4 replies to this topic

[dashton]

Just curious if anybody out there has any experience with this. My ’90 legacy w/ auto trans is really starting to shift strange. About 75% of the time it will start out in second gear gear from a rolling stop and sometimes even from a dead stop. Other than that is drives ok, it doesn’t seem to slip and it doesn’t set any fault codes. But it’s driving me crazy every time I come to a stop sign and don’t sit there for 30 seconds to let it shift. Here’s an example: I’m driving along and come to a stop sign. I stop for about 2 seconds and then take off again. Just about every time it starts out in second. If I’m easy on the gas it will eventually just shift into third. If I give it more gas, it will shift down into first after about 5-10 seconds. This has happened in the past to a lesser extent and a fluid change seemed to help, but I think it’s past that now. Here’s all the tech info: tranny has 180k miles on it. Both speed sensors check out ok. Have swapped the TCU and it seems ok. The fluid is clean and not burned. The only possible thing that I have noticed is that my speedo cable has been starting to buzz a little. I’ve taken it out and lubed it, but it still buzzes. I know the front speed sensor is in the combo meter and is driven by the cable. Could it be the cable causing the problem? Any help is greatly appreciated. Dave.

[mattyg41383]

I dont have an answer but my '90 legacy fwd AT w/275k on it does the funky shifting and the speedo noise as well.

[Legacy777]

What you're experiencing is semi-normal. The tranny won't go down into first all the time, especially if you do just a rolling stop. If you come to a complete stop it should kick down into first.

I know you said fluid looked fine, but when was the last time you changed it?

As for the speedo thing.....the cable just needs to be lubed. You can pull the cable off from the trans connector, then pull the cable itself out, grease it, and throw it back in.

[dashton]

What you're experiencing is semi-normal. The tranny won't go down into first all the time, especially if you do just a rolling stop. If you come to a complete stop it should kick down into first.

I know you said fluid looked fine, but when was the last time you changed it?

As for the speedo thing.....the cable just needs to be lubed. You can pull the cable off from the trans connector, then pull the cable itself out, grease it, and throw it back in.

Josh,

Thanks for the reply. Is it really normal for it to do this? The reason I ask is because it used to do it just occasionally, now it's almost all the time. I changed the fluid last year, and it seemed to help back then. Maybe I'll try again. I'm wondering if the solenoids are a little plugged or sticky and maybe new fluid helps.

Also - what do you recommend lubing the speedo cable with?

Thanks - Dave.

[Legacy777]

I say it's semi-normal to do it occasionally....not all the time though.

Yeah change your tranny fluid. See if you can find trans-tune. It's made by the makers of seafoam. If you have sticking valves, trans tune should help
http://seafoamsales.com/products.htm

I just lubed my speedo cable with grease.