'96 LSi, no mods, owned since 24 September 2010.
Problem: 4EAT not shifting right; won't "kick down" properly
Symptoms: 4EAT revs SUPER high (4500-5500) for extended periods when just trying to mildly accelerate from cruising speed (i.e., in 4th gear going 45mph and normally accelerating up to 55mph).
Checked/tested: Haven't checked too much - I don't own an OBD II tool, I'm not the handiest or most knowledgeable guy under the hood.
• I've tried shifting manually to see if that helps - no help
• I've tried pushing in the "manual" button to see if it will "kick in" to the proper gear - no help
• I've checked the ATF level - I THINK it's okay, but I can't tell as the dipstick just comes up with a smear of fluid covering the whole range of marks, no matter how I wipe and reinsert it.
• ATF is a nice light pink - not burned, doesn't smell odd
• no CEL
Now, one CRUCIAL thing is that I DID have a hose going to the tranny cooler that was leaking (hose clamp wasn't tight), but I have another bad (but completely unrelated) leak leaving a puddle in the same spot on my driveway, so I didn't realize the tranny was leaking. It's possible that I still need more fluid, but I can't tell because the dipstick isn't clearly indicating anything (see above). I added two quarts after tightening the hose clamp (at that time the dipstick was basically DRY
), and after that it seemed to be reading above the "normal" range (again, not real sure though).
It's also possible I may have over-filled the thing (again see dipstick reading problem). I read this "elsewhere on the internet":
Quote:
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The SVX 4EAT uses Dextron lll fluid. IMHO, More important than the brand is the condition of the fluid. Unless you are racing, buy the least expensive, and drain and refill every oil change(3-5k). You will drain about 5 qts. each time. Do not overfill or you will destroy transmission. Your fluid will always be in good shape, plus you will be removing contamination...
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I've thought about draining the tranny and filling it with the full capacity (which is a number I'm not sure of). Granted, it's a helluva lot cheaper than a new transmission, but it's still expensive with oil prices nowadays (and I have limited funds). Given that the tranny's **possibly** overfilled, that might be the best thing anyway. $40 investment in **maybe** solving my problem? But would overfilling it cause the 4EAT to act this way?