automatic Trans Problem

[jody]

Hi I have a 1984 944 with an Automatic trans. It was working fine.
I went out the other day to take the car for a spin. I shifted the gear selector
to 1st. and the car had to be rev up just to make to roll.
It acted like the brake was on. Then I put the car in reverse.
It still acted as though the brake was on. I then shifted
the car to drive and it started rolling easy as though the brake
was released.

Ok I'm rolling down the road. I decied to shift it back to 1st gear again.
It felt like someone put the brakes on. The only way the car will go
is to put it in drive or 2sd. gear . While I was driving it I notcited it only
shifts from 2nd. to 3th. gear when in the drive position. The trans. will
not use 1st. gear.

I tried rev. gear again and I get the same thing. It act's like you've got
the brakes on. It will roll you just have to give it a lot of gas.

Help!!

Jody Chrisman


Last edited by jody on 0

[AFJuvat]

ouch Ouch OUCH!!!!

Need a little more information from you.

1. When was the fluid changed?
1a. Does it have fluid in it?
2. Same thing for torque converter
3. How dows it shift when in drive?
4. How many miles are on this thing?
5. When, if ever was the flex disk replaced?

The problem you describe could have several possible causes.

Check your fluid in both your transmission and torque converter - change them. (if you haven't done so recently) and make sure it is filled to the proper level.

Beyond that, you will probably require the services of someone experienced in transmission repair. There are too many possibilities to consider without some more detailed information.

AFJuvat

[AFJuvat]

Ok, done some more checking in the books

Unfortunately, if it isn't your fluid, and I am reading the problem you describe correctly:

"Irregular drive in all forward gears, affecting only first gear , as well as irregular drive in reverse"

Some of your possibilities are:

Oil Screen contamination (you have changed your filter haven't you?)

All of the below require tranny dissassembly and repair:

1st/Reverse gear brake burned/worn
1st gear one-way clutch not holding/defective
D and R clutch lined plates burned/worn
Forward clutch lined plates burned/worn

Don't know how long you have owned the car, but it looks like your tranny was abused. Depending on how much it costs, you might consider finding a used tranny.

AFJuvat

[jody]

Ok here we go. the car was bought 3years ago with a trans problem. It would go in reverse but trans sliped in reverse.

The car was sent to a local guy that had worked for a porsche dealer ship for may years and just went out on his on.

He said the trans had been rebuilt, and all the parts looked good. He said who ever did the job put the reverse gear in wrong. The car was fixed!

My dad has driven the car about 3000 miles since that time.
( 3 years ago! )

I have driven the car about 800 miles since I got it 2 months ago.
The car has a total of 128000 miles. It was shifting fine.

This happen over night. It shiftes ok now when in drive, but does not shift to first gear.

Ok I just check the trans fluid and its over full to top of the resovoir!!! The fluid is clean. No bad smell's and is not discolored.

Thanks for your help AFJuvat

Jody

[daly944]

i have a fair assortement of 944 auto tranny parts, all of them only have 28k miles on them, i changed my tranny to a manual. if you need something just tell me what it is and i'll see if i have it, i'm trying to get rid of these parts.

[AFJuvat]

Ok, if you could - please describe the problem a with a little more detail..

things like..

How does the car drive when it is in D?
Is it shifting hard?, early/late?
how much do you have to rev the engine (RPMs) to get the car going in 1st or reverse?
When was the fluid and filter changed?

Thanks

AFJuvat

[jody]

AFJuvat, The car shifts as it normally would when you put it in drive position. In fact, you can't tell there is any problem. You do notice that it does not shift into first gear. but it does not shift hard or anything like that. You are asking if the filter was changed, I would assume the last time it was rebuilt it was changed, which was about 4000 miles ago. I'm sure the oil was changed at that time.

