1993, 240 wagon, auto.

Had the trans flushed and new filter/gasket put in. Seems to almost have a vibration in low gears (1st maybe 2nd) and after that seems to smooth out. 1st gear is pretty sluggish with no power too, got up to speed........barely........before almost getting hit from behind.

Any ideas?

 

Hope it wasn't a "power flush" in a quickie lube place... Those cause problems, and are not recommended.

What to do now? Hopefully the symptoms will go away--otherwise you may need to visit a transmission shop for a diagnosis. Not much DIY on an auto tranny besides a fluid change...

 

Hmmm, it wasn't a quickie lube, it was my regular "commercial" mechanic. It was in for state inspection so I figured I would have them flush out the trans fluid and install the filter and gasket I was going to do on my own (they hosed me on that part, new manager in there, it sucks). I'm hoping that since they dropped the pan and changed the filter they might have done it right, I hope.

Guess I can drive it and see what happens, just had no pick up "off the line" one up to 55 it was fine.

 

Sounds like low fluid level. Did you check the level by the approved procedure, whatever that is?

 

approved procedure on a AW70/71 is pretty much the same as any other conventional automatic transmission. drive the car sufficiently to thoroughly warm up the transmission, put it in park, leave it running, pop the hood, pull the transmission dipstick, wipe it off put it back in and read it. there's two sets of marks for a warm and hot transmission. if its low, put in more ATF through the dipstick tube using a clean transmission funnel.

 

Drove it and got it up to temp and fluid level checked out.

Put the rear on stands and had the wife (much to her dismay) help out. Drive axle looked to be turning fine, no wobbles. The differential moved a bit with the driveshaft but I assume that's normal and especially on stands.

I ran it a bit on the stands and it seemed to still vibrate in gear (or I'm just paranoid). It did however make some other sounds. I would rev it up and as it was winding back down right about 20 on the speedometer there was a click/thud/thunk every time, not loud but enough to notice. BUT if I engaged the OD and did the same thing, NO click/thud/thunk.

The mechanic guy said my vibration (originally) was from when I didn't tighten a control arm bolt correctly when I redid the back end, yet it still is vibrating somewhere.

I did take her out and "run her hard" so to speak and she seemed to run well. Still some vibration but shifted smoother than before the flush. Still paranoid of the vibration. I did read somewhere about vibration also caused by engine mounts? I've always thought the back of the engine looked a lot lower than the front, is that normal?

Time for some valium lol

UPDATE: Haven't taken the valium yet, probably should have and then some. Was just out running about dropping kids off, errands, etc.... Was running for a good 90 minutes. She ran fine, about what you'd expect for a 20 year old car. Then, suddenly, on the way home, I have to drive up a substantial hill, as I turn onto the road with the hill it starts to make noise and vibrate a little, thunk a little and with the gas floored it barely got up to 40mph. AARRRGGGGHHHH

 

Are you sure it's the transmission? It could well be an engine problem... Vibrations in a transmission are hard to pinpoint, I'd first eliminate them coming from the motor. If the car won't go over 40 uphill, did the trans downshift as it should? I have hills where my B230fs struggle mightily and I'd be happy to get 40mph, all they got is 114 horses. Then, if know the hill, and you know how the car drives there normally, you can best judge if there is a problem.

 

Good point, speaking of engine issues, when I got the car I had the maintenance records since 2000 (a nice bonus).

The timing belt was last replaced in November 2001 (by my math that's a little over 11 years), I just replaced all the other belts, probably should have done that one too, duh!!!!! 11 years and estimating at least 60K (original odometer stopped at 175K (timing belt at 130K), new one has 16K but not telling how long the original was inop)

Bad timing can have a similar effect?

 

huh. I live in the mountainous coastal central california region, we got plenty steep hills around here and I can't think of too many that our 240 can't rip up just fine. sure, maybe in 2nd gear, but thats good to 55-60mph at least.

 

Me thinks it has been solved. I believe when in for inspection the were rattling around my exhaust een though I am exempt and only need a visual inspection. Long story short I have an exhaust leak probably between the down pipe and cat, it sounds like a Jetsons 'car' and it gets louder when i hit the gas. Obviously this leak would effect the O2 sensor and the performance. Plus the exhaust is bouncing all over the place underneath. The one problem I had was the down pipe had a loose flange and after market had a fixed flange causing a poor mating.

If I cut off both flanges and connect with a straight or flex pipe it should fix it?