Another Tranny Situation (2000 Sable)

[Gudog]

Sorry for another Tranny question. I was hoping my specifics might point to something.

Bought a 2000 Mercury Sable 3.0L DOHC for $400. (270,000 miles) It did not idle correctly. It wanted to stall out at stop lights. I drove it 120 miles from the purchase site with a check engine light and low coolant light. The coolant is new and full so I can live with that. Check engine was a P1401 which was due to a cracked emmission line stem. Replaced that and code was gone. Also replaced a collapsed 90 degree rubber connector on the PCV valve line. When I took it off it was not lcracked or leaking and there was no error code...but it was collapsed so I figured it was not right. I had the new PCV valve in my hand...but with no code and no mechanical talent....getting that baby down in there looked like something I will wait until next summer for. (Its 30 degrees here during the day). The car idles smooth at 600 -700 RPM and seems to run great!

To the Tranny....engine light is off. Drove on the highway 100 miles a week ago. 21.8 MPG (Ouch!). I noticed that on criuise at 55 MPH the RPMS were 2,600. At 60 MPH RPM's were 3,100. At 70 MPH RPM's were 3,600! When i pulled off the highway to a stop and then accelerated in a 35 zone...the Transaxle light came on. The car still seemed to shift and run fine! No Translight again during several in town trips. After changing out the collapsed PCV hose, I wondered if the mileage would be better. Today, I drove 100 miles again and got 25.8 MPG. No trans light during the trip on the highway, but again......when I stopped at the off ramp and began to accelerate again the light came on within seconds. Since then, the light consistently comes on after exiting the highway and starting moving through the gears from a stop. I wish I could tell if I was in third or 4th.......but once I get to 40 MPH there is no more shifting. I took it to 80 MPH and the RPM's went to 5,000!

The car is just for my son to drive to school and back in. Believe it or not...it's a very nice condition car. The tranny fluid is clear and obviously worn out....but almost all of the tranny pan screws are stripped and I just don't know that the $200 flush bill is worth it? I pumped out a pint of oil and put in a pint of slick 50. Not sure that will help. I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on what is happening and if there is something that I can do to try to save this thing?

Thanks in advance!

Jim

PS Youtiube and this site have been a blessing having taught a guy who barely knows how to put gas in his car how to check and clean the vacumme sustem componts! Its a big deal for me. Thank you!

[65comet]

When you're going about 50mph, try pressing the overdrive button to turn off, then turn on again. Do the rpm's change? Does the overdrive off button light up when you turn it off?

[shorod]

Even if the transmission flush were much, much less, I would not suggest you have that service performed unless you knew the full history of this car since about 30k miles on the odometer.

I hope by "clear" you mean the transmission fluid is translucent and it does not have obvious particles in the fluid. If it truly is clear like water, you're either looking at the wrong thing or it is not the correct fluid and needs to be changed. It may not hurt to spend the money to change the transmission fluid and filter first to see if with some fresh fluid at the proper level the symptoms improve or go away. Since it seems that the issues start after the transmission fluid is up to temperature, it may not be a stretch to think the fluid or level is the issue.

-Rod

[Gudog]

Thanks for the input. Unfortunately, unless I can't find it....I do not see an overdrive button to turn it on or off. My 2000 Explorer has such a button on the end of the shift lever but the Sable has a between seats console shift lever and I can't find an overdrive button anywhere else on the shifter or dash. Seems odd that a 2000 Exploere has such a button but not a 2000 Sable?

Rod....when I say clear regarding the transmission fluid I was trying to describe its appearance. It has a clearish/black tint to it but it is not as black as crude oil and there is no red appearance whatsoever.

We live in the country so the car hits 60 MPH in the first 3 minutes of running every day and it has been in the twenties at night. Today was a typical usage. My son takes it to school for practice. 5 miles on the highway right out of the garage and then 3 miles at 30 MPH to school. Reverse scenario on the way back. 16 miles round trip. The trans light did not go on today but still no shifting into overdrive. 3500 RPM at 60 MPH.
All other shifting seems to work fine and the idle is awesome at 600 RPM.

Seriously....you think a flush could do the trick? How bout pumping as much of that old stuff as possible out the dip stick reservoir and adding it that way? I don't know the history of the car but based on the way it was kept up inside.....I doubt that it was treated with respect under the hood (Although it is still running at 270K).

I'm stuck. It's no big loss if it keeps getting him to school for a while...but it saddens me to think that some dirty fluid, a dirty filter...could be the only problem but I wont take the risk of losing $250 or the 3 or 4 gears that currently work in the transmission.trans. I noticed on another post that there was talk of a broken clip somewhere on the trans. Would this also apply to the 2000 Sable?

If there is anything else out there to try....I'm all ears.

Thanks!

Jim

[shorod]

If the transmission fluid looks more like coffee than like cherry Kool-Aid, you should consider starting with a fluid and filter CHANGE. I DO NOT suggest a flush at this point as several folks have experienced issues after a flush and the thought is the flush will actually loosen debris and cause it to start circulating again which can cause problems. If after changing the fluid and filter you notice an improvement, then you might consider running it a few more miles, then drain and refill the fluid again as it will start mixing with the old transmission fluid and with each drain and refill you'll have a smaller percentage of that nasty fluid.

For the subsequent changes you could try pumping from the dipstick tube, but for the initial drain I'd suggest you drop the pan and change the filter. You may find signs of more critical issues when you drop the pan, such as pieces of metal (rather than just fine slivers stuck to the magnet) plus that filter may have restricted flow, limiting the amount of pressure available to the valves and solenoids.

The broken clip you were reading about was just for the overdrive servo. I really don't know if that clip was still an issue for the 2000 model year. The vehicle I experience that on was a 1993 Taurus SHO and I honestly don't recall which model of transmission that car had.

-Rod