Just dropped the X at the tranny shop

[Jason94sport]

Here's hoping I don't need a rebuild
85K miles 94 A4LD

From what I searched here, sounds like my problems are a combo of the governer, & the solnoids. I hope anyway...

It seems to slip going from 1-2 & 3-4. Sometime it stays in 4th or 3rd after I get off the HW. I stab the gas & it goes back into 1st.

If I'm in 4th on the HW & slam the gas it will downshift & doesn't slip.

Sometimes it will bog down. The RPM's will move real slow & I don't gain any speed, then it catches & feel the X lunge & then it goes.

If I'm easy on it the X will shift ok.

Had a tranny flush, the fluid is not burnt, & no leaks.

 

[Rhett]

85000 miles, ooh. But, it is 11 years old. Hope you don't need a rebuild--I hope it's just o-rings: I guess when the flush was done, the filter was replaced with the correct long-neck filter. If so, I hope that new o-rings were put on...worn or non-existant o-rings can cause strange shifting behavior you describe.

 

[Jason94sport]

I had it flushed when I got it. Over a year later this began. I had another flush done recently to see if that helped. It didn't.

 

[Jason94sport]

Rebuild is what he said. I'm sure he doesn't know about the little things that can be fixed before a rebuild on a A4LD, but then neither do I.

He's willing to do it for $1000 out the door with a 1 year 12K mile warranty.
I was thinking of getting a rebuilt one off of Ebay & just paying for labor.($400) It works out a few hundred more.

What do you guys think would be the better option?

 

[410Fortune]

whatever you do get a warranty, not likely with the Ebay route.

 

[Glacier991]

I'd recommend against the Ebay route.

 

[Glacier991]

I'd recommend against the Ebay route. And I tend to think that a rebuild of the valve body (which should be done as part of a rebuild anyway so would not be a wasted effort) and replacement of the governor and a check of the vacuum modulator might well solve your problems without removing the trannie from the vehicle and at far less cost - I do not automatically see this as a rebuild, but knew a trans shop would.

 

[Jason94sport]

I have gotten an Ebay 5 speed for my old X from a good shop & had a warranty & everything was fine I would get from the same guy.

 

[Jason94sport]

I'd recommend against the Ebay route. And I tend to think that a rebuild of the valve body (which should be done as part of a rebuild anyway so would not be a wasted effort) and replacement of the governor and a check of the vacuum modulator might well solve your problems without removing the trannie from the vehicle and at far less cost - I do not automatically see this as a rebuild, but knew a trans shop would.

Yeah I don't have the tools or the know how to do that. These parts are only found from a DIY guy on an obscure Explorer forum. Tranny shops of course don't know about them.

 

[Glacier991]

ooookkkkay. Glad I chimed in (not). Sorry.

 

[Jason94sport]

Don't take that wrong...
I just mean an average tranny shop doesn't know the little things that someone finds out from doing it on their own & posting about it.
I can tell the guy just unclog the governor, or clean the solnoids till I'm blue in the face & the guy would still stay no it needs to be rebuilt.

I'm just letting the guy rebuild it. It will be done next week sometime.

 

[Positive Vibes]

So the rebuild is costing you $1000???

 

[Jason94sport]

Yes $1K total. He's not charging me tax or anything. And I do get a 12 month 12K mile warranty

 

[Paraphoe]

That's not too bad. Mine was $1,400.

 

[Rhett]

Is a 12month, 12,000 mi warranty pretty standard for trans shops? Because here we have a shop that will give 3 years or 50,000 mi on their rebuilds.

 

[Jason94sport]

I got it back yesterday. Drives fine I guess. It seems to still not like to upshift at 45-50 to 4th gear. I have to stab the gas. Is that speed just not a shift point? Or does something need adjustment like the kickdown or throttle cable?
What's the break in like for it? The tranny guy just said to be easy on it for 500 miles.

 

[HardTech]

Is a 12month, 12,000 mi warranty pretty standard for trans shops? Because here we have a shop that will give 3 years or 50,000 mi on their rebuilds.

Yep when getting a 96 Thunderbird tranny rebuilt. Asked about 20 shops and the standard is 12k miles or 1 year.

As for not going up into gear at 45-50...

I have no tranny issues at all, and my shift point is normaly about 52. But I can get it to shift at about 47 then back my gas to 45. How

Well i have the gas normaly till I get about 47-48 then i let off the gas, and my transmission will shift up. Maybe you can trick yours too.

 

[Rhett]

Yep when getting a 96 Thunderbird tranny rebuilt. Asked about 20 shops and the standard is 12k miles or 1 year.

I guess we have a good shop here then, because 3 years or 50,000 miles seems to be a better warranty than average.