So I am new here and have had little luck finding out much on the automatic transmission in my car...and well I don't know much about automatics in general. The car will drive fine in reverse but will not engage in any forward position. Did the forward clutches go out? Or by some saving grace is it possible there might be a linkage issue? Thanks for any info.

If you only get one gear that means your troubles might be more serious. I doubt that an ATF and filter change is going to help but dropping the pan should give you some clues. If you find metal shavings then the trans is toast but small amount very fine metal flakes is OK as this is normal. There is a diagnostic port but I don't know of any DIY diagnostic lights or procedures. The valve body has seven solenoids that are controlled by the ECU. A bad ECU or solenoids will prevent you from going anywhere. Before assuming the worst case scenario check the simple stuff like connectors, fuses and relays. Often on old vehicles the electrical system is more often the problem than mechanical failure.

I don't know if the power flushes they are pushing, right now, will help, either.

My own machine has some hesitation going INTO reverse, on occassion. Have seriously considered it, but at some 90 bucks at most places, heitant.

I DO know that I had a lot of trouble with the car my daughter drove some years ago, dirty converter from a dirty transaxle-converter swap, put my tranny back in beacuse thr replacement tranny was no good(original prob was shot differential, but had to buy both parts of the unit, so put them both in, with the dirty converter).

Short of it was that I was continually pulling the pan, cleaning it, pulling the valve body, disassembling and cleaning, then re-installing, with new fluid. Must have used a barrell or more, all the times I had to do it.

Would run well for a month or more, then do it again, stuck valves all over. Repeat the process.

All the valves were strictly sequential and spring controlled, then, don't know if newer models relied strictly on solenoids, or if the solenoids, if the valves were lightly seized, couldn't overcome any residue that gets thru the screen/filter.

Reverse is not seperate of the forward gears. I don't rightly know, at least not sure enough to swear to it, whether it is Reverse/Second, or Reverse/First that are simply a lock up to change direction.

I'll look at the book in the AM to see if the bigass servo locks the band to go from First to Reverse, or Second to Reverse.

Changed my mind, went to look at the book now, 1st and Reverse brake plates must be applied, drive and Reverse Clutch must be applied.

Root of it is, disassemble and clean valve body, including all the spool valves. Caution with the springs, they MUST go back into the same valves, as they are calibrated upon testing at the factory. Just because they look like the same wire guage, and same length, does not mean the same spring rate.

Lots of work for a non-technical type, but cheaper than AAMCO.

Cheers,

George

Any idea where any of the electrical connections are? I havn't tracked down a book yet however I am trying to find one. Is it difficult to take the whole tranny out? I am sorry everything else I have owned has a been a stick shift so the auto is a new one to me. Thanks.
P.S. Anyone try the products like the Lucas Oil??

I am not familiar with Lucas Oil but know from my own personal experience that most additives are "snake oil." In the end you have all this gunk that becomes impossible or expensive to clean. I have serviced three automatic transmissions and while I feel comfortable taking one apart and putting it back together; I would still rather have a manual. The old mechanical transmissions were fun, the new ones are a nightmare. I have serviced only one modern automatic that used electronics to switch gears it was from an 86 Suzuki Swift. If the brains (ECU) don't work you will be lucky if you get one gear working. I installed a couple of switches and operated the solenoids manually. The trany worked. I got another ECU from a salvage yard, same problem. I opened both boxes and discovered that the switching transistors developed cold solder breaks. I re-hand-soldered both ECU’s and the problem went away. Servicing the Suzuki Swift [Chevy Sprint] was easy since the factory service manual came with color diagram.

Well I pulled off the tranny pan and there doesn't seem to be any big flakes of metal, just a few small ones, the fluid definitely was overdue for a change it looked more like used motor oil than it did tranny fluid, it was also way overfull. Is there any way to clean out the whole transmission and then refill it or can I pretty much just switch the filter, refill it and hold my breath?
Thanks again maybe it will be driveable soon?

Oil and filter change has never helped me, in each case the problems were far more complicated. If you have the 097 4-speed automatic then you might have a separate external filter located on the passenger side between the drive shaft and the bell housing.

You might also have an electrical problem and the solenoids are not switching properly perhaps a bad ECU. It is rather difficult do a fluid flush for the average DIY person. There is special equipment that hooks up to the service ports and flushes/cleans the transmission. I doubt that such service is highly effective in solving immediate problems.

I have the type 10 087 transmission, just the three speed.

087 is a piece of cake to service it's all mechanical unit similar to the 089 4-Cyl version. There are two service ports for checking system pressure, these should be all standard ⅛"NPT plugs. You will need a manual for this. Hook up a 400PSI gauge and appropriate tubing. Then follow directions for testing various pressures. From this test you will be able to determine if you have a defective: torque converter, oil pump, brake band servo, worn clutches, etc. If you are mechanically inclined and don't suffer from panic attacks, check the valve body first. Pull it off and carefully take it apart very carefully noting of what goes where, labeling parts, taking notes and taking lots digital pictures.

If everything seems OK with the valve body then pull the transmission out and rebuild it yourself. Kits are available on-line. You will have to get a rebuilt torque converter or send it out to have it cut open, cleaned, welded and balanced. Many transmission shops do this and even NAPA has some local machine shop. Consider the torque converter as the clutch and flywheel on a manual gearbox, don’t skimp out and replace it as I have found the hard way. The only special tools that you will need is a bushing driver (plastic or aluminum), caliper, snap ring pliers, etc.

You are probably wondering how much? Cost wise I would say probably at least $300 for parts. Little knickknacks and odds-n-ends probably another $100 or less.

In the end you will gain a wonderful learning experience and have the bragging rights.

OR you could buy one from a junk yard, but then be prepared to exchange them on regular basis. A used gearbox will cost about the same or more as having one rebuilt. Giving it to a shop will probably run well over a grand.

Well I guess I will be pulling the whole thing apart and looking forward to some bragging rights. Thanks so much for all the help.