misledxcracker Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 Another 3AT thread, figure I'd start rambling and trying to figure things out Okay, so I decided to take myself a nice little 30 mile drive up to my friend's house. Last time I tried this, the gear oil got OUT somehow and it REEKED badly on the whole drive back home. I believe it came out of the dipstick tunnel because the dipstick was popped out and was so hot i couldnt grab it, but ehhhh I got AAA to cover me this trip, so no worries. Get in, start her up, and take off. First gear is a pain to get out of when cold, and at times wont "grab" like it should. When cold, on takeoff, the 3AT will sit there at 2K RPM in First, like "what am i supposed to do? oh yeah, go FASTER..." then it eventually .... sorta goes. I tend to shift it manually when cold. Then, I get no slipping, cold or not. And it's just more fun! But oh man, like I told Daeron earlier, I LOVE how this transmission shifts when it's warmed up! Shifts around 2.5-3.5K depending on how i punch it... Awesome drivability! I got up to my destination, no problem. I then later on drove back, same thing, cold shifting = PITA, and manually is the way to go at that time. Warm, and runs fantastic. Hell, I didnt even smell 80w90 at all this time.... I didnt check the dipstick... but at least the smell wasnt there, probably meaning it didnt do the same thing as it did last time. Maybe that gear oil smell issue was a rare one-time occurrance? I've basically tracked down the cold shifting issue: It's most likely my governor. I'm going to sift around JY's and salvage yards for another governor. I'll clean it up, rebuild it, etcetera... and do the same to the other, if it's reusable. But, *drum roll* I can smell gear oil on the ATF dipstick. I havent taken it to a transmission shop, but that gear oil smell is DISTINCTIVE, and I know it's getting in the ATF. Since I've had bad luck with sourcing another transmission to replace it, I'm leaning towards a... *go ahead and cringe now* a 3AT rebuild. But, would I need a complete rebuild? All it does is mix the fluids, nothing erratic whatsoever when warm.... If it werent leaking 80w90 in the ATF, I'd drive this 3AT to NY and back. I'm thinking... maybe I can get that seal replaced, that seperates the ATF and gear oil.... at a shop, due to my incompetence. What should I say when I go to a transmission shop or three for estimates? Like I said, I dont think it really needs a rebuild, it's got 96K, even young for a 3AT indeed. I think it only needs that seal, and maybe a flush? I need ideas, as once this transmission issue is sorted out, I have a really big feeling my baby's not gonna give me major issue for quite some time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 As Dave T and I pointed out in your last thread on this subject You are running a risk of a pretty nasty situation. The seal goes out due to other problems, these problems would need corrected in the rehaul (rehaul - combo --> re-build...over-haul) As Dave T said following my lwarning of diff lock up. "The pinion was moving forward into the diff carrier. Applying engine power causes the gears to "screw apart" from each other, engine breaking causes the pinion to "screw into" the carrier" Good luck, I have provided all I can to this situation. Your decision to continue driving this problem is yours. Therefore I am unsubcribing from this post. Please ware your seatbelt at all times. It's a jungle out there. It's tuff eating crow with no front teeth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misledxcracker Posted July 1, 2007 Author Share Posted July 1, 2007 I already KNEW that. I know why it's doing what it's doing, I'm wondering about rebuilding it, not "how long can i drive on it until it blows" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveT Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 Hmm, I've got 4 or 5 3ATs. All with 150-200 K miles on them. No failures except the one diff / pinion / bearing that was taken out by low gear lube. I will eventually disassemble the transmission to see what condition it is in. It was working fine. A possible variable - I have used synthetic ATF in all my transmissions. Changed over as soon as I got the car. No cold shifting wierdness, even in winter. (the first one I did run part of a winter with "normal" ATF, and it didn't shift as well when cold) The only time I have experienced the "delay" you mention is when the ATF is very low. Like 2 quarts. Because the vacuum modulator leaked the ATF into the engine intake. They do that when they need to be replaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 I dont mean to sound mean but why waste time and effort on the 3AT. They were really not all that good of an auto tranny. They killed gas milage and mine never shifted right..even with only 52,000 on it when i got it. I went from 25 mpg to 33 doing a 5 speed swap. If i were you and was contemplating rebuilding it i would just swap in a 5 speed. Its really not that much more work to do a 5 speed swap then to take the auto out and put it back in again after its been rebuilt. But then again this is your car and if you like the auto then by all means. I wouldnt waste time rebuilding it though..im sure there is a board member who will GIVE you a 3AT for free. I gave mine away to a school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeshoup Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 If you were near Colorado, hell you could have my old 3AT for free. I've still got the damn thing sitting in the backyard. Needs to go away. They really are crap, but if you want an Automatic, guess you're stuck with one as a 4EAT swap would be a huge PITA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 If you were near Colorado, hell you could have my old 3AT for free. I've still got the damn thing sitting in the backyard. Needs to go away. They really are crap, but if you want an Automatic, guess you're stuck with one as a 4EAT swap would be a huge PITA. actually, I don't think it would be that hard to put a 4eat in. Except for Misled here has a 2wd, so he'd have to find one from a 2wd XT. The TCU could be wired in and located anywhere. Not any harder than a Carb to FI swap or an EJ swap. Contrary to what some say The TCU does not need to *talk* to the ECU or be connected to it in any way actually. The biggest hurdle I can see is that the 4eat uses signal from the TPS(thrrottle sensor) and the SPFI one outputs at a different range than the MPFI. But there are way around that. I like the idea of piggy backing an MPFI TPS onto the back of the SPFI TPS and extending the throttle shaft to go through both. Leave the SPFI one connected as is and hook the MPFI one to the TCU. But I think it's way esier and cheaper to find an old 3at and put it in. Misled you can still have this one I've got if you want, just high shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeshoup Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Of course, never mind that in 88, the transmission tunnel was redesigned to accommodate the shear size of the 4EAT... but yeah, that discussion is moot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misledxcracker Posted July 2, 2007 Author Share Posted July 2, 2007 But I think it's way esier and cheaper to find an old 3at and put it in. Misled you can still have this one I've got if you want, just high shipping. It can be shipped to my work... How much would it be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misledxcracker Posted July 2, 2007 Author Share Posted July 2, 2007 Wow... just went to a transmission shop (i was recommended to go there by a REALLY cool local mechanic that's done work on my Soobs before) They say the 3AT is expensive to rebuild.... at $900 for the overhaul. Ouch! (oh yeah, i did a size comparison before, and that 4EAT in my old 2WD XT6 wouldnt have fit if I tried.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveT Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 I dont mean to sound mean but why waste time and effort on the 3AT. They were really not all that good of an auto tranny. They killed gas milage and mine never shifted right... A few reasons. My wife can't drive a a stick. We tried. Nope, not going to happen. (I want all cars driveable by either of us, if hers has a problem, I don't have to panic fix it, because she can use one of mine) For normal driving, I prefer a standard, as long as there is little stop & go traffic. Lots of clutching bothers my knee. I deal with the non-optimal 3AT shift points by using the 1-2-D selector. Almost never let it shift on it's own. Maneuvering on grass, in tight places, sometimes with a trailer is *so* much easier with an auto. If I needed one, and could find a working one, I'd probably go that way. Maybe do a 4AT swap. Electrical stuff doesn't bother me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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