Transmittion Problems.. please help.

[k913c]

I own a 95' Ford Taurus GL 3.0 6cyl Sedan, I have had my transmittion rebuilt not too long ago and it started leaking pretty bad, it wouldnt keep any fluid in for any amount of time. I have fixed the leak and now it holds all its transmittion fluid and is at the right level. Now my car will not shift out of first gear. It just revs and that is so bad for it so i cant even drive it. Reverse is fine, neutrals fine, and first gear seems to work pretty well. I just recently had my filter changed too, I dont believe thats whats causing the problem. It just wont shift out of first gear. We believe that it could be something to do with the transmittion modulator, or something hydrualically that controls the shifting. I really have no idea what to do from here. Any ideas? Please help.

[Willyum]

If the job was guaranteed, I'd take it back to them.

[Huney1]

Valve Body
The valve body is the control center of the automatic transmission. It contains a maze of channels and passages that direct hydraulic fluid to the numerous valves which then activate the appropriate clutch pack or band servo to smoothly shift to the appropriate gear for each driving situation. Each of the many valves in the valve body has a specific purpose and is named for that function. For example the 2-3 shift valve activates the 2nd gear to 3rd gear up-shift or the 3-2 shift timing valve which determines when a downshift should occur.

This is interesting: "I have had my transmittion rebuilt not too long ago and it started leaking pretty bad, it wouldnt keep any fluid in for any amount of time. I have fixed the leak and now it holds all its transmission fluid and is at the right level." My first question is WHY did YOU have to fix the leak? I would have taken it back and asked them to fix it because you paying money for a rebuild then have it leaking fluid really is the pitts. Didn't they give you a WRITTEN WARRANTY? Heads up! ANYTIME you have work done get a written warranty and usually the sales receipt has the warranty info on it. Verbal warranties aren't worth a flip and BEFORE you agree and they get your car to work on it, tell them you want a copy of the written warraanty you will get. Some folks are to trusting and their trusting nature will sometimes bite them in the rear end. Didn't you get a receipt showing what work was done and the parts they replaced or repaired?

"I just recently had my filter changed too, I dont believe thats whats causing the problem."
I'm confused here because surely they replaced the filter when they did the rebuild. As a matter of interest, was the filter changed before or after the rebuild? Who changed it, another shop or the shop that rebuilt the tranny? If it was done after the rebuild they might say the other shop caused the no-shift problem. If they can find an excuse to "pass the buck," . . . rest assured they will.


Trannys are extremely comples and not my forte but could be a tiny piece of trash got in a valve and won't let it shift. We often hear where a tranny flush was done in a garage and shortly thereafter tranny problems develop so they took it back and they cleaned the valve body and the problem went away. Thus, anytime you get a flush ask them to clean the valve body. If they didn't clean the valve body during the rebuild I'd wonder why because I would think they replace some valves or parts in the valve body. Don't take that as Gospel, I'm just thinking out loud. Double check the fluid level when the engine is hot idling on a level surface tranny in Park. Yours probably calls for Mercon III but you can use Mercon V which is part synthetic and better tranny fluid.

I totally agree with Willyum and if it's still under warranty I'd take it back and let 'em fix it.

[Huney1]

"If the job was guaranteed, I'd take it back to them."
You got that right Bro'.

[k913c]

i got it rebuilt almost 2 years ago.. unfortunatally the warranty is over. i got the filter changed when i got a tranny flush a few months ago. before the leak happened. i did run the transmition dry a bit cause it wasnt keeping fluid whatsoever. it was running fine though.. now it holds all of its fluid and is at the right levels.. since the fluid has been holding now it just wont shift out of first gear. no slipping at all during take off.. im really stumped at this problem.. most people i have talked to just say u burnt out ur other gears.. so its pretty much shot. is there some sort of hydraulic pump that makes the gears change that just isnt working? i checked for a transmition modulator but there isnt one on my model. they said then it was just controled electronically.. the fluid doesnt smell burnt either.. the fluid is in perfect shape. i really dont know what to do at this point.