I hate transmissions, period.

[jeeperkate]

Let me give you a little background to begin.

Two years ago I had my jeep's transmission serviced at a shop here in Duluth, mn because I had put a big dent in the pan and it needed to be replaced. While getting it replaced I thought it would be a good time to get it serviced as well. Long story short, I drove it less than 100 miles after the service before she burned up because the shop had stuffed some stuff into the cooler line and the transmission overheated to the point of no return on the freeway. When we blew out the cooler lines...some strange crap came out. At that point, I didn't trust anyone to put in a new trans for me, so me and a few friends did it ourselves. Great learning experience and saved $2000 over what a shop would have charged, but I never want to do it again. :p

Also two years ago, my honda's check engine light came on and the code identified a problem with a clutch sensor in the transmission. I called Honda and they said the computer will override the sensor and it wasn't a big deal to wait a while before I fixed it. I have yet to fix it and the Honda has 130k miles on it with no noticeable shifting problems at all. I have no idea when the fluid was changed last either, maybe 60 or 90k. Is this the best option with transmissions? Do nothing, and they will love you? Try to service them and they will destroy themselves?? What the heck?

So, that brings me to my VX story...

Last week, I got a brilliant idea to do a transmission fluid change on the VX, myself since we see how it goes at a shop. I got a new filter, two new gaskets and amsoil ATF. The good stuff! We changed everything out, put in the new fluid, followed the directions, and the VX seemed to shift maybe a bit better than normal. Until today. As I'm coming up the hill in Duluth, it misses shifting from 3rd to 4th and just revs. Not a good sign, I know. So I get her home and expect it to be the transmission fluid was low....only to open the fill plug and get some fluid dripping out of the pan. I did some research on the forum here and it says when the trans starts missing 4th that I should be prepared to rebuild my transmission. Here is where all you brilliant folks need to advise me.... Is there anything I can do/try before resolving to get the transmission rebuilt? I cannot afford it, which means that the VX will sit in storage for years to come. I really don't like that option...

What can I do? Should I try to stuff more fluid in the trans? Should there have been more coming out, more than drips, more of a flow? Can I put the Lucas anti-slip stuff in? Should I drain the pan and add that amount of new fluid back including a bottle of the lucas stuff since my flush wasn't exactly complete more of just a drain and refill? Are all these things delaying the inevitable? if so, how long can i delay it? What are my options...the VX is my favorite vehicle, but will be put away to be a toy in the future if the only solution is rebuilding...:(

(115k for miles, no idea the last time the fluid was changed but it was pretty dark coming out. No shavings in the pan when we cleaned it up. Fluid dripping out still looks a bit brown, with a red tint)

Help me please...and thank you all! For now, I have a new lawn ornament until I figure out what to do with her :(

[Marlin]

I am on the "don't do anything to the tranny ever" team now. Same story, had it serviced at Isuzu dealership at 100K miles, <1000 miles later, tranny was toast. I am just letting it go. Worst case, it goes another 100K miles before I replace it again, versus the get it serviced and go 1000 miles plan. I don't know of any tricks for your symptoms, I would just drive it till it stops shifting at all:)

[LittleBeast]

Same story for me, no tranny problems until I had the dealer change the fluid to full synthetic, then I had to rebuild it 1 month later.

[Mile High VX]

I had mine changed at 90K. Few weeks later it missed a shift and the trans temp light came on. A few weeks later it happened again. That's 10K miles ago and never another issue. I never had it checked just figured I'd drive it until it either proved to be nothing or it failed...not driving it was not an option for me.

[Y33TREKker]

What kind of trans fluid was being used before you added the Amsoil? I've always assumed that trans fluid is trans fluid, but maybe the different fluids weren't compatible and it caused a problem?

Or, maybe adding the Amsoil had the same effect we hear people talking about when changing from regular oil to synthetic oil in engines, where the synthetics start breaking up old deposits and it gets into the new oil and new filter or causes gasket leaks?

If the trans is already not shifting and the option is not driving it at all, maybe it would be worth trying something like a Seafoam Trans flush (If Seafoam makes such a product), then draining the fluids and changing the filter again? Cheaper than a new transmission anyway, but I don't have much experience with transmissions, so anyone else reading this feel free to nix the idea if you think it might just make matters worse.

