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I have an automatic 1984 Honda civic and it will drive in 1st,2nd,and reverse gears but it won't move in drive. Why?

Probably the 3-4 clutches are burned up.

George


Hi! I am 17 years old and have a 1991 z28 camaro. I have started to modify my car with changing the exhaust system and ignition system. But when I got it back from the shop I noticed that it was shifting at 3200rpms when I am shooting for around 4200rpms. How can I change my shifting points when I have an automatic transmission? I have already put in a Hypertech computer chip. And if I put in some headers will it mess up anything or cause any problems? The rest of my exhaust pipe 3 inches so I want to change and put in some 3 inch headers. Please reply soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'd suggest a shift kit. I use Gil Younger's stuff: you can basically make the thing do anything you want. I get around $100 to $150 to install one.

You might try adjusting the kickdown cable (by the TBI unit). Pull up the locking tab, pull cable to rear of car a bit, relock.

George


Make: chevy
Model: blazer 4x4
Year: 93
Engine Size: 4.3
Repairs: 4 wheel drive(push button)will not work. when I push the button the green light lights up for a second but will not blink the three times to show that it is engaged. ABS light is on on the intrument panel and anti-lock is not working.

I believe the actual shift is done with vacuum, switched electrically. Check for abroken/loose vac. line.

George


I have a Chev- Nova 1986 with a transmission going out it seems. My car has only 60,000 miles on it. Some days it works just perfectly and shifts just fine, by the way its an automatic. Then other times I get in my car and it acts like it is not going to shift but finally does and it acts like its only in second gear so I cant even drive the freeway. This will continue until the next time I get in my car after leaving it sit overnight then it will act fine again for a few days then back to the shifting problem...Does this sound major? I have had some quotes of up to $1200 dollars to fix it. I have even left it in the shop for 3 days for them to test drive but it acted normal so they couldn't fix it or diagnose it for me...what do you suggest? Any help at this point would be much appreciated..Thanks...

I would check for a sticky throttle valve linkage (kickdown), or a sticky governor. If the transmission doesn't slip, it should be able to be repaired without a complete overhaul (the 1200 price tag, although I do them somewhat cheaper.)

My books are a little vague on that car: it's made by toyota but marketed by chev... neither company wants anything to do with them!

Would have top see the car to tell you much more.

George

Thank you for your fast response to my Chev. Nova transmission problem yesterday or what I thought was one. You told me to check to see if I had a sticky throttle valve linkage first...well I sprayed all of it with WD-40 and it seems to run fine again at least for two days in a row now. I could of been out 1200 dollars for nothing ...you are a life saver! Hope you continue this fine service you provide the public...your won over friend____________

Can you also recommend some good spray by brand name besides what I use to keep my choke from sticking? Thanks ...

As gen purpose lube WD is about as good as you can get. For loosening up stuff, there's a product called "PB Blaster: I've found it quite good. WD is good for what you're doing, however.

George


I just had to put a clutch in my 84' ford pickup with a 300 straight six and I put everything back in right and now my truck wouldn't go into gear and the clutch pedal doesn't feel right. Can you give me any advise.

If it has a hydraulic clutch, may need to bleed.Might have wrong parts: throwout bng., pp, etc.

George


Make: Pontiac Model: Grand Am Year: 1994 Engine Size: 3.1L/V6 Repairs: Radiator leaked into transmission. Need new Rad & overhaul Transmisison. Should this type of thing happen to a 5 year old car with only 90, 000 kms. I am writing from Calgary, AB Canada.

No, it really shouldn't have. A radiator failing by leaking externally, maybe (the salt on the roads,you know) but your failure is from an internal leak: and I KNOW you've kept antifreeze in it up there!
Undoubtably a defective radiator: bad joint or something. Might be interesting to cut the old one open to see exactly what happened. Anyway, in my shop in Fla.. Radiator: $200 parts and labor Transmission: Approx. $800 Parts and labor, assuming no massive inner part damage. Have you tried changing the fluid & flushing it a couple of times? Amazingly, water sometimes doesn't tear it up!

George


I have a manual transmission in my 89 240SX. Recently I had the cruise control fixed--clutch rod needed to be adjusted. It was tripping my cruise off. Before I had it fixed, the pedal was mushy and would stay down instead of releasing up with my foot. I would have to put my foot under it and pull it up in between shifts. After they adjusted it, it was great. Nice and firm, and would release easily. Now it is going back to mush and sticking to the floor after only a month or less. Is this a big problem or does it just need to be adjusted again? If adjustment is needed, can this be done easily by myself...if so is the adjustment performed by the pedal or somewhere under the car?

