I have an older 94 Ford Econoline 150 work van. It has had alot of issues but I am always willing to work on it and keep it running. It used to leak transmission fluid from the pan but I replaced that with a new one. I wasnt sure how much fluid to add and the dipstick is really hard to read. Anyways I poured in about 8 quarts of transmission fluid. Since then it failed inspection (our state requires vehicles to pass, to be on the road legally) for surface rust so I've been working out of my P/U (SUCKS) and doing some bondo work when I have time. Went to move it the other day and the transmission is slipping like CRAZY! It takes several seconds to get in gear and once it does and you get moving it takes a long time to shift into 2nd and I imagine 3 and 4. I was wondering what I should do to fix this! It starts right up and runs fine its just the tranny problems. Im not sure if the fluid leaked out. So I guess my question is what should I do to get this thing moving again!?
You can't see the lines on the dip stick at all? Sounds to me like It's low In fluid. Could be a number of things though. Changing tranny fluid has It's ups and downs. I've saw trannys slip terribly after changing the fluid. It's like the old fluid was accustomed to the way the tranny worked and when you put In new stuff sometimes It don't mesh well with the old transmission. There's bands In the transmission, that's what slips. Could be a plugged filter too. Many things to look at. Did the old tranny fluid smell burnt at all?
Vendetta- I just dumped some $$ into the silverado. So im in no rush to bring the van anywhere! Shultzy-I put a new filter in when I changed the pan. Tranny fluid didn't smell burnt at all. Do you happen to know how many quarts of tranny fluid total I need. I read 12 somewhere else.
12 seems really high for a 150 econoline. Correct me if i am wrong... But if it takes a lil bit just to get going, isn't that a torque converter problem?
Trans fluid should be checked while idling in park, and a filter change only requires four quarts so you need to find out what you have in it but it sounds low from the info you have given, you may have a larger leak then you thought... lucas makes a good trans fluid additive and if there is any hope for a trans that would be it. Past that look for a used tranny at the bone yards as most of the tans shops around my area need two or three times to get it right it seems.
X2 on the Lucas Oil stuff. It worked really well in my old explorer. Find out how may qts the tranny needs first, the additive won't do anything to help if it's still low on fluid. If it's beyond all hope, go to a bone yard and get a used one with low miles. Buy a Haynes manual and get to work. They're really not all that difficult to do, if you're just changing them out. If you run into a snag, call a mechanically inclined buddy and bribe him with a case of beer to come help out. If that fails, there's always sawdust. (Just kidding, don't do that.)
All to often I hear bad stories after people change tranny filters. Allot of times the tranny doesn't perform nearly as well. I still say It could be low but if not go to a junk yard like ultra said and find a used one.
