Ok, so started a few days ago... would not shift from first while daughter was driving. Then after putting in new fluid and checking kick down cable, i noticed it would shift into 2nd at just below 40 mph !!!! then, if you give any gas at all, it shifts back into 1st.

!!!! HELP !!!!

could this be a vacuum issue? or some sort of solenoid issue?

G

 

those are the symptoms of a broken kickdown cable. they also could be the symptoms of a broken transmission. no vacuum is involved here, the only solenoid is to enable 4th/OD.

you say you checked the kickdown cable... how, exactly ?

 

The cable looked just a tad loose at the throttle. I adjusted it according to a recommendation on this forum. I also pressed the cable to make sure the springs were functioning . It seems to easily slide back to the adjusted position

Also, late update. I picked up a filter kit, but that operation eventually fAiled !! The pan came off fine... However , there is some type of double nut connection of the dipstick tube to the pan. No matter what I tried, I could not break it loose. Therefor, no new filter or gasket. I put it all back together, new fluid (AGAIN), and took it out for a spin. After a couple of minutes, I pushed it hard and it jumped into 2nd gear at about 40mph. I stayed at an appropriate speed for that gear and within about five minutes it began shifting normally. I ran it for about 30 minutes with no problem.

However, As soon as the motor cools down again, the process starts all over. Cold engine- no shifting. VERY FRUSTRATING!!!!

G

 

the shifting is hydraulically controlled by a labyrinth of little valves and ***** in the pan, various control pressures do the shifting. those passages and valves can get plugged up and stuck. some of hte little ***** can wear down til they are barely BB sized.



this is stuff that only a skilled transmission shop should be messing with. and that costs more than these cars are usually worth. instead, you get a new tranny from a junkyard.

 

i would be happy t research that possibility ( junk yard tranny ) but there seem to none of those available in my area. They just laugh when i ask... suggestions?

Also, today, just for kicks, i started it, let id idle for 20 minutes and jumped in for a test run. it had trouble getting out of first but did within about 30 seconds and then began to function "semi" normally. by "semi" i mean, there were a few times at stop lights that it would not start off all the way back down in 1st. sometimes would start from 2nd hear... Once it cools down, back to square one....


G

 

junkyards around here, at least, are pick-n-pull kinda places, you have to show up and remove the parts yourself.

*any* 240, 740, 940, including turbo (but NOT 740/940 16 valve (pretty rare)) from about 1985 forward has an AW70/71 automatic transmission. pre-1989, they won't have the notch in the bell housing for the 1989+ LH2.4 Crank POsition Sensor (CPS), but that can easily enough be cut with a dremel or whatever.

otherwise, find a decent tranmsmission repair shop, locally owned, long time in business, NOT a chain. The AW70/71 is virtually the same as the transmission from 1980s/90s Toyota 2x4 pickups, and a bunch of 1980s Toyota RWD cars, its a very robust and simple design, and any decent transmission shop should have no trouble repairing it. I'd expect that to cost $2500 or so around here installed, this is why I said 'exceed cash value of car'. (its about 10 hours shop time to remove and install the tranmission, so there's $1000 up front, plus the cost to repair/rebuild it)

 

what would the the cost of one from a local pick and pull?

I'm assuming, then i'd have to pay the shop time for the swap....

G

 

pick-n-pull's webpile says Automatic Transmission(RWD) $99...

if you can pull the used one out of a wreck, you can probably install it.

 

Hmmm... found one $200 sitting on the shelf from wrecking yard... 30 day warranty....

1991 - 200k

G