94 ATX tranny

[Bluto]

I have heard the automatic tranny is not great in the sho, but does anyone else experience the tranny taking its time to shift into 3rd?

Even under less aggressive acceleration, I find that the car tends to wind out a little before slidding into the next gear. Is this common?

I know the 5speed is way quicker, but my car seems to be asleep from 0-25, but kicks in around 26mph. Is this common?

Thanks for any feedback!

 

[shocrates]

My ATX has about 62,??? miles on it and I feel it performs flawlessly. I've never experienced the tranny taking its time to shift and I hope I never experience it sleeping from 0-25 mph.

If the engine is running well and has been properly maintained I would suspect the trans is on its way out. Assuming the trans has 125k+ miles, I would be grateful it lasted as long as it did. Good luck!

 

[Bluto]

Thats not good. It may have lasted 125000, but I have only had it 3 days. I am strapped after purchasing it so I will try a service/filter and addative for now. When accelerating moderatly do your RPMs go to between 4500 and 5000 before shifting?
Thanks

 

[SolidState]

dude, you sound just like me. I bought mine about a month ago...

yeah, mine acts funny from 2-3, and when coming from 3-2, it'll clunk pretty bad if you hit the throttle wrong. the OD band slips a little too...

My tranny is on the way out. I know this, so I am taking it easy on it right now. I figure it isn't going to blow up anytime soon, but it certainly isn't the healthiest...

 

[DJ SHO]

Check your codes for a possible Vehicle Speed Sensor. Just replaced mine. It's very very sensative to change and could be screwing up your shift times if it's on its way out. Are you experiencing any other problems to help narrow down the VSS, such as changes in the speed sensative steering, or cruise control randomly not working? Also, the Ted B. LPM will help change the shifting for the better.

 

[Larry Bialecki]

I have basicly the same problem with my 93. I have 162K on trans. I find that the problem is worst when the vehicle is hot. I occasionally get a 641 code. For stop and go traffic I run in 2nd up to 35 mph not letting the system shift to 3rd prevent hard down shifts. If the problem is realy bad I shift to N during stopping again to avoid a hard downshift. The problem started about 1 year ago. I brought the vehicle to a shop and they road tested and flushed the trans. At the time there was no gunk in the pan to show ware and they said that there was no slipping. They said that all was well with the shifting. Things are a little worst now. I am wondering if my 3rd shift selinoid could be sticking or maybe, as was suggested, the speed sensor could be bad. Is there any thing that can be done without taking out the trans? Well good luck with your problem, just though you would like to know my experience.

 

[billh]

My ATX died at 106K everything inside the trans was fine with the exception of the front pump. The shaft stripped off the splines. A Transgo shift kit was added to the rebuild. The addition of the TedB LPM made the trans shift better still. Upshifts are fine, no complaint with the 2-3 shift. At 10 to 20 MPH, idling in traffic and then accelerating, it still feels like a C4 that's about two quarts low in fluid. Engine free winds then slams into gear, most annoying. If you feather the throttle, the trans down shifts without the engine picking up RPM and everything is fine. I am keeping an eye out for a 95 MTX car at a reasonable price in the Pacific Northwest.
Good Luck

 

[Bluto]

Glad to know I'm not alone. I too have noticed when its hot its worse. The cruise and speed sens steering seem fine. I am thinking of trying the flush filter deal with some addative. I am new and not a qualified mech, so I definitly don't have the tools to pull codes. I am sure as I venture into sho hood I will acquire such tools.

Are you guys driving these things daily?

 

[luigisho]

You don't need special tools to check for engine codes. Checkout shotimes.com care and feeding of the SHO for the code pulling procedure.

 

[BIGSHOMIKE]

I just had mine looked at the other day, they said at that point not to change the fluid because when things are starting to get loose/ go bad this only makes it worse. He told me when mine starts slipping into 3rd it's time to rebuild it (mine isn't there yet but it's going), if you wait too long after that you can damage hard parts which get's expensive real fast, not that a rebuild is cheap.

 

[ShoGuy93]

Thats what i am going through right now. hard down shifting and hard up shifting. and my steering wheel gets really tight around turns. I got my codes pulled and the vss did throw a code. but they said my tranny fluid smelled like i was burning my clutch plates. and when my tranny gets warm and i put it in park the clutch plate doesn't disingauage. so i am getting the vss replaced. and then the inside of the tranny looked at too...

<small>[ August 14, 2002, 01:49 PM: Message edited by: ShoGuy93 ]</small>

 

[Chris Benvie]

I blew third gear in mine, have a new one put in as we speak with a transgoshift kit, should be firmer into third now

 

[Bluto]

Man things are tough all over. I did speak to a independant tranny guy today. He drove the car and said its on its way out. He will rebuild mine with a 12000 or 1year warrenty for ....a reasonable $1800.00. Thats not bad.

The good news is the NJ dealership I got the car from last week will send a transport to my home in Upstate NY and give me a full refund. Thats swell, but I offered to keep the care if he pays the 1800 big ones. We will see what he says. I already have my eye on another one in the area that I can test drive before purchase.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[whlav]

I've heard that Doug Lewis at FPS outside Atlanta offers an outstanding ATX for about $200.00 more than you were quoted in your area.

When I was there in March there were SHOs from NY,NJ,IL and MI being serviced. Sounds like a lot of people willing to go out of their way for his service.

I was pleased with the work he did for me and will be going to him when my ATX needs to be replaced.