Backstory:

 

Don't burn me at the stake, but I actually went to look at this car as a donor for a 2.2L engine swap into a Vanagon.  With a good running engine and a transmission issue, it seemed like a great donor.

 

Except: I think it's too nice to sacrifice.

 

So I want to figure out what's wrong with the trans and fix it.

 

The symptoms:

Basically, it never shifts into 2nd or 4th gear.

From park, if you put it into any gear, it goes within a second.

Start driving down the street, get to 10-20mph when you'd expect a shift point, and nothing happens.

Keep accelerating and it'll shift into 3rd over 30mph.

Keep accelerating and it never shifts up.  I haven't pushed it over 50mph, but it was at pretty high RPMs at that point.

 

Occasionally, it will slip out of gear completely.  Stop, put it in park, and it takes right off again.

 

Every time I've put it in reverse, it works fine.

 

The idjit I bought it from had already changed the fluid, so I don't know if it was toasted.  The fluid level does look fine when the engine's off and when running.

 

Since I have no experience with Subarus, my reading/searching tells me it's probably a solenoid issue, but I'd like help narrowing down the troubleshooting

Is the AT Temp light flashing 16 times after you start the car?

 

If so you have a code.  You can search the USMB to find the process to pull the code.

Nope, nothing flashing on startup.

3rd gear at 50mph should be around 2,700 rpm.

If revs are more than 4-500 higher than that its probably still in second gear.

The autos can ride out second to about 65mph.

 

Solenoid problems will set codes more often than not, though its entirely possible.

 

These transmissions will mechanically default to 3rd gear if there is a soenoid problem or no input from the TCU.

Unplugging the main harness going into the transmission will lock the trans in 3rd gear. If the car doesn't move with the trans harness unplugged, that indicates a mechanical problem.

does seem a little like 'limp' mode.

 

many people have good luck with 3 drain/fill cycles and use of Trans-X additive, at least, in some older transmissions it has been known to help.

 

the level must be checked while idling.

So there's a bunch of connectors, and to my untrained eye, I can't tell which one is the "main".  Disconnect all or just a specific one for test purposes?

Unplug the large harness that curls down from the firewall, and loops over top of the transmission. The large connector pictured here: http://opposedforces.com/parts/legacy/us_b11/type_7/automatic_transmission/at_shift_control/illustration_2/

Did that, can't even put it in gear.  (get out of park, that is)

 

It didn't move when letting up on the brake either, if that's what would normally happen when locked in 3rd.

Pull up the trim piece around the shifter and press the shift lock release button.

Was out of town this weekend.

 

Car moves forward and reverse with transmission harness disconnected.