Transmission Problem

[twooverpar]

My '97 XLT SOHC Auto transmission seems to disengage at times. It seems to happen when I am braking from highway speeds (50-60 MPH). It appears that it is trying to downshift and misses a gear and starts a high-pitched winding noise. The noise subsides in a few seconds or if I press the gas pedal it stops. It also happened once when I was braking down a hill and I shifted into '2' from 'D' to let the engine help brake the car. If anyone has any ideas, I would appreciate it.

Geoff

 

[tenikiwon]

Does it happen ever while accelorating?
Almost sounds like it's slipping.

When accelloration does it hit all the gears?

 

[aldive]

How is the fluid level? How old is it?

 

[ltd95]

Same thing happened to me almost 1 year ago, it started with a pause and a clunk when engaging from reverse to drive. i was driving to Ottawa at about the same speed you are experiencing it at, and the same thing started happening. i pulled over and called someone to help me, when i tried to back up, there was nothing. all my shift pionts were changed around, N was reverse, it was a mess, i had to get the tranny rebuilt, cost me $1600 CAN. it sounds to me youwill have to do the same.

Dustin

 

[twooverpar]

No, it hasn't happened while accelerating.

Fluid level is good. I am not sure how old, I bought the truck 4 months ago.

Would you recommend changing the fluid?

 

[twooverpar]

It happens rarely. Only 4 or 5 times ever and it isn't predicable. No other problems. It hits all the gears on the way up OD seems to be working fine. No clunking when shifting in or out of gears.

 

[aldive]

When in doubt, change the fluid asap. Be sure to do a complete change, not just a pan drop,

Good luck.....

 

[tenikiwon]

When you say complete change what are you refering to?

 

[VOATMJ1]

He means, that if you only drop the pan, you only may get 25% of the old fluid out, leaving 75% of the dirty stuff still in the tranny, continuing it's damaging effects.

A complete change, means having a machine suck 99% of the old stuff out. Just dropping the pan, will not get the old stuff still inside of the tranny, where a complete change will. Any quick lube place SHOULD have these machines.

I recently had this done, and it was about $60.00 for a complete change over. The oil place, used my trans. cooler lines to completely clean out ALL of the old stuff.

Yeah it costs a little bit more vs. a pan drop and refill, but it's FAR less that $2,000 + for a new tranny!!

 

[tenikiwon]

Tranny problems in general

Now my questions is

I've heard some people say leave it alone and never touch it.

Other say regularily change it.

Still other say flush it.

And yet other say if you change it DON'T flush it 'cause it can do more damage.

I have 88k and, again from what I've heard, this is right in the range where tranny's go.


I bought the truck last year at 59k and I haven't touched it since.

I plan to drain and refil the T-case 'cause I have some 4x4 related probs that I think this will solve, but I've noticed some leaking seals and I may wait to get them first.

Just wondering what I should do to the tranny.

Too many opinions and yet I ask for more