[Scott Larson]

I changed fluid and filter in both VX's to Amsoil synthetic. One was at 150,000 miles and the other at 103,000 miles and have had no issues with either one. The shifts got smoother in both. I did not flush them though, that always seems to bring problems. I pulled the front and rear pans and changed out the filters and washed out the pans. I pulled the cooler lines and blew out the coolers with compressed air and blew the lines out with the filters removed, the old fluid was rather dark in both so it was definitely time for a change. Coated the gaskets with Loctite 518 and reinstalled the pans and crossmember. Refilled the trans using a six foot length of half-inch clear hose with a nylon barbed hose-end fitting screwed into the fill port and a funnel on the other end secured to the door mirror. Fire up the engine and let the trans get up to temp. (135 degrees I believe the manual calls for.) Shift the trans through the gears manually and top off the fluid. You'll know you've got the fluid level right when you can blow in the hose (by mouth) and fluid drains back into the hose from the trans, then just lower the hose and drain off the excess back into bottle. Reinstall the fill plug with a new copper gasket and you should be set. If memory serves me correct, there is a gasket that goes between the filter and the valve body and it must be installed with the new filter. Also, never check your trans fluid when the trans is cold and the engine is not running; you'll underfill it every time! Correct me if I'm wrong fellers...:slap:

[Gussie2000]

With so many miles and no idea as to when the last trans fluid change was done ( if the PO ever did so ) the best thing to do is doing anything.

I overheard many times from mechs talking about not touching a transmission with too many miles,the main reason of this advise is because after so much miles and not servicing the transmission according to the manufacturer the old fluid builts a certain kind of junk and debries that keep the gears working properly.

On my personally experience i never touch the trans of my VX since i had no idea or records of transmission service and the few times i thought about it the mechs that i consulted always told me don't mess with it if the trans is working as it should.

[vxfocus]

buy new shift solenoids on ebay and repkace them..drop the pan unplug them un bolt and switch em out.
i had to manually shift mine before i changed the sokenoids..only one was bsd but i changed em all when i had the pan off.

can you manually shift without issue?

[jeeperkate]

Scott - The process you describe is exactly what we did, to the T.

vxfocus - There isn't a gear 4 on the shifter, so there is no option to manually shift into 4. When I shift into 3 it does just fine, no issues. I haven't tested it beyond that as I was afraid of doing damage.


Here's my plan -
I am going to drain the main pan again and put a bottle of the lucas anti-slip in along with the AMSOIL, fill it perfectly to the top using the same procedure as previously and see what happens.

If the problem arises again, I will try the solenoids. (thanks for that tip vxfocus)

If that doesn't fix it, then she goes into storage...to be seen again....some day. I am hoping the cheap and easy couple of bottles of fluid fixes it up and I don't have another problem.

Everyone keep your fingers crossed! I need a little luck here...

[dsallade01]

Same story here.......did a complete tranny service, and within a week the transmission was toast. Just got it back yesterday and it feels better than it did when I bought it. :bgwb:

[eternal21]

Sounds like it's time for a manual conversion.

[Vendetta]

Sounds like it's time for a manual conversion.

+1

If ever my transmission takes a dump, Buffy's gettin' the call!
-V

[gunbarrelvx]

Is there any info on how to do the manual conversion? I would love that.

[tom4bren]

Is there any info on how to do the manual conversion? I would love that.

Buffy had a thread on it. I copied it all into a Word file for him & he's in the process of adding his finishing touches. We'll post it as a pdf as soon as he's done.

[Mile High VX]

Is there any info on how to do the manual conversion? I would love that.

And one of the CO VXers has done it so he should be a wealth of information and might even help you out....

[jeeperkate]

JEEZ - I've been gone a while. Hope everyone is doing great out there!

Well, it has been almost two months since I wrote about my transmission and it is working as normal again with the Lucas Oil drain and refill (properly refilled again - whew that trans fluid gets warm when it comes back down the tube!). YAY!! I missed driving Betty while she was being neglected until I could find the time to fix her ;)!

Now, I just have an idle problem again...grrr haha, it's always something!