Ok, I am at my wits end right now with the transmission problem plauging my Turbo. 1 week ago, and 1 day (Tuesday) I took the car into a local tranmission shop to have it rebuilt. $995 plus taxes. That's it.
I met the guy, talked to him in person, and didn't get the feeling he was trying to rip me off. Seemed decent enough. Anyway, 1 week goes by and I'm told yesterday that after rebuilding the transmission, they test drove the car and it still slipped. They told me it could be the valve body, so they cleaned it and worked on it. Apparently that didn't affect the slipping. Then today, I was given a call and told that information, and that they thought it could be the "governor"? Anyway, they replaced that, and again, with the same results. I am so frustrated right now I can't even think clearly.
The guy has told me the rebuilt the ENTIRE tranmission. The fixed and cleaned the valve body, replaced the "governor", replaced the bands, etc. From the sounds of things, they seem not to have a clue why it's still slipping.
This is key now, apparently it runs MUCH better than it did. As a matter of fact, I was told it runs just fine 5 times out of 10. They said that the ONLY problem was that from time to time when the car was sitting at a dead stop and then taking off, it would act like it's in second gear.
Apparently they are so flumoxed, that they called some peformance specialist up in Phoenix and were told it could be vaccum lines causing the problem. I was then told they were getting those diagrams faxed down here to Tucson and would be going through the ones running to the tranmission.
What this tells me is that they have done everything they know how to do. You don't call another shop unless your clueless. More than anything right now is that I'm worried that this place isn't going to fix the problem. Now, if they come back to me and say "We did what we said we were going to do, we rebuilt the tranny, and it still slips. Sorry, we don't know what's wrong", fine. I would accept that. If it's engine related, I'll take it somewhere else. BUT, if I take it to another transmission shop and they can prove to me that not everything was looked at.....well....let's just say the place I took it to will be in a world of hurt.
OK, Enough venting. If you can only read one thing out of all of this anger induced mess, it would be this:
The transmission, as far as I know, has been rebuilt. However, from time to time, when taking off from a dead stop, it acts as if it's in second gear, slipping completely through first.
Can anyone help me? I know I shouldn't be giving advice to a place which is supposed to know how to fix these things, but at this point, I'm so fed up, I'm willing to try anything.
torque convertor?
is it a stock converter or is it a new one? cuz i belive the conveter definatly could cause something like this. have it checked out.
Ok, first question. Does the A4ld have a normal Torque Converter like every other tranmission, bolted just outside the flexplate? Secondly, I thought the transmission guy told me that it didn't have a regular torque converter, but some pump inside the tranmission itself....
yeah have them look at the converter since you rebuilt the tranny and it still slips and by process of elemination the converter is the old part still in use.
No, no, no! This place I took it too Rebuilt the tranmission!!!!
They are the ones who called me and told me that after doing so, it was acting like it was in second gear when taking off from a dead stop. I didn't touch the tranny!!!
This is what I'm trying to get across. I took it in, and asked for a rebuild. The guy calls me today, tells me they rebuilt the entire transmission, did everything they normally would do, but when they took it out for a test drive, from time to time while launching from a dead stop, the car would act like it's in second gear. I'm assuming they looked at the torque converter when they rebuilt it!!
I'm asking the question so when this place calls back, and if they still haven't fixed the problem, I might be able to suggest something. What frustrates me more than anything is that when you take your car into a place which allegedly only deals with Transmission Rebuilds, you expect that they get the job done. But instead, I have a guy on the phone who sounds stumped!!!
well if they have done everything and looked at the torque converter then id be stumped too. but really ask em to see if they have.
The only thing they haven't looked at yet are the vaccum lines? How much of a difference could these things have on the shifting?
They use a lock up torque converter, but its still like a typical torque converter.
It is mildly possible that its a vacume line, because if i remember correctly, the A4LD has a vacume modulator on it, that serves the same purpose as the TV cable or rod as we have on our AOD's
I just don't get it...and apparently these people don't either. I mean, they rebuilt the entire tranmission. They did the valve body, governor, bands, etc. The works. Yet, apparently from time to time, it slips into second when launching from a dead stop.
They changed the modulator. Now they tell me it could be the vaccum lines. And that is what they are looking at now. I just wonder what else could be causing this? I mean, they re-built the thing! Something as elementary (to them) as changing the torque converter should have been seen by them. I'm worried that I'm going to end up taking the car, and it still will be slipping. It just doesn't make any sense to me.
is it a computer controlled transmission? the reason i ask is i had one in a oldsmobile, i believe, that did the same thing. if i remember correctly it was an electronic problem that was causing it. w tryed just putting in a brand new transmission and it did the same thing. any way good luck
jeremy
well to me, a rebuild would include the valve body and torque converter. i was under the impression that any slipping issues would be caused by the converter or the bands. then again, i also rember hearing alot of people having problems with the automatic turbo trannys. lol, if you were closer id sell you my rebuilt auto tranny for 100$
That's what I don't get. The guy told me the did rebuild the Valve body and I'm assuming the Torque Converter was included. When I was talking to this guy, he just seemed like he had exhausted all of his normal procedures. He ended up calling some place in Phoenix for vaccum diagrams! If worse comes to worse, I will get the car back, and take it to another place and ask for the tranny to be looked at. If they find something that wasnt fixed.....well.....I'll be heading back to the my current rebuilders and have a little chat with them.
Read through here, maybe I missed it though. Have they tried test driving it starting with it in first, not drive?
