Why is my TRANSMISSION acting bad and what should I do?

Question

I took a road trip and after several hours we stopped to eat. My car would not shift into reverse but it would shift into drive (automatic transmission ford escort 1997 130K miles). I opened the hood and saw transmission fluid that had been spewed out while I had been driving.

I remembered that a few weeks earlier I put a fluid in my transmission that seals leaks, and extra transmission fluid as well. I thought maybe the fluid that seals leaks also swelled something that made the transmission act bad.

I was able to get out and drive the rest of my trip and the transmission was always slow to shift and change gears.

When I got to my destination, I let the car cool down and tested the transmission and it was able to shift to reverse again (it hesitated to) and work decently.

I checked the fluid and it was full, red, and smelled sweet (not a burned smell) which is good.

Is a transmission filter possibly plugged? What is going on? Could I burn up my tran by driving it home?

Answer 1

Sounds to me like you have a split/chewed line somewhere.
There are transmission cooler lines on/near the radiator.
Check all the lines for any leaks, and top off the fluid.
As long as you can shift you should be okay to drive, but if the trans. feels jerky or not into gear, you might want to stop driving.
If thats not the problem, it might be something serious (syncro could be out) have a local mechanic check it.

Answer 2

It sounds to me like your overfilled the transmission when you put in the the stop leak and added to it. Did you check the level properly when you added? Vehicle running, go once through the gears, then into park and check it? What was the reason you put in the stop leak in the first place, were you having problems?

Check your fluid level, do NOT overfill. It's better to be a little low than overfilled. I'd have it flushed once you get home.

Answer 3

Ford Ranger pickups have been prevalent for undesirable computerized transmissions, because of the fact the 1st Rnager rolled off the assembly line. approximately 1983, or so. In those days, the clarification in the back of a bad transmission interior the Ranger's substitute into because of the fact the computerized transmission put in in them substitute right into a Ford Pinto transmission, geared up with overdrive. it somewhat is not any ask your self they did not put off. there's a brilliant difference between the Ford Pinto and the Ford Ranger. even nonetheless, the instruction manual transmissions interior the Ranger's held up nicely. in basic terms the automatics have been crap. of course, The Ford Pinto is not made, so yours isn't from one in all them. yet, I even have heard that the greater present day Ranger's did use the computerized from the Ford Escort. comparable thought, nonetheless. Now, as on your question... i could say confident... the 1st mechanic did installation a bad transmision. and likewise, he's stalling for the guarantee. i think of they are supplying you with the ole run around. Iwould evaluate having a instruction manual transmission put in on your Ranger, in determination to the computerized.

Answer 4

for your 10 year old car with 130,000 miles on it that has probably never had the transmission oil changed correctly - filter replaced, torque converter emptied and flushed every 15,000 miles - find a large parking lot - rev the motor up like to 7500 RPM, drop the shifter into reverse and as you are screaming at the top of yer lungs yikes in reverse drop the shifter into forward low- the transmission will probably scatter if it don't ya got a good one...

Answer 5

the trans in those are trash you are lucky it lived that long if you get it repaired correctly and keep the car there are some things you need to do get a large aux trans cooler and an external filter kit and also change/flush your fluid every couple years max

Answer 6

try replacing the fluid