How to get the best of my dying transmission.

[20-CG5-01]

Alright so I want to know what is the best way for the longitivity of my slipping automatic transmission.

1-2 slips for a good 1 second.
2-3 about 1/4 of a second on cold start if I drive a little hard (that's pass 3k rpm).

Alright I don't push the car very hard, hardly at all since I do mostly city driving, but I can sometime put a lot of stress on the transmission from a dead start all the time.

My fluid is perfectly fine, not draining and refilling because I don't want to risk lose any gears.

What I sometimes do is put the car into 2ed gear when I'm at a dead stop to put less stress on 1st gear. Other than that from a complete stop i'll accelerate for a good 2-3 second until I know the transmission is going to slip and switch to 2ed, ill let my foot off the gas until it goes into gear then drive normally from there.

There is a DIY for a transmission cooler and I plan to do that soon.

Any other precautions I can take before my transmission finally dies?

Oh and as much as I would love to do a 5 speed swap, this is my only car and with my work schedule, I cannot attempt to swap it out myself and not going to pay a shop 1,000+ for labor.

And when I there is no traffic at night, I drive slow as hell and never let my RPM pass 2.5k.

Update: 06/05/12 Have another question.

Installed the transmission cooler yesterday, took 45 minutes, thought it was gonna be way harder.

Now my question is, would it put less stress on the transmission if I were to park the car by...

Holding brakes, put in park with brakes still engage, pull emergency brake all the way, let go of brake, shut off ignition?

From what I can say is that the emergency brake will hold the rears so the car won't have that 1-2 inches to roll back for the transmission to be locked in park?

 

[Valet]

Transmission cooler for sure. And let of the accelerator right before it shifts.

 

[almightyfargoth]

yeah mine has shown signs of slipping in 1st, so it's become routine for me to let off the gas between 1st-2nd to let it do it with minimal stress. If you just force the issue it's going to slip and your rpms are going to skyrocket and yeah, it's a mess.

there's no telling if it's really making a difference, but I've been able to do that for a long while and it hasn't gotten any worse...so it seems to be working. I'm gutting the transmission for a 5 speed by winter though, so my agony will soon be over.

I've never really considered leaving the car in 2nd from a standstill, because eventually you're going to need to get it up to top gear even with the auto stick....so that's about the same as just shifting your auto, which is a terrible idea I'd say.

like, it's not really intended to be doing that.

 

[001Stunna]

^have you guys checked for either a 2nd or 3rd clutch pressure switch codes?
Only saying as i had a similar issue, which would be especially apparent in cold starts and sometimes even when warm...turned out i was throwing a code for a 2nd clutch pressure switch.
I bought both 2nd and 3rd clutch switches and just changed them both(were about $50 each)...i never experienced the issue afterwards and I still dont to this day. I still baby it but at least its not fudgin up anymore on me.

If thats not the issue though, then only things you can do is...
-always use parking brake when parking to take the strain of tranny(i usually shift to neutral, parking brake on, then shift to park)
-go easy on it on cold starts especially
-make it a practice to never let it switch over 3k rpm(just leave 2-5mins early for where you're going and take it easy)
-tranny cooler

 

[20-CG5-01]

yeah mine has shown signs of slipping in 1st, so it's become routine for me to let off the gas between 1st-2nd to let it do it with minimal stress. If you just force the issue it's going to slip and your rpms are going to skyrocket and yeah, it's a mess.

there's no telling if it's really making a difference, but I've been able to do that for a long while and it hasn't gotten any worse...so it seems to be working. I'm gutting the transmission for a 5 speed by winter though, so my agony will soon be over.

I've never really considered leaving the car in 2nd from a standstill, because eventually you're going to need to get it up to top gear even with the auto stick....so that's about the same as just shifting your auto, which is a terrible idea I'd say.

like, it's not really intended to be doing that.

Thanks for the answer. Majority of the time if I were to drive like an average person and let the transmission slip, my rpm sometime shoots over 3.25-3.5k rpm, but ever since I've owned my car, I've always let off the gas until it switches to 2ed gear.

Oh and i forgot who said this, but let's say somewhere downtown on a busy street, just leave the shiftr on D3 to put less stress on the transmission aswell and for a more comfortable drive. I must say, it is actually doing pretty well when I'm in downtown Sacramento or San Francisco.

^have you guys checked for either a 2nd or 3rd clutch pressure switch codes?
Only saying as i had a similar issue, which would be especially apparent in cold starts and sometimes even when warm...turned out i was throwing a code for a 2nd clutch pressure switch.
I bought both 2nd and 3rd clutch switches and just changed them both(were about $50 each)...i never experienced the issue afterwards and I still dont to this day. I still baby it but at least its not fudgin up anymore on me.

If thats not the issue though, then only things you can do is...
-always use parking brake when parking to take the strain of tranny(i usually shift to neutral, parking brake on, then shift to park)
-go easy on it on cold starts especially
-make it a practice to never let it switch over 3k rpm(just leave 2-5mins early for where you're going and take it easy)
-tranny cooler

Thanks! 2-3 gear is fine after it warms up, the last time I had my car scanned it wasnt throwing any codes, but ill check this wednesday. The clutch pressure switch doesn't show a CEL correct?

I always use the E brake and put it on Neutral whenever I have to get out of the car for just a few seconds. I figured less work for the transmission, it will put less stress for it later.

I just can't stand Assholes who drives on a busy road as if they are late for work and starts cutting people off and you'll still be right behind them at the next stoplight.

 

[001Stunna]

Thanks for the answer. Majority of the time if I were to drive like an average person and let the transmission slip, my rpm sometime shoots over 3.25-3.5k rpm, but ever since I've owned my car, I've always let off the gas until it switches to 2ed gear.

Oh and i forgot who said this, but let's say somewhere downtown on a busy street, just leave the shiftr on D3 to put less stress on the transmission aswell and for a more comfortable drive. I must say, it is actually doing pretty well when I'm in downtown Sacramento or San Francisco.



Thanks! 2-3 gear is fine after it warms up, the last time I had my car scanned it wasnt throwing any codes, but ill check this wednesday. The clutch pressure switch doesn't show a CEL correct?

I always use the E brake and put it on Neutral whenever I have to get out of the car for just a few seconds. I figured less work for the transmission, it will put less stress for it later.

I just can't stand Assholes who drives on a busy road as if they are late for work and starts cutting people off and you'll still be right behind them at the next stoplight.

Yes the two codes for the pressure switches DO NOT illuminate the CEL.
...and as for asshats who drive like idiots, don't worry you always catch up to them at the next red light and find them either in a ditch or still only 1meter in front of you.

 

[Narftastic]

i've had this problem for about 3 years now i drive very slow and never push my car. Coming from a dead stop (at a red light) im always very sow to get going, i feel awkward sometimes cuz ppl just probably wonder wtf im doing but owell. i start of slow but after it shifts to 2nd its not the bad. oh and if im on the highway and i decide to speed up around someone it always takes a while for it to find the rite gear.

Oh and i forgot who said this, but let's say somewhere downtown on a busy street, just leave the shiftr on D3 to put less stress on the transmission aswell and for a more comfortable drive. I must say, it is actually doing pretty well

Chris(redryder) sayd this, i think in replying to one of my posts, ive also been doing this and i agree it feels alot better, its still jerks but not as bad as if it were in D4

 

[20-CG5-01]

Yes the two codes for the pressure switches DO NOT illuminate the CEL.
...and as for asshats who drive like idiots, don't worry you always catch up to them at the next red light and find them either in a ditch or still only 1meter in front of you.

Alright thanks. I will check it tomorrow when i am off from work.

Whenever I do pull next to idiot drivers like that I look at them and say to myself, was that worth the speeding + cutting all over the place and to get to the next stop light 5 seconds faster haha.

i've had this problem for about 3 years now i drive very slow and never push my car. Coming from a dead stop (at a red light) im always very sow to get going, i feel awkward sometimes cuz ppl just probably wonder wtf im doing but owell. i start of slow but after it shifts to 2nd its not the bad. oh and if im on the highway and i decide to speed up around someone it always takes a while for it to find the rite gear.



Chris(redryder) sayd this, i think in replying to one of my posts, ive also been doing this and i agree it feels alot better, its still jerks but not as bad as if it were in D4

Lol same here, whenever my girl is in the car, she goes "how come youe car doesnt feel like it wants to go?" Have to explain everytime that im slowly taking off because I dont want my transmission to **** on me lol.

Ah that's where i heard it from

 

[Narftastic]

Lol same here, whenever my girl is in the car, she goes "how come youe car doesnt feel like it wants to go?" Have to explain everytime that im slowly taking off because I dont want my transmission to **** on me lol.

hahaha same thing hapend to me yesterday, she was like "why does your car shake in the beginning" i was like here we go again lol

 

[G'sAccord01]

lmao Sounds like Vlad needs to prepare for a 6spd swap ... My freaking D4 light started blinking on me today lolz ...