If you put the car in first or reverse you have to rev the car up around 3000 RPM before the car will start to move, then the car doesn't want to move. It is like you have left the emergency brake on and it stops immediately after you let off the gas. Yet, if you put the car in d or second gear it takes off like it normally would except for the fact that the transmission is not in first but in second gear. So, the car does not have the most power as it normally would in take off. If your driving along a 20 or 30 mph and put car car in first its just like putting on the brake the car stops fast it will not coast.

daly944, I would be glad to take any parts you have for the auto trans. In fact, do you have the whole unit and was it working when you took it out? Please let me know. I would be glad to take it off your hands. You can email me at jmrochelle@yahoo.com

thanks guys!!!
jody

[Scott R]

Sounds like a bad band. Or fluid pressure in the valve body is low. Once you rev it pressure rises and in enguages. Drop the pan and look for an irregular amount of metal, if there is suspect a bad band. If not then you may need a good flush to clean the valve body out, or in the worst case scenario you have a cracked valve body.

[jody]

Scott R, The trans try's to push the car as soon as its in gear. It just will not move. Acts as if the brake is on. But the engine loads
just like you've put in in gear.

Here's What James at Pelican Parts has to say about my problem.

"Hi jody, I don't have much experience with A/T cars, but I can tell you
your problem is pretty strange. Its sounds like you broke something on
one of the shafts (reverse and 1st usually share components on most
transmissions). I suggest you take it to place that has lots of good
experience with VW/Audi/Porsche auto transmissions. My experience has
been that its pretty hard to find somebody who has experience or will
work on these units.

james"

Thanks James

[Scott R]

Thats good advice. In fact you should just probably swap a used core in for cheap. Some of the gears on the shafts are 100's by themselves.

[AFJuvat]

Agreed - the cost of a used transmission would be far less than the cost of having yours rebuilt/repaired.

AFJuvat

[Roger Hall]

i have no expereince with transmissions on these cars but on my other cars when an automatic transmission goes it slips badly an the car will not move i have never heard of one binding up like this do these transmissions have soleniods i would get some transmedic or other additive that cleans the system use about 20% and run the tranny in first grear for about 15 or 20 min then drain and replace with fresh fluid and filter if this doesn't work i would have the transmission checked for a stuck soleniod, actuator or valve

[drew1]

I kind of agree with Scott. If it's like putting on the brakes in some gears, it is the valve body not releasing bands or not releasing servos,


drew1

[jody]

The transmission fluid level is to the top of the fill cap.
How that happend I have no idea!

I'm going to try and drain some out and see what happens.

[Britwrench]

If the fluid is overfilled and you are certain that no-one has worked on the trans recently, then there is a good chance that the seal between the differential and the trans has failed and the trans is full of gear oil from the diff. To repair this means pulling the trans out and seperating the trans from the diff, replacing ALL of the seals and re-fitting. Obviously you need to inspect the ring and pinion and diff bearings for oil starvation damage. If you have ANY doubts about the condition of the trans the cheapest and possibly best way out is to install a good used trans.
Don't forget to flush the cooler and lines too.

[Cebu]

The problem described for the "automastic transmission" erratic shift is the "FLAT GOVERNOR" (if fluid level is ok) located on the left side of the transaxle, looking forward from the rear" above where the CV attaches. Flat Governor was $186.65 from Vertex about two years ago. I had the problem of erratic shifts then about a year later, strong 1st gear and reverse but no upshift. The Flat Governor was the faulty part.

[jody]

Ok the problem is not with the fluid level. I have drained it down to normal level.

I have found out that if I put the car in drive then shift to neutral the car coasts forward. However, if you put the car in reverse (of course it does not want to move, it is like having the brake on) If you shift to neutral, it stops instantly. Again as if though you have put the brake on. The engine pulls down when you put it in drive or reverse as though the trans is in gear.

Thanks for your help. Jody

[jody]

Ok I took the trans apart! I found a bad accumulator seal. Put a new one in ($9.45) . Transmission is fixed!!!

I guess I just got lucky.

BTW those transmissions are a piece of cake..

[drew1]

Way to go.

[jody]

Thanks man I'm HAPPY!!!

BTW if you guys need me to rebult one let me know!!! If you've ever been in a auto trans, you'll fine that these are easy....