Sounds like clutch hydraulic problem: slave cyl. master cyl. Look for fluid leakage at rod from top of pedal to cyl. behind rubber boot. Look behind rubber boot on cyl. on side of tranny: (slave) the leaker is the prob.

George


Make: Ford >Model: Probe GT >Year: 95 >Engine Size: 2.5L V6 >Repairs: I have two seperate questions and would appreciate two seperate estimates. A little background on the car: It has 40,000 miles on it.

My car grinds when I shift from fourth to fifth gear when the Rpm's are higher than 3,000 only when the engine is warm (like when getting on to the highway). I think it may be the synchros? Ideas? cost to fix it?

Unless the clutch is very low to the floor (this would also give a "hard to get into reverse" symptom) you do indeed need sychro's. This entails either rebuilding your tranny or replacing it with a used unit. Rebuilding is approx. $800 (depending on parts req'd once it's apart. This is a good average figure). Replacement with used unit: $208 labor + the tranny cost. Used ones start at about $300, sometimes much more. At some point it's cheaper to rebuild! Would recommend replacing clutch parts at same time: no more labor, approx $150 parts.

George



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Thank you for visiting the ECONOMECHANIX WEB SITE. Please feel free to comment. We also serve the surrounding communities of Alachua, High Springs, Hawthorne, and Newberry! Gainesville has been my home since 1974, and I've loved Gvl and the Gators since I came here in the fall of 1974 to attend the University of Florida. I loved it so much I stayed and opened my car repair business. Originally it was out of the back of a 1963 Chevrolet wagon, but in 1977 a fellow mechanic and I opened an auto repair shop with actual walls, etc. I stayed in the same location for 26 years, and recently moved my operation to property I bought 15 miles east of Gainesville. I am doing most all the repairs myself now, having reduced my overhead from $1500 per month to practically nothing. I do work by appointment only. I mostly work only on my established customers cars, but I will occasionally take on new clients. E-mail me and I will either make arrangements to look at your car, or I will recommend you to someone who will.

George G. Scott, Jr.


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Auto, Car, and Truck Article List

A
ABS: Anti-Lock Brake Systems
ADVANCE: Car ignition timing
ALTERNATORS and Car Battery
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS
B
BATTERIES: Auto, Car or Truck
BELTS AND HOSES
BEARINGS
BODY AND BUMPER REPAIRS
BRAKE REPAIRS: Car or Truck
C
CARBURETORS:Car & Truck
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT
CLEANING: Engine Cleaning
CLUTCH REPAIRS: Car & Truck
COMPRESSION: Car Engine
COMPUTER CAR CONTROLS
CV JOINT OR CV AXLES
D
DISTRIBUTORS (IGNITION)
E
ENGINES: Car & Truck
ENGINE CLEANING
EXPANSION PLUGS
F
FREEZE PLUGS
FUEL AIR MIXTURE
FUEL INJECTION: Car & Truck
FUEL PUMPS: Car & Truck
G
GAGES AND "IDIOT LIGHTS"
GASKETS AND SEALS
GLASS: WINDOWS AND WINDSHIELDS
H
HEADS & HEAD GASKET
HOSES AND BELTS
I
"IDIOT LIGHTS" AND GAGES
IGNITION TIMING: Car & Truck
J
AUTO JACKS: lifting cars safely
K
L
LEAN "Car runs lean"
LIGHTS: WARNING OR "IDIOT LIGHTS"
Limp Home Mode
M
MIL Light
MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS
N
NO START: Car Won't Start
O
OIL CHANGES
OIL: What's right for your car?
OIL LIGHT ON OR GAGE LOW
P
PCV Valve
Q
R
RADIATORS: Car and Truck
RICH: Car runs rich
S
SEALS AND GASKETS
SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT
SPARK PLUGS
STARTERS: Auto, Truck
T
THERMOSTATS
TIMING: IGNITION TIMING
TIMING BELT & TIMING CHAIN
TIRE REPAIR
TRANSMISSIONS: AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSIONS: MANUAL
U
V
VACUUM ADVANCE
WARNING LIGHTS OR "IDIOT LIGHTS"
W
WATER PUMP REPAIR
WINDOWS AND WINDSHIELDS
X
Y
Z

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