Does it actually start in 2nd (can probably be checked with pressure gauges in test ports), or does it just feel like it, with no get-up-and-go?
If it's the second one, the one-way clutch in the converter might not be holding, letting the stator spin freely and not directing the fluid to multiply torque as it should. It can only really be checked under load, or by cutting the converter in half (not something you normally do).
From:
http://www.bmracing.com/index.php?id=techcorner
[COLOR="Red"]The stator has a very important function inside the converter as it multiplies torque by redirecting fluid flow in converter and it incorporates a one-way clutch assembly. The one-way clutch assembly allows the stator to hold, when the converter is multiplying torque and to spin in the direction of the oil flow when not holding.
The one-way clutch assembly (sprag) is designed to hold the stator when the converter is in the multiplication stage or when the converter is at stall. This is extremely critical at the starting line when the engine is up against the transbrake or is footbrake stalled. The stator is capable of multiplying the torque the engine produces which will help to launch the vehicle. If the one-way clutch slips the vehicle will have a very lazy launch, poor reaction times and lousy 60-foot times.[/COLOR]
Well even better news...
Now the pen 15s won't let me have my car back. Their reasoning? It must be fixed! They know if I take it from them broken, and I find out they didn't do everything they could, They're finished as a business. Then they told me when, if ever, I get my car back, I will be charged double the price for all the extra time and effort they've spent trying to fix my "unique problems".
I'm thinking of a way I could break into the place and "steal" my car back from them.
I applaud a business that wants to fix the car before letting you get it back, but xtra charges for something they can't figure out isn't right IMO. Master Blaster is correct in that a bad convertor is usually difficult to diagnose without cutting it open. A new one should be used if there is any reason to suspect it as well as the possibility of debris getting in it from a trans failure. Have they tried another converter yet?
No, they claimed "that wasn't the problem". They told me today they were going to reopen the transmission and "re-evaluate" the Valve Body situation, and put on another vaccum modulator. (All of these of course at my expense)
I've got a hoodie, wire cutters, and my spare set of keys, just in case.
I'd check with a lawyer, first. One the has a free initial consultation. I can't see some place being able to keep your car from you if you were able to pay for services rendered. It's your right as the owner to be able to take it someplace else for a second opinion.
It's YOUR car. You have to give them permission to work on it. If they do work on it after you've told them not to I would say you have a legitimate lawsuit on your hands. Most people could care less and just say "Whatever it takes, fix it!" When you say something like "If it goes over $800, then call me before you do it" then they don't call and do what they would normally charge $2000 for is unethical at the very least. Things like this are why mechanics get a bad stereotype. Call the Better Business Bureau and then call the shop to let them know you plan on having your attorney contact them.
Bells are ringing in my head hearing that ( I'm thinking like .. Call the Better Business Bureau). As said above, nothing wrong about keeping the car to commit to fixing it, but this is no longer your problem to pay for. Did they give you a written estimate for the work before starting?
Go to Parts America/Advance Auto store and you can find out what a complete new remanufactured tranny costs for your car. They get them from http://www.accuratetrans.com (http://"http://www.accuratetrans.com") These things are dyno tested before leaving the factory.
Keep that parts cost in mind if these clowns are thinking of charging you even more for a possible bad rebuild job. They should charge you no more for what they have done with their rebuild than what it would cost for labor and the tranny to swap one of these guaranteed good trannys into the car.
The about all of this is that the car is in a really bad area of town. The area with all the thugs and their lowriders. I swear, when and if I ever get my car back, it wouldn't surprise me to see all 4 hubcaps missing, and the side trim gone as well. Some little chain link fence parking lot is all that separates me (and the outside world) from my car.
(Why the hell do Thunderbirds get thugged out so much anyway!?)
The guy I keep talking with is constantly calling me with "mandatory expenditures" and "must-do's" in order to keep the car in a "acceptable running level". Apparently they've messed up so bad that they are charging me for THEIR mistakes. Of course, all the while this is going on, they still for the life of them cannot figure out the problem. This of course is a catch-22 meaning I may not see my car for an "indefinite" period of time, according to the manager of this place.
Ironically, the man who runs this outfit is called "Honest George". Typical used car salesman type with the gold chains, etc. The jerk fits the stereotype so much it's not even funny.
I just want my car back!
Wow that sounds like hell. I'm here in tucson- Just woundering which place you took it to so I never even think of takeing anything I own there.
Have they said they are going to charge you more for the extra time spent working on it?
Sounds like someone there has taken a liking to your car, and wants to keep it.:nutkick:
Well, I got a phone call this morning....early this morning. Apparently the problem has been solved. The guy said that they had to replace the Vaccum Modulator, again, and that there was a sticking 3/4 valve in the valve body that they missed the first time. Apparently the problem was solved last night but I wasn't informed until today.
The good news is that from the sounds of things, I may only have to pay what my written estimate said.
straight you only have to pay for the written estimate, you don't have to pay for their mistakes, and you make sure to tell them that too.
Sounds like a good shop to me. They stayed with it until they figured it out and did not try to screw you with the bill. Even though they may have lost money on the deal.
What more can you ask for? If you expect perfection all the time every time, you are not living in the real world.
It would be nice if you apologized to them for all the bad thoughts you had about them.
If you end up with anything extra, I would do as paul suggested. Honestly, I wouldnt be against breaking into a place to get my car out. I have done it before with freinds at impound lots.
You didnt hear that from me though.