you stories...

[jeffcoslacker]

A little more, did you replace front and rear, or just the front brakes? Did they find evidence of seizing/dragging?

[Anderia]

The front brakes were replaced. There was nothing left to the pads and the calipers were frozen. But today I was going to work and someone I work with seen me pull in and he said the psgr. wheel was red as fire. I did a U- Turn in the parking lot and it released. Dont know if its just a coincidence but when I thought about it, each time it does release and go back to normal, its after I turn the wheels as far as they will go.?? There was no evidence of dragging that I was told about.

The auction thing, I had a friend that has gotten quite a few cars there, fixes them and then resells them and never this many problems. I guess you get what you pay for.

[jeffcoslacker]

OK...didn't mean to go off in the wrong direction....

All I can think of right away is that you have a collapsed brake hose that's holding pressure on one side (or both) and when you cut the wheel it probably twists the hose enough to relieve it, and let the pressure go.

It's common to mistakenly replace calipers thinking they are seizing, when the hose was actually the problem...

I check by driving it until it begins binding, then stop and open a bleeder on the suspect caliper. If it shoots a big shot of fluid under pressure, and you feel/hear the brake relax, the hose is the problem. If fluid just barely piddles out or nothing at all, and no change in the binding, the caliper is dragging.