94 transmission slip

[SGF]

My 94 Eddie Bauer has recently begun doing something that really concerns me.

I park on a steep hill. When the weather is in the low 50's or below, the transmission will frequently slip after start up, then operate fine.

I'll back down the hill then put it in any forward gear and it will slip. It'll increase RPM's then suddenly engage. I have a stop sign and a light that I stop at within a few hundred yards of departing my driveway. It'll slip when I accelerate away from these then everything is fine. It never slips after that including when I recently towed a car trailer full of my son's furniture.

The transmission was power flushed and refilled a year ago (non synthetic). I'm guessing this problem is being caused by the fluid flowing to the rear of the tranny case, and being too thick from the cold to quickly flow back. My big concern is that this could be causing damage. Common sense says the slipping isn't doing the bands or other internal components and good.

Has anyone else experienced this? I've never had this problem with the other vehicles I've parked in that spot.

SGF

 

[Opera House]

So did they change the filter?

The one thing I don't like about a lot of flush places is they don't want to change the filter. I would check out the shift linkage to see if the DRIVE position mates up with the detent in the transmission. With the engine off, shift in drive, and parking brake on go under and see if is locked in a detent. Other than that it is the forward clutch or low pressure due to a leak or bas seal.

 

[X-1]

I had a similar problem, found that the filter was tore and blocking the pump, replaced filter and fluid, good as new. I won't do the power flush method for the reason you wouldn't change your oil and not replace the filter.

 

[Bashman]

Where I live, the mean temp is +1 C or about 34 F and we see -40C (equal to -40F) every year. My tranny has never acted like yours due to temperature. When mine acted up it was because the company that flushed my tranny forgot to install the orings on the filter. I doubt temp. has anything to do with your problem.

 

[SGF]

I had the tranny flushed in a shop that I've used for years. I sprcifically told them to change the filter, which they did. Sorry I didn't say that up front.

As far as mechanical failure, why doesn't ti do it on flat surfaces or in warm weather? That's what I can't figure out.

 

[88vert]

Mine does the same thing when cold Has been doing it for the 4 years I have owned it.I just make sure I let the truck warm up good before I take off

 

[Gimp]

Mine in 'Money Pit' has never slipped but before I changed over to full-synthetic tranny fluid, it definitely acted differently when the temps were cold versus when they were warm. Specifically, when the temps were cold, it would 'hang' in a gear longer at part-throttle acceleration before upshifting and it would take longer to engage when shifting from park to reverse or reverse to drive. Once I went to full-synthetic tranny fluid (at about 80K miles), the transmission acted the same whether warm or cold.

 

[Opera House]

Gimp, you are a prime candidate

For getting the improved low/reverse servo double lip O-ring. This procedure is about as easy to do as replacing the transmission filter. Search "Anybody rebuild an A4LD" on Under the Hood.

 

[nascar_intimid]

cold shift

Mine does the same thing when cold Has been doing it for the 4 years I have owned it.I just make sure I let the truck warm up good before I take off

so what could it be though, mine started doing it when the cold weather started and only does it when it's cold...it was just rebuilt 6 months ago, and a vewry good job it was...any other ideas????

 

[BrooklynBay]

The governor might need to be cleaned or replaced.

 

[nascar_intimid]

is it easy to get at?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Check # 45 in my list of useful threads for more information: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155582