how to fix reluctant auto tranny?

[Grogador]

The automatic transmission in my 1992 Chrysler Dynasty is getting worse. When cold, it won't go into gear unless I give it some revs, then it might go into "limp mode" (2nd gear I think, 80kph max) until I reboot the car. Otherwise it shifts decent, not jerky or clunky. It was flushed a few years ago and the fluid level is good. I've added Lucas Oil transmission fixer fluid but it didn't help much.

The car is a beater, so I'm not into spending too much... it's a common problem with one of the clutches or seals or some such, the same thing happened in my 91 Dynasty and eventually the tranny died when a helpful shop filled it with DEXRON (wrong fluid specified by helpful Chrysler, there was a recall).

Any ideas how to improve it? Other than driving it off a cliff...

[D. Dub]

If it's reluctant to work properly?


Talk nice to it perhaps?

[dj_honda]

Originally posted by Grogador
The automatic transmission in my 1992 Chrysler Dynasty is getting worse. When cold, it won't go into gear unless I give it some revs, then it might go into "limp mode" (2nd gear I think, 80kph max) until I reboot the car. Otherwise it shifts decent, not jerky or clunky. It was flushed a few years ago and the fluid level is good. I've added Lucas Oil transmission fixer fluid but it didn't help much.

The car is a beater, so I'm not into spending too much... it's a common problem with one of the clutches or seals or some such, the same thing happened in my 91 Dynasty and eventually the tranny died when a helpful shop filled it with DEXRON (wrong fluid specified by helpful Chrysler, there was a recall).

Any ideas how to improve it? Other than driving it off a cliff...

make sure the fluid is full...or if it has a filter, change that.

[420Ninja]

Hate to break it to you but your transmission is completely f'd. When it wont engage gear occasionally there are some very very serious problems. Now if your mechanically inclined that unit is one of the easier ones to pull out, just make sure you rig something up to support the engine because it will be hanging from the mount on the passenger side and thats it. Personally i'd get rid of the car, its just going to break more and more, that and even if you pull the unit yourself it'l still cost a grand or so to get a rebuild, course you could get a used unit but still its a new yorker... you'll probably get more money for it as scrap metal then selling it.

And to give you an answer to some things you mentioned, to replace the clutch packs or most of the seals you will need to perform a full rebuild. And many transmission shops do fill almost all transmissions with dexron II, then put in a additive that will make the fluid perform like mercon V, or honda's ATF whatever, warranty approved so there should be no issues. Still it could be very possible that some idiot did just throw dexron II in it. Also the reason it shifts so smoothly is because its completely fucked, auto boxes can either shift very hard when f'd (fords for example) or very softly which is probably applicable to your case.

edit: and in my younger days i blew something up in my new yorker, ended up with 2nd gear only, so i wandered up to the acura dealer in crowfoot and they actually took it in for a trade in, $1000 towards a 1.6el. Came back a few months later and they manager mentioned how i got a great deal on my car lol :P