94 Transmission Slipping

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rj - 30 Nov 2004 03:48 GMT

We have a 94 with 130k miles. The tranny has begun to slip when starting
from a stop. It is worse when thhe engine is cold.

I took it in to a local mechanic and he said I needed a $2000 transmission
job. After it sat at his shop a few days, he called and said he had replcaed
the filter and fluid and it seemed ok. It ran perfect for a few weeks and
now it is getting progressively worse.

Even though I don't see any leaks, it seems if I put a 1/2 quart of fluid in
occassionally, it gets better then worse again.

Besides the obvious "what's wrong?" I would like to know if a vacuum leak or
a missing vacuum hose could casue this problem? I ask because there is a
hosing missing from the (I think) 3 port tap at the left rear of the engine
(the vacuum pump is one of the hoses).

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Jim Warman - 30 Nov 2004 04:34 GMT

130,000 miles on an A4LD is pretty good.... you can spend a lot more than 2G
on piecemeal repairs and still have an unsatifactory transimission.... this
is borne from experience. Sorry that this has to happen to you this close to
Xmas but you may as well bite the bullet and get the job done (providing the
rest of the car warrants the expense....

I'd be interested in knowing more about this vacuum pump....

> We have a 94 with 130k miles. The tranny has begun to slip when starting
> from a stop. It is worse when thhe engine is cold.
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> engine
> (the vacuum pump is one of the hoses).

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John Riggs - 30 Nov 2004 05:14 GMT

I'll go along with that. Mine went out last Christmas eve while on my
way home to Nebraska from DC...left me stranded at midnight in the
Appalachians in a snow storm.....cost me $2400 to replace ( bloody
pirates )....not nice...not very nice at all.. I wish there was an
alternative to the A4LD tranny.

| 130,000 miles on an A4LD is pretty good.... you can spend a lot more than 2G
| on piecemeal repairs and still have an unsatifactory transimission.... this
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
| > engine
| > (the vacuum pump is one of the hoses).

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AZGuy - 30 Nov 2004 06:53 GMT

>We have a 94 with 130k miles. The tranny has begun to slip when starting
>from a stop. It is worse when thhe engine is cold.
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>hosing missing from the (I think) 3 port tap at the left rear of the engine
>(the vacuum pump is one of the hoses).

It is very common for the vacuum modulator on the transmission to
start leaking internally and then the tranny fluid gets sucked up into
the engine thru that 3 port tap. In the process it swells and softens
all the hoses on that tap which often leads to one or more of them
popping off and creating a vacuum leak. The problems you describe and
the way it was cured by adding fluid suggest that might be your
problem. Before investing in a new tranny see if those vacuum noses
at the tap look like they have ATF inside them. You could literally
pour ATF out of one of the vacuum hoses on my 92. Replacing the
modulator is around a $100 to $200 job.
--
Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts:

"What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the
establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . .
Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of
the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order
to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House
of Representatives, August 17, 1789

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rj - 01 Dec 2004 14:49 GMT

You have described EXACTLY what I am seeing! I had to put hose clamps on the
hoses to get them to stay on. Is the modulator a "retail" part?

> >We have a 94 with 130k miles. The tranny has begun to slip when starting
> >from a stop. It is worse when thhe engine is cold.
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
> to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House
> of Representatives, August 17, 1789

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AZGuy - 02 Dec 2004 06:54 GMT

Yes, it's available retail. Probably for around $50 as a guess. It's
something a do it yourselfer *could* do himself as far as replacing
but it's really hard to get to because the cat converter is so close
to the tranny. If you do try and do it yourself be advised that there
is reportedly a "metal pin" thats inside the modulator that transfers
the movement of the modulator to the parts inside the transmission.
When the old modulator is removed this pin sometimes falls out
unnoticed and gets lost. If you don't put the pin into the new
modulator when you install the new one then the modulator will not be
able to do anything. There was a recent post from someone who had
replaced there's by working from inside the truck and taking the
seats, carpet and an access cover out. I had mine done under warranty
and avoided all that :-) If mine goes out again I'd probably just
have a tranny shop replace it and do a fluid and filter change at the
same time.

>You have described EXACTLY what I am seeing! I had to put hose clamps on the
>hoses to get them to stay on. Is the modulator a "retail" part?
[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]
>> to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House
>> of Representatives, August 17, 1789

--
Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts:

"What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the
establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . .
Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of
the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order
to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House
of Representatives, August 17, 1789

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rj - 03 Dec 2004 05:39 GMT

Thanks for some great advice!

> Yes, it's available retail. Probably for around $50 as a guess. It's
> something a do it yourselfer *could* do himself as far as replacing
[quoted text clipped - 65 lines]
> to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House
> of Representatives, August 17, 1789

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