Re: Need help with transmission

[raf40@oes.amdahl.com (Richard Funnell)]

Mark,

>Hey guys!
>
>My trusty and reliable little 80 has developed little transmission
>"distraction".  Seems that it won't upshift with pressure still on the gas
>pedal. (It is an automatic).

Will it upshift if you let the rpm get up to @4500 rpm?  I don't know your
car, but most automatic transmissions have some sort of linkage with the
throttle to increase the shift point as you step on the throttle.  If this
linkage is broken, it may think you are giving it maximum throttle when you
aren't.  The effect would be to raise the shift point to the maximum.

If the linkage is based on vacuum, mimimum vacuum corresponds to maximum
throttle.  Therefore, a vacuum leak would look like maximum throttle and
the shift point would be raised.  If it is a partial leak, lifting your
foot increases vacuum, possibly to the point of overcoming the leak and
causing the shift point to reduce to your current engine rpm.  I just had
the same symptoms on my 560SL after it had stood for a long weekend, though
it seems to have fixed itself for now.

I would suggest you find a manual or an honest mechanic to look into the
throttle linkage.  This doesn't sound like an internal problem to me.  Good
luck.

y releasing the gas and letting engine speed
>decrease, it will generally catch, until repeating the process for the next
>gear.   OK, here's the exciting part! The dealer says it's obviously an
>internal problem and will cost about $990 just to drop the trans and go
>inside, with possibly as much as another $1500 to fix and put back together.
>It is a 1990 80, no previous tranny problems, and otherwise in almost
>perfect condition for a 79k car.  Does this sound like an honest estimate?
>Especially, since when a dropped the car off y-day, I visited with a
>salesman about the A4, which I also drove again. He (the salesman) really
>wants me to have one, and he knows if my 80 requires a substantial tribute
>to the Audi gods, I might be more likely to "trade up".  The car is worth
>book wholesale about $6850, and I still owe about $6350.
>
>Any comments, thoughts, suggestions are extremely appreciated!
>
>Also, please note my new, improved address! (No longer MShilTCC@aol.com)
>
>TIA
>
>Mark
>Mark Shilling   shilling@txchemcouncil.com
>Texas Chemical Council
>
>'81 4k4e (gone but not forgotten)
>'82 4k 5+5 (gone and definitely forgotten)
>'90 80 2.0 (maybe here, maybe gone)

Richard Funnell,
San Jose, California
'83 urQ
'87 560 SL