"Pixel" (Improbcat)
02/09/2018 at 19:36 • Filed to: Project Colony Ship
1
17|
"Pixel" (Improbcat)
02/09/2018 at 19:36 • Filed to: Project Colony Ship | 1
| 17 |
Whelp, the transmission in my ‘87 Colony Park wagon is definitely bad. It consistently acts up now.
At steady-state driving it will downshift, sometimes multiple gears, until the engine is racing. Then if i gas it, it will slam back into the correct gear. And when I stop at lights it often won’t downshift back to first. It either stays in a higher gear as I pull away, shudders violently and them slams into first. Or at the light the car will suddenly slam into first so hard the entire car jolts.
Three shops have looked at it back when it was only acting up occasionally, and found nothing. One dropped the pan, told me everything looked like new and there was a normal amount of clutch material in the pan, and did a fluid & filter swap. I haven’t had a chance to bring it back since it started acting up as they are only open the same hours I am at work.
Rebuilding the AOD would be $800-$1200, which is a hard ask on a $500 car. I’ve had no luck finding a used one, and donor cars run about the same amount. Supposedly at C6 will bolt up with the right flexplate, but that seems like a whole other can of worms.
So now I have to figure out what to do. Normally I’d just give in and have it rebuilt as the money is there in the “dumb idea fund”, but I’m staring down the barrel of several thousand dollars of house expenses as soon as the weather warms up (the 60+ year old fresh water line into my house is rotted and dripping and needs to be dug out to the street and replaced). So I’m not sure what to do next...
MM54
> Pixel
02/09/2018 at 19:56 |
|
It looks to be in pretty good shape, unless there is a lot of rot or other problems not readily seen, it’s probably worth getting the trans rebuilt.
TheTurbochargedSquirrel
> Pixel
02/09/2018 at 19:56 |
|
You need to manual swap it.
ranwhenparked
> Pixel
02/09/2018 at 20:03 |
|
I’ve got a good AOD I can sell you, but it comes attached to a lot of other parts and I’ve been asking a bit more than that rebuild price.
lone_liberal
> Pixel
02/09/2018 at 20:05 |
|
That sucks. I guess it’s too old to be common in junk yards anymore. A C6 would be pretty bulletproof but, of course, then you have to make sure the drive shaft isn’t going to need to be modified. You could always invest in a good book:
Alfalfa
> Pixel
02/09/2018 at 20:07 |
|
In springtime I’ll probably be buying a parts car for the Bronco engine, which will likely have a transmission you can use. Based on what’s out there lately I’ll likely end up with a spare AOD or C6. I would gladly let it go for another oppo’s project.
HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
> Pixel
02/09/2018 at 20:10 |
|
Time for a Mustang T5 swap
Steve in Manhattan
> Pixel
02/09/2018 at 20:23 |
|
Probably junkyards full of these transmissions - should be a bolt-on.
Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever
> Pixel
02/09/2018 at 20:28 |
|
TV cable issues are a possible explanation for a misbehaving transmission that otherwise looks in good shape.
Shot in the dark, but worth a look before the expensive stuff.
|
Pixel
> Alfalfa
02/09/2018 at 20:30 |
|
I appreciate that, not sure how to get it to RI from where you are though . :)
Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> Pixel
02/09/2018 at 20:30 |
|
Have you looked on Ebay for a used transmission?
|
Pixel
> Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever
02/09/2018 at 20:32 |
|
Shop that pulled the pan checked the TV cable first thing before they even pulled it into the garage. Said it was adjusted fine
|
Pixel
> Steve in Manhattan
02/09/2018 at 20:33 |
|
Not anymore sadly. Most of these have long since rotted away here in the northeast.
|
Alfalfa
> Pixel
02/09/2018 at 20:40 |
|
I have resources for shipping large things.
|
Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever
> Pixel
02/09/2018 at 20:42 |
|
So much for my cheap and easy fix. Damned thorough techs.
Urambo Tauro
> lone_liberal
02/09/2018 at 20:56 |
|
I second this. Even without the book there are plenty of good free online resources to guide one through it. The AOD makes for an excellent “my first auto transmission rebuild”, and if one is patient and meticulous enough, it’ll go back together right the first time.
|
Pixel
> Alfalfa
02/10/2018 at 10:15 |
|
Awesome. If I haven’t found a solution by spring, I will happily work something out with you.
sn4cktimes
> Pixel
02/10/2018 at 12:13 |
|
Had a similar issue with my AMC. I had the transmission rebuilt. But, I was also in the middle of acquiring all the parts to do a full engine rebuild and fuel injection conversion at the time. So I was already pretty invested monetarily. I do however wish I had just ponied up the cash and converted into a manual AX15 transmission vs doing that rebuilt. Oh well.