What is the usual service life of the 3-speed auto in an '86? Are there many problems?

 

Mike

Hi Mike.

Mine is a 86 with 188K

the tranny won't move in 1st or Drive in the mornings. Unless you let it warm up or you start off in 2nd and drive fro 2 blocks then put it in drive and it works fine the rest of the day.

 

i have did the usual maintinance and cleaned the Governer valve and replaced the modulator valve and made the band brake adjustment, all to no avail.

 

I would say that 170 is good milage for a 86 3speed.

But thats just my experiance.

Another thing to do for the brave at heart is to clean the valve body. It gets gummed up, too. Lots of channels to collect debris, and sliding valve surfaces to stick. And, if you don't clean/debur/polish the governor valve well it won't work much better than if you didn't touch it.

 

Regarding lifespan, one reliable source that I have spoken with says that when his shop does teardowns of the 3AT the clutches and band are usually in pretty good shape and can be reused. Makes you wonder why so many 3ATs "fail". I think it is mostly just dirty valving and people not wanting an automatic.

got 190K on 86 and still no problems...I hardly ever change the filter, but rather do the fluid change when the fluid starts to change color...it is even easier then changing the motor

got 190K on 86 and still no problems...I hardly ever change the filter, but rather do the fluid change when the fluid starts to change color...it is even easier then changing the motor

Filter? What filter? Are you referring to the debris screen or an aftermarket inline filter?

I have 217K on an 1982 3AT with no servicing done yet. Oil is still the right color etc.. I have replaced the modulator at 214k.

 

However, I have worn the gears out on it, they whine like a manuals reverse gear at low speeds. Also, I started having a little of the not going into first issue after I overfilled the tranny.

 

Still shifts solid though. Not as bad as everyone seems to make them out to be.

 

 

Alex

Thanks for the info guys. I'm really not an auto kind of guy, but it was a good car, and I thought that it would be nice not having to shift so much around town. Even though the fluid looks ok I a planning on servicing it soon just so I know that it's been done. Is there a regular filter on the valve body, external, or a screen? The car has 125k on it now and seems to shift fine.

 

Mike

Yes, I was referring to the debris screen...Although the word filter is often used and also understood to be changed on a regular basis, but why...I have more then one example of people only changing the fluid and driving with 250k on the odom

Thats good news, maybe my tranny is not past all hope

I had 220k miles on my turbo wagon before I parked it. Tranny was still running good.

my 88 auto has 390 000 km on it. a bit offroad in 4wd still runs fine.just robs a bit of power.