[Epac]

Hi all,

Recently I bought a 93 SL to use as a daily driver after a bit of fixing up. I bought the car with the understanding that the transmission was bad. But after spending some time with it I'm not so sure the trans is bad and it may possibly be an electrical issue. It appears that someone has replaced the transmission with a used one with low miles at some point but sadly there was no paperwork regarding when it was done.

So, no matter what gear I select the car will not move, even reverse. The engine only revs and it acts as if the trans is in neutral, meaning the car will roll forward, again even in reverse.

There is no indication that the transmission even goes into gear. There is no sound from the pump (that I can hear at least) or any feeling of the trans going out of/in to drive or reverse. The linkage does move when selecting different gears though.

The fluid is also at the correct level when warm.

Any ideas on where to look next? TCU maybe?

 

[RealMcCoy]

Does it hold in park? make any noises?

If it doesn't hook up in any gear, it's not electrical... If you unplug all the electrics, it will still have reverse, and be stuck in limp (3rd gear)

 

[Epac]

Does it hold in park? make any noises?

If it doesn't hook up in any gear, it's not electrical... If you unplug all the electrics, it will still have reverse, and be stuck in limp (3rd gear)

Yes, it does hold in park. Nope, no noises that I can hear at least. Edit: Are there any noises I should listen for in particular?

And thanks for letting me know its not electrical!

 

[StealthyRT]

Try Revving it in nuetral and hold it for a bit to build pressure, after 10 seconds at like 3k let go of the accelerator and move into drive.

 

[ChesterGT]

It's not the TCU. You can unplug your TCU and the car will be stuck in 3rd gear.
Some things to check. These aren't easy and you're gonna have to get your hands dirty. You should check the valve body. Maybe someone messed up on a shift kit or some of the passage ways are gummed up. I messed up with two sprigs when doing my shift kit and I lost 2nd and 3rd gear and reverse. Weird things happen when that valve body isn't put back together correctly.

If it's not the valve body you're gonna have to pull the trans. Could be a bad pump. You can find a imported ATX for $400 shipped. It'll be AWD but there's ways to make it work for just FWD. good luck

 

[Epac]

It's not the TCU. You can unplug your TCU and the car will be stuck in 3rd gear.
Some things to check. These aren't easy and you're gonna have to get your hands dirty. You should check the valve body. Maybe someone messed up on a shift kit or some of the passage ways are gummed up. I messed up with two sprigs when doing my shift kit and I lost 2nd and 3rd gear and reverse. Weird things happen when that valve body isn't put back together correctly.

If it's not the valve body you're gonna have to pull the trans. Could be a bad pump. You can find a imported ATX for $400 shipped. It'll be AWD but there's ways to make it work for just FWD. good luck

I bought a FWD transmission for it already in anticipation of having to swap it. Just noticed that the trans had been swapped before me buying the car so I was hopeful that it could be something simpler than swapping the trans out myself.

I'll give the valve body a check in the morning and see how it looks. But I figure I'll be swapping the trans out in the end.

 

[ChesterGT]

Good luck man. I hope you get it running. Your problem sounds like the same problem a local guy had. He's car will drive but the transmission couldn't handle any torque and it would just free rev. This was right after a trains rebuild. He ended up putting anew trans in it.

 

[StealthyRT]

I bought a FWD transmission for it already in anticipation of having to swap it. Just noticed that the trans had been swapped before me buying the car so I was hopeful that it could be something simpler than swapping the trