Transmission help

[axisbuck]

The automatic transmission on my daily driver mitsubishi (120k miles) seems to be messing up. It just sits there for a few seconds when i put in drive and step on gas and then kicks into gear especially on cold mornings and sometimes during the day.
Took it to AAMCO and the guy said it would be $500 to take the transmission out and just take a look at it!Im no expert and i just want to get a second opinion.
Will a transmission flush help? Is there any houston area TBH'ers who work on transmissions or can recommend a mechanic ?
Thanks guys

[Smart]

seems to be a popular topic.....

Mine was doing something similar and it is now DOA.....see my post.

[axisbuck]

bump for the evening crowd

[Bill]

Check your tranny fluid, follow the instructions in the car manual (hot, in neutral, go thru the gears 1st is how I know to do it).

How long since you replaced it? Had it serviced (fluid, filter and adjust the bands)?

I paid ~$1k each for a complete rebuild on 3 cars (Volvo, Suburaban, GMC pickup) so $500 for diagnosis is getting screwed. Call the dealer and ask them what they'll charge.

[torkers]

Axis I have been a mechanic for 31 years although not a transmission mechanic. I would guess it to be a dirty filter especially since worse on cold mornings. Filter gets dirty and fluid is too thick to pass through when it is cold.

[rjet]

Axis I have been a mechanic for 31 years although not a transmission mechanic. I would guess it to be a dirty filter especially since worse on cold mornings. Filter gets dirty and fluid is too thick to pass through when it is cold.

Had a cutlass many years ago and that was exactly the problem, back then was around a $6 fix plus a 12 pack of beer.
But that was 20 years ago, so it might cost a case now days.

[Bill]

Took it to AAMCO and the guy said it would be $500 to take the transmission out and just take a look at it!I

You do not have to drop a tranny to inspect it. You drop the pan from the bottom, then inspect it for metal in the pan, the filter, adjust the bands with a torque wrench/ tools. Then put on a new gasket, put it back on.

Check the fluid level 1st. Low fluid will cause all kinds of things to happen.

[Scrambler]

Drop the pan on the transmission and change the filter. After that take it to a shop and have a transmission flush done. The transmission flush will replace about 95% of your used fluid with new where as just dropping your pan only cleans out about 33% of old fluid. A tranny flush should run around 100 dollars.

[TEAM SHARK]

We had an issue on other truck and we just did one of those transmission flushes for $80.00 and it worked for saving our transmission. Try that first before having someone rebuild it. Rebuidling a trany is more than $500.00.

[Bill]

Scrambler, that because so much fluid is in the torque converter and does not drain, correct?

[Tommyh]

Changing the flluid on a tranny with this many miles if it has never been done is an iffy prospect for the simple fact that when you drain the old fluid out, youre draining the particles in the fluid that are helping it shift now. The most common cause for this to happen is the seals on each of the pistons with the clutch packs in the drums becoming old and stiff. once they get a little warm, they increase in size and begin to "seal". Most likely, youre going to have to do a seal kit at the least, and a rebuild at the most.

[axisbuck]

Thanks guys for all the info. Im leaning towards changing the filter, flush the fluid and change the seal kit. I will let yall know how it goes.

[SmTx]

Dropping the pan will also tell you if there is any metal in it. And if there is metal, a rebuild is in the future.

[DJM]

The symptoms you're describing indicate it needs a band adjustment.If you can't do it yourself any competent shop can do it.It does not require removal of the transmission.

DJ

[axisbuck]

Thanks guys..i see a consensus here ...drop the pan, inspect it for metals, transmission flush if needed, band adjustment.