When I took off for church this morning cold start from my garage (about 55 degrees) The car had slight delayed engagement into drive upon take off. When I approached my first stop sign, I rolled through it and turned right the trans slipped noticably and I let off and went back on the gas and it was fine. It sounded just like I slapped it in nuetral going around the corner until I let off and then went back on the gas. Also on the way home around an s curve I got on it and it slipped again. It has never slipped on a straight stretch. I got under it today and found the rear tail housing seal to be leaking. Hopefully just leaking fluid and needs added.

 

It sounds more and more like an ATF low level issue to me...

 

So I went to sears and got the 17 mm required to crack the fill plug. I added a liter and it changed nothing. The 17 was crazy tight and from using the search button I found that this generally means the system has never been touched before. With these high miles should I drive it till it pukes and have it rebuilt for 2000 or should I change the filter, pan gasket and fluid? Any suggestions?

 

I would drop the pand and replace the filter and gasket, put new fluid in and test. If you were able to add a liter and no change at all I wonder how low your fluid level had to be.

 

I dropped it off at Aamco last night. They said they would diag it for free. My friend works at another local trans shop and they said they would also diag it for free and hook it up and check the fluid level with the computer. If I get a vag-com cable, can I do that myself? I am hoping that they both come up with the same diag and that it is not a full rebuild. I think it may be a prob in overdrive because any time I have ever stepped on it, it does not hesitate and does the boot skooting boogie. It has never slipped under hard acceleration. Just upon take off the first couple of times and around tight corners when on it. The throttle bump when holding a speed is almost undetectable when you apply the cruise at the same speed. I am hoping torque converter or the overdrive band.

 

Tamble:
Did you get a response on your diags? I'm having a similar shimmy when crusing between 1500 and 1800 rpm but solid as ever when accelerating. Mine, however, seems solid until warmed up. My diag came back TQ - $2,400 to replace. I'm putting that on hold for now ...

 

Mine is also in that same range of rpm's. Seems once I get over 2k it doesn't exist. They said that 4th and 5th are on the same clutch pack and were probably affected when it was run low on fluid at some point but the torque converter is the problem. I also get delayed enggement some times and bump down shift to first. Mine is also on hold until it pukes. lol