Trans Not Shifting

[DrededSS]

It's a '96 ES. I had all of the seals/gaskets replaced by a shop about 3 months ago, and it's been fine since then. It was fine before, it just leaked. After work today the car would not shift out of 1st. I was driving through the city, so I never had to go fast. Normally I would have had it towed at the first sign of a transmission problem, but I needed to get home (5 miles total). But after 3 stoplights, it started shifting again. I'm going to take it out again tonight to see if it acts up at all. I read the earlier thread about needing to use the right fluid, but it already has ATF+3 in there. How much does it cost to have Dodge flash the TCM? Thanks.

Dred

[TheStang00]

well you better make sure it doesnt still leak... you could have a pipe rusted out or something. it happened to an old car i used to have. anyway, check and make sure it just has fluid at all. remember, you have to check it when the engine is running. if its not working right then dont drive it because your liable to burn out the tranny that way.

[DrededSS]

Originally Posted by TheStang00

well you better make sure it doesnt still leak... you could have a pipe rusted out or something. it happened to an old car i used to have. anyway, check and make sure it just has fluid at all. remember, you have to check it when the engine is running. if its not working right then dont drive it because your liable to burn out the tranny that way.

Plenty of fluid and not still leaking (not new to cars, just don't like fixing anything that isn't fast)

I ought to just get you on my AIM buddy list since you answer a lot of the questions here anyway.

We'll see how the car acts this week...

Dred

[TheStang00]

yeah not many people post in this section, ive done enough work on avengers to know some stuff about em, you learn a lot from turbo installs...

if u want my aim sn i will pm it to you

[wafrederick]

There is a drawback on the mopar transmission fluid,$5.00 A QUART.You can use dextron III,but put LubeGaurd in it(black bottle) and it turns it into the mopar fluid

[theFREAKnasty82]

A TCM flash will cost about $60, and that's the cost of labor, just depends upon dealer to dealer. Try that first, it's been known to fix that. It's a mandatory step to do at most Dodge dealers to do a flash when you do a seal job, replace the solenoid pack, etc.

Also, wafrederick, can you please either post a link or e-mail me an article or anything else saying that you can transform Dexron III fluid into Mopar ATF+4. I've noticed that you have gone to various posts on the Dodge/Chrysler forum and spread this little bit of knowledge. Better yet, if you can find a new TSB or any other Chrysler based article that the design engineers from DaimlerChrylser transmissions, that is hot off their desks, please show me. I don't know what you've seen or experienced, but I've rebuilt quite a few Mopar transmissions, from the A-604, A-904, A-413 etc. and even pulled apart an NV3550 and the Chrysler certified Master Technician who trained me and has 25 years of Mopar experience has NEVER told me anything like that.

Originally Posted by DrededSS

I read the earlier thread about needing to use the right fluid, but it already has ATF+3 in there. How much does it cost to have Dodge flash the TCM? Thanks.

Dred

[wafrederick]

You can find Lubeguard(Black bottle and I misspellled it) at some auto parts stores.It says on the bottle,it changes Dextron into mopar fluid.I know about removing the transmission:HORRIBLE!Unbolts easy,take about half an hour to get out and the engineer should be shot for designing it this way

[wafrederick]

Here is LubeGard's website(misspelled it again): www.lubegard.com Look under transmission and it is the LUBEGARD highly friction modifier ATF suppliment

[theFREAKnasty82]

that website failed to mention another important reason why Mopar ATF+4 is to be used on Chrysler vehicles, all those with the Ultradrive transmission (A-604s, 42LEs, etc.) that use the solenoid pack to change gears, any other fluid will clog up the solenoid pack in a heartbeat and cause a $300 service bill to replace the faulty solenoid pack. It may be a great friction modifier for the clutch packs, but it'll clog up the solenoid pack faster than eating 5 cheeze pizzas a day. Then, the clutch packs are nothing if the trans can't shift due to a faulty solenoid pack.

[workinoutsparky]

Whats a TCM Flash?

Would this help my car shifting points???? My junker doesnt go over 4000 rpm when you put the pedal to the floor???

[das2123]

Originally Posted by workinoutsparky

Whats a TCM Flash?

Would this help my car shifting points???? My junker doesnt go over 4000 rpm when you put the pedal to the floor???

The avenger is similiar to the sebring, so you may have to replace the input or output speed sensor.

On another note, DEXRON should not be used in Chrysler transmissions. I don't care what kind of friction modifiers you add to help it, they probably still don't meet Chrysler's standard.