I have started having trouble with my auto tranny. It will not shift into reverse, and it is sitting on a slight incline and will not move at all in reverse (feels like it has a brake on). Also when in drive it wants to start out in 2nd or 3rd gear. I can manually shift from first up to drive with no problems. Before I go to a pick and pull for a used tranny, any suggestions on things I can try to fix this?

 

I had the same problem with my tranns when I first bought my disco. The only thing that really hellped, and not even a whole lot, was I changed the filter(P.I.T.A.), refilling the sump with 2qts dex3 atf, 2qts of wallymart brand high mileage dex3, and a bottle of lucas trans fix.

Still ended up replacing the trans less than a year later. If its anywhere in your area, all forien auto parts in pittsburgh has like 7 tranny's, most with t-case for $200 a piece.

 

How many miles on the 96 tranny, when was it last serviced? Check the oil, see what color it is and does it smell burned?

 

Truck has 167,000 on it, and I'm not aware of any tranny fluid changes before I bought it with 139,000. Fluid is not in pristine condition. I have had a leak for a while, and have been adding fluid to it. It seems like it has a stuck valve body. I was thinking of just going a head and do a driveway flush, and add some Lucas to it. I know, I know, but at this point I'd rather take the chance of flushing it even with high miles before pulling it. And of course replacing the filter.

 

For the cost diff, can't hurt to try. Another thing to try, esp if you cought it soon enough, is auto-rx cleaner. Supposedly very good stuff

http://www.auto-rx.com/

 

Not flushing a high miles transmission is a old wives tale that has been dis proven many times over.
Think about it, your engine has 167k on it, is changing the oil in it going to hurt? Nope.
So why would the same hold true for anything else?

 

Spike, from talking with an engineer friend, he said that the varnish breakdown after a flush would clog up journals in the tranny. Of course we have all heard the same thing everywhere else as well. BTW, what would cause the tranny to be in a locked position when I shift it into reverse?

 

Sorry but your engineer friend does not know what he is talking about.
This may be true if the trans has never been serviced at has 300,000 miles on it but I have personally never seen this happen.
But hey, its your truck, set it on fire and push down a hill if you want to.

The number one problem with a auto trans is low fluid level, then a clogged filter, then worn out clutches from the fluid never being changed and finally clogged valves from the fluid never being changed.

 

Nah, I'm not to the point yet of setting it on fire, lol! I'm going to go ahead with some sort of treatment to breakdown the trash that's in it, then flush the system and add a new filter.

 

Are you in the Pittsburgh PA Area? If so I would check out those trannies at All Foreign, especially if they have the transfer case attached for 200 bucks. I don't think you can beat that price. I might want one just for a spare.

I bought a removed starter there for 35 bucks. They have great prices compared tro everything else I have seen.