I have just got this truck but it has been in my fianceÆs family since birth. It has about 320K mile on a factory automatic trans, that seems pretty good to me. I have been using this as my Daily Driver for the past few weeks, and noticed a strange behavior in the trans.
1) It sometimes seems like it clunks into gear, or something that feels like being rearended (I keep looking back and nobody is even close), when coming to a stop or leaving a stop right before you get on the throttle.
2)It sometimes starts out in second gear no matter how hard or soft you get on the throttle, while towing my car, I sometime had to manually put it in Low to get moving, because it started in second.

Are these known problems? I did a search and didnÆt come up with too much on both of these issues. I did se a lot of recommendations to swap in a Manual trans. Are there any write up on what is takes to do that swap? I donÆt have the money right now and the trans still operates, I am just wondering about the future.

well first i'd check u-joints that clunk could the u-joints are on the way out crawl up under there and give them a bit of grease but i'd get those changed out.

320k is pretty high and is about time for that tranny to get a rebuild I think lloyd's 93 had about 300k and his auto was getting pretty slow on the shift. When was the last time you had the fluid changed out?? i'd pull the dip stick and check the color if its brown its time to change that fluid out either take it to a lube shop that will pull the tranny line and drain the whole lot of fluid or what i've done is drain it drive it for a bit change it again usely takes about 4 times of draining and driving before i get all the old fluid out.

I'd stick with the auto its a good strong unit i think its just time for a rebuild on yours.

Your transmission may be operating now, but with what you describe, it won't be operating for long without service.

Check the transmission fluid as described in the owner's manual. When was the last time the fluid and filter was changed?

Frank

Taking my mother-in-law's word she had it done about a year ago before she made a trip to Canada (from Oregon), then it wasn't driven much last year. I will try flushing and refilling the fluid and see if that helps. But I am in the process of rebuilding my Firbirds trans, so there is no way for me to be down both cars right now, unless I can get it rebuilt by a shop for a good price. But, I normally like doing things myself, and I just don't have a lot of extra time or money right now <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

lord - I will look at the u-joints but I dont see how when comming to a stop the u-joint (even with slack in them) will make it clunk/jump/feel like being hit from behind. It almost feels like it is trowing it into first gear with a little throttle, as it is just about to stop and if it doesn't do it then it will sometimes do it when I let off the brake just before hitting the gas.

Sorry, I think I am explaing it right, but it is kinda hard to explain, and it doesn't do it all the time. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

That clunk may simply be a universal joint (albeit the mitsu ones don't go bad very often).

The starting in 2nd is something else altogether.

These tranny's are pretty indestructable but with your mileage it may be time for a rebuild.

Definitely start by trying to do a tranny flush and see if that fixes the problem (this is where they force out the old fluid using new fluid).

In my neck of the woods (Silicon Valley/San Jose CA) it cost about $75 to do at a Speedie Oil and Tune Up. They're a nationwide lube company so you can check locally.

I'm not sure exactly how they hook things up but where I had it done, they knew when to stop by ensuring only clean fluid was coming out versus any old dirty fluid.

You may have to do this a couple of times as the new fluid may loosen deposits which may have been clogging/restricting fluid flow your tranny. Once the fresh tranny fluid detergents eat them away.

Also find out if the tranny filter has been cleaned or replaced ever. I'd suggest at least cleaning it (it's a wire unit that can be cleaned and reused) or replacing it entirely. I understand you will need to remove a cross member to access it.

Can't speak from experience here, but this point has been made often. So it's a fair bet there's something to it. Also, I think some have posted on the filter needing to be cleaned after one of the subsequent flushes as well due the aforementioned loosening of deposits.

Give that they do last as long as they do, you may want to keep your eye out for a donor truck with some other serious malady. You could get it on the cheap and other parts as well. Especially if your RS doesn't have the off-road package. Look for and LS with a bad motor and rusted body. You'd get that for a couple hundred.

I thought I read somewhere that the LS was the one available without off road stuff and the RS was more off road then the LS? not sure where I read that, but it was somewhere online the same night I found this site. I was doing a lot of searching because I knew I was going to get this truck and wanted to get an idea of what it was and what it could do.

What is in the off road package? I have skid plates uder the motor, was that in every Monty or sertain models?

Thanks for the info,
John

THE LS HAS OFF ROAD PACKAGE. MINE IS LOADED--Wish I could firure out how to put a pick on