Sounds like the computer is shot and the fluid is LOW. Don't be afraid to run the fluid up to the full mark when the trans is COLD. I would get a new computer or at least let Hervey do his thing to it before I drove it another foot. Also, Stephen, Don and Rob are correct - not the local boys, just look at the collective DeLorean experience talking to you. Harold McElraft - 3354 --- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Videobob Moseley" <videobob@xxxx> wrote: > > Since we are in the thick of this topic, I would like to talk about the way > my car rides. > My automatic shifts like a mule just kicked you. > It winds way up and then jerks into gear with a slow slingshot effect. > > One of my main problems is that it will not shift into 3rd until it is > warmed up good. > If I take off on a cold day, I will have to drive in 1st gear for a while > otherwise it > will slip gear and the motor will just spin until I put it into first and it > will catch. > Once I get it up to a high RPM I can shift up to 2nd and it will go, but if > I put it in > 3rd it will just slip, unless I get on the highway and punch it. > Once I get going real fast, lets say 70 in 2nd gear then I can usually put > it in 3rd > and it will catch....but sometimes it will simply drop back and forth from > 2nd to 3rd. > Once the car is warmed up and finally drives smooth in 3rd, it will stay > like that as long > as you are driving it around. > > I have had people look at the trans fluid and smell it, and although it is > still red they tell > me it smells burned, and I have been told not to replace the fluid because > if I do > it will melt the inside of my transmission. > Of course Stephen Wynne told me that was BS and to go ahead and do it. > So I don't know who to believe. > But as far as I know the car has never had a trans service in 35K of life, > but I am > afraid to do it. > I just dont know what to do about it because I can not afford to send it to > Stegar. > I have had local trans shops tell me that they can rebuild it for me for > about $800 > but of course Stegar and Grady both tell me that these trans shops only > "think they know what they are looking at" and "could not possibly do it for > that". > > All I know is that I have a serious problem with the transmission and it is > running like crap > because of it, it is robbing me of power and making me rev the engine too > much. > On cold mornings like we have had lately, I need to warm up the car for > about 20 > minutes before I can drive it. > > So what should I do? > > - Videobob > > >From: "Harold McElraft" <hmcelraft@xxxx> > >Reply-To: dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > >To: dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > >Subject: [DML] Re: Questions on automatic transmissions > >Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2004 12:28:12 -0000 > > > > > > > > > >An accurately setup auto shifts nice and smooth hot or cold - in > >really cold weather the shifts are a little smoother - almost > >unnoticeable - warmed up - noticeable but smooth - no banging or > >jerking. I notice the change in engine sound more than anything > >along with more getup, especially at WOT. Never notice down shifting > >at coasting to stops or stopping. Down shifting from throttle > >response is firm but smooth and up shift the same - I try never to > >let the trans have to go through two gear shifts at once - i.e. > >first to third or third to first (I just visualize too much stuff > >going on in there for the by-pass of gears to be good for it). > > > >To get what I consider a really smooth trans took me a few years of > >working with an auto trans that was abused in its early years and > >run for some time with the computer screwed up. > > > >Three critical adjustments: The trans throttle cable, the computer > >working correctly and the vacuum module. And, the engine has to be > >working and idling correctly. In terms of problem areas I'd say > >first computer, then engine running correctly, throttle adjustment, > >vacuum module. Last, trans internals. > > > >The whine - is it in first or at the shift 1-2 only? That sounds > >like a trans filter clogged up or air in the system. Have you > >serviced the trans lately? The harsh down shift is a symptom of a > >faulty computer but an engine with a fast idle or slow to idle > >symptom will cause a similar issue. > > > >Diagnosing a D trans is really an art as much as a science in my > >experience. But, you have to be sure you're dealing with one problem > >not two or more. That requires checking everything one at a time. > > > >Harold McElraft - 3354 > > > > > > > >--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Enid/Jeremiah > ><hispanicangeleyes@xxxx> wrote: > > > > > > Hey everyone, > > > > > > A couple questions. I never really paid any attention > > > to it, but I was wondering how a ideal working > > > automatic transmission shifts. Obviously, > > > 1st->2nd->3rd, but what is its behavior? Is it > > > supposed to shift really hard and firmly, or does it > > > shift softly like todays modern cars where one can > > > barely feel a shift at all? Would a change in > > > temperature (summer vs winter weather) have a effect > > > on the shifting patterns? Also, when the automatic > > > transmission downshifts, should you be able to really > > > feel the downshifts or should it be really smooth and > > > almost unnoticeable? My car shifts up very firmly, > > > and it downshifts from 2nd to 1st very firmly, but I > > > don't really detect any downshifting from 3rd to 2nd. > > > > > > One last thing. Lately with the morning temperature > > > in the mid 20's, I've noticed a high-pitched whine > > > when going from first to second. This is if the car > > > is driven with no warm-up idle time. Today, I let it > > > warm up to about 160 degrees, and it doesn't make this > > > noise driving down the street with warm up time. Is > > > this anything to take note about, or is this just how > > > the car behaves when driven from a dead cold start in > > > 25 degrees? > > > > > > Thank you for your time. > > > > > > Jeremiah > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________ > > > Do you Yahoo!? > > > Yahoo! Mail - now with 250MB free storage. Learn more. > > > http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address: > >moderators@xxxx > > > >For more info on the list, tech articles, cars for sale see www.dmcnews.com > > > >To search the archives or view files, log in at > >http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews > >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address: moderators@xxxxxxxxxxx For more info on the list, tech articles, cars for sale see www.dmcnews.com To search the archives or view files, log in at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: dmcnews-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/