Auto Transmission Problem

[anxious]

Today while I was driving my car I felt sluggishness when accelarating and poor/selective downshifting/ lack of power.Took it to my mechanic and he said he may have to rebuild my auto transmission.What are the signs of Auto Transmission failure?What does rebuilding auto transmission involve and how much will it cost for my E30 318i M40?Thanks

 

[elwine30]

before he does the expensive bit, check the following

1) gearbox oil
2) any sign of leak
3) auto transmission cable
4) your engine condition
5) 2nd opinion.

Good luck bro.

 

[saat]

I would not immediately conclude that a gearbox rebuild is required when your car exibits symptoms of "sluggishness when accelarating and poor/selective downshifting/ lack of power". I would first eliminate the simpler or more obvious faults or cheaper fixes first. A gearbox rebuilt is expensive.

I would get a second opinion. In my case, it turned out to be a clogged fuel filter and faulty camshaft sensor. Much cheaper than a gearbox rebuild.

 

[teejay]

typical answer from mech who don't know crap......

sorry to sound rude, but these days mech are a sad story, always finding the easiest solution

anyways, its a bit hard to diagnose just based on one situation, maybe if you could give a further breakdown of history, etc any previous incidents, service history, age of transimssion

i think there was someone else on the forum that had the same dilemma and in the end did a full overhaul of his AT

 

[jarance]

check the gear shift contact. There is a contact in the gearshift. it could be worn out. You could either clean the contact or changed it for about Rm180.

 

[Jipster]

May not be serious yet. Serious? see below:

Refuse to shift from first after car already moving - car seems to be stuck in gear;

Connected to above - when it does shift there is a violent jerk - how violent? Trust me you will notice

Complete loss of drive - forward or reverse - car refuses to move;

Gears slipping;

Sluggish up inclines i.e. going uphill;

Etc etc.... but I would say from my experience at least that the above are pretty serious indications already.

Get a second opinion dude coz a rebuild is expensive. I dunno what a 318 uses but if its a ZF4HP22 then figure around 3k for a full rebuild or 1+k for chop shop job with uncertain history....so what you will pay should be anything in between if not higher :lol:

 

[Mikeong]

Originally posted by anxious@May 23 2005, 10:21 AM
Today while I was driving my car I felt sluggishness when accelarating and poor/selective downshifting/ lack of power.

Took it to my mechanic and he said he may have to rebuild my auto transmission.


What are the signs of Auto Transmission failure?

What does rebuilding auto transmission involve and how much will it cost for my E30 318i M40?

Thanks

Have you change your ATF and filter regularly? If not get them change and see what is the outcome. Check the condition of the ATF when it is drain out. Good Luck

 

[bm8118]

try to check for the items as listed my other members first before you opt for ur mech recommendation.

 

[xcell60]

I am not familiar with E30, but the symptoms you mention reminds me of my problem with my e36. I had to replace the knock sensor (timing problem).

 

[anxious]

I have changed gear oil twice in the last 2 yrs since owning the car.Dont know previous history.

The gears felt like slipping, when going uphill. Anyway car with mech now, see what happens, keeping fingers crossed.

 

[samhun]

Need help! Some strange sounds came out from my rear end...it sounds like "Dom"( not very loud, but can be listened obviously). It only happens each time when i stop my car. Spoke to my machanic, he said it could be the rear diff's boost wear out or driveshaft out of grease and maybe Axle nut need to tighten again...something like that.
Does anyone had these problems before? I do worry it might be the rear diff or the longsaft problem. But the gear change all are in still good in position and nothings going wrong...
Can anybody help me pls.

 

[skinhead]

anxious

previously my fren e28 slushbox oso had similar xperience like u. hes even worst , the slushbox was slipping when he try to move at junction. he oso said that in the morning he had to drag the 1st gear till the engine warmer b4 it cud shift 2 2nd.

i help him change the atf, even the atf was fine looking color that time. put the correct level of atf, no more no less... even change the slushbox filter.. that time too... verd1ck: car no more slipping n car shift normally in the morning..

all i can say from my xperience oto giabok is bit more sensitive to oil cond n level. mebbe becos its a old zf box wic has been improved thru the years..

on my car, i felt sluggishness few weeks back. checked the sparkplug n the cond were terrible, i used a warmer plug. changed the plugs n no more sluggishness...

samhun,

the 'dom-dom' sound when u came to halt i thing caused by the free play in ur axle.. most old car including mine got that sound.. i dun bother...

 

[elwine30]

anxious,

do the cheaper alternative 1st. change gearbox atf and filter. If you want, put in a gearbox treatment (from x1r) too. See if it makes a different.

Else.. manual lor... hahahahhaa

 

[kevster30]

As many of the guys here have said, don't jump the gun! May just be a dirty valve body.

My recommendation: Flush the gearbox(not drain, but flush using the appropriate machine), clean the valve body and see how that goes.

To say that you need to rebuild your gearbox at this time does seem a bit too premature.

 

[Fuhrer]

aiyoh..his car is 17 years old already lah..if the gearbox hasn't been rebuilt yet, maybe its time to do so already..no auto gearbox can last that long, be it one from that era..
but like most said, do the simpler/cheaper option first..if not start sourcing for a manual box if that's your ultimate goal..

 

[Lee36328]

get a second opinion at a recommended workshop,

and if indeed the problem is less serious than the actual gearbox rebuild,

the first thing to change is...

your regular mechanic...

 

[samhun]

Originally posted by skinhead@May 25 2005, 08:01 AM
anxious

previously my fren e28 slushbox oso had similar xperience like u. hes even worst , the slushbox was slipping when he try to move at junction. he oso said that in the morning he had to drag the 1st gear till the engine warmer b4 it cud shift 2 2nd.

i help him change the atf, even the atf was fine looking color that time. put the correct level of atf, no more no less... even change the slushbox filter.. that time too... verd1ck: car no more slipping n car shift normally in the morning..

all i can say from my xperience oto giabok is bit more sensitive to oil cond n level. mebbe becos its a old zf box wic has been improved thru the years..

on my car, i felt sluggishness few weeks back. checked the sparkplug n the cond were terrible, i used a warmer plug. changed the plugs n no more sluggishness...

samhun,

the 'dom-dom' sound when u came to halt i thing caused by the free play in ur axle.. most old car including mine got that sound.. i dun bother...

:yes!: Thank god it was just the rear Diff mount problems. After replaced, the strange sound "Dom" just disappear.

 

[anxious]

Picked up my car today.....driving very smooth, more test over the weekend.

Anyway here's the damage to my wallet:-

Automatic Gasket RM590
Automatic Filter RM58
Automatic Oil 6.5l RM110.50
Fric Disc(441) RM210
Fric Disc(955) RM75
Fric Disc(361) RM112
Fric Disc(770) RM168
Auto Shift DamperRM20
Bulp RM4

Labour(Gearbox Overhaul) RM860
Micl RM45
Service Tax RM43


TOTAL RM2295.50


Well thats about 10% of my car value! Anyway so far my car seems OK and very smooth, pick up seems to have improved.

Only thing is that before my car was super quiet, now I get a bit of noise intrusion.....more testing over the weekend.

Does the gearbox need to be broken into?

 

[Fuhrer]

didnt want a manual box is it?

 

[jarance]

anxious, why did you overhaul the g/box? What was the condition of the parts that were replaced. Are they worn out? Please post some pictures if you have.. k: