Speaking of transmission issues:

[eliaschristeas]

okay 160k on my truck. at 150K i did fluid and filter. at 155ish i started to notice the engine fighting me while braking.... an aggressive downshift sorta feel.

about a week ago, from start, wouldnt shift out of first for about 60 seconds.

fluid levels fine. kickdown fine.

has been driving great..... and then, this morning same deal.

no operational issues when warm. this is totally from start. that engine rev while braking thing eases when the truck is fully at running temp.

i know jack turd about trannys.... is this a torque converter not converting torques? Pump? Plates?

any guess helps me prepare. thanks, e

 

[Gordo]

start saving your coin. sounds like the 1st gear clutch pack is starting to go. The sticking first is one of the first signs doom is pending. I had that happen tried additives and everything but no luck. One buddy mentioned taking the tbox out and cleaning the governor (?) at the rear but I figured if I was dropping the box I would just change the damn thing...bought a used one for 300 and no problems after that. Make sure you dont step on the gas while in drive and on the brake. Did that to my 92 and killed the trans (wouldnt shift into 4th). Again pretty sure that was the 1st gear clutch pack too but that shit gets all in the valve body. Im no expert on trans either so maybe someone else can tell you something better. Gordo

 

[Bannon88]

My issues started very simliar...then in the course of a few days it would not engage D only reverse and 1 worked. I removed the pan and removed valves, worked for a few more days...then nothing. Once that debris clogs those valve bodies it's on borrowed time.

How does the fluid look?

 

[eliaschristeas]

fluid is clean as it onky has about 10k on the change.... ah well. hopefully it hangs on for me for just a little while longer, juggling so many projects at the moment.

i just bought a 93 LWB - aka "the rolling air conditioner" - so hopefully i'll have some extra wheels for the swap. eeesh.

 

[Bannon88]

You can always try doing the drain out a quart of old and add a quart of new. Do this over a period of time and you may degunk it.....it really is a crapshoot.

 

[eliaschristeas]

hmmm. certainly easier than swapping a tranny..... this thing worked GREAT before that fluid/filter change. ill be damned if i do it on my girlfriends D1!!!

 

[p m]

You can always try doing the drain out a quart of old and add a quart of new. Do this over a period of time and you may degunk it.....it really is a crapshoot.

My old 89 RRC was having the same symptoms - two transmission fluid changes later, it was fine.

 

[eliaschristeas]

interesting. will give it go! just the dex on its own or was it lucasaffied too?

 

[Bannon88]

Just use the dex...

 

[eliaschristeas]

an update - about a week on and nothin - running great. havent changed fluid or anything yet...

 

[eliaschristeas]

general fyi - now kinda feels like i'm driving a stick these days - especially over 45mph. you let off the gas - it generally stays in gear at higher revs.... havent change fluid yet.

 

[eliaschristeas]

okay well one day later:

first run of the day, 1st gear for about a quarter mile at 4500rpm before it yielded to second gear, etc.

has been running "fine" all day.

i hope this is a worthy chronicle of transmission death instead of an annoying post.

 

[Bannon88]

I wish you luck. Mine took a crap much quicker than that. I had issues with it not coming out of reverse, then it quit restored reverse and drive went out. Then complete failure.
I would try the take out a quart or so of old and replace with new before too long.

 

[eliaschristeas]

drained two liters, filled two liters. normal fuzz around drain plug magnet.

fired it up - there was a new vibration as it relaxed down to idle (may or may not mean anything) - off i went. 1st gear was its favorite for a while. threw it into low range for yucks - started shifting properly. back into high range: driving fine.

i dunno. thats all i've got. time to read "description and operation" in the ZF section of the WSM.....

 

[Ron]

Ashcroft has a good summary of common faults.

http://www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=221

I have a 4 speed ZF Auto and it sticks in first gear in the morning or when cold and is reluctant to change up from 1st gear. Once the gearbox has warmed up it shifts normally. Why?

The governor valve is sticking, which can be caused by contamination. i.e. clutch plates or other parts disintegrating. The fine debris finds its way past the filter and tends to accumulate in the governor, causing it to stick. A temporary solution is to remove and clean the governor. The problem will often recur as debris from damaged parts continues to build up in the governor. If the problem continues after cleaning the governor then it may be necessary it replace your Autobox.

We have noticed many customers reporting this fault starting a few days after an oil and filter change and after researching this using our experience and the expertise of others in the trade we have come to the conclusion that as ATF oil is a detergent type oil, when the oil is changed this will dislodge and stir up settled debris in the autobox which in turn jams the governor valve. In light of this although it sounds controversial it is debateable if changing the oil and filter is a good idea, some say if the box it going to fail it will fail if the oil is good or bad and their advice is leave it alone. I am still undecided but the truth is I get a lot of calls from customers thinking they are looking after the autobox by servicing it and a few days later this fault occurs.

We can supply rebuilt exchange autoboxes and offer a sameday fitting service, with free use of a courtesy car. Please call for details.

 

[eliaschristeas]

thanks ron. i suspect this is the case. with my 2L fluid change, the problem has lessened and perhaps by the end of the week i'll do another 2L.

I'm not hot to change anything or fix anything just yet. gonna hope it works itself out. the fact that it "seems" to be getting better is encouraging with this partial fluid renewal.

she drove great today.

 

[eliaschristeas]

havent changed anymore fluid, BUT did throw a seafoam tranny detergent in there and so far so good. OCCASIONALLY theres some 1st gear stickyness when cold, but not all the time as when 1st posted.

i may have found a live-with-able condition/tolerance level. we'll see how it plays in the coming weeks.

 

[eliaschristeas]

samel ole same ole. havent done anything. still behaving better. not perfect but better.

will drain and refill with pentostin or RP just to see....

 

[Gordo]

Start saving and drive it till it dies! Good luck. Gordo

 

[eliaschristeas]

ran like balls yesterday and today. picked up some penzoil ATF and did a complete drain and refil.

as opposed to the partial drain/fill i did a few days ago, the magnet was all kindsa shavin-spikey this time around. HOWEVER, on a 20 minute test run:

hasn't run this good since the last time venus was in retrograde..... lets see how it does from cold in a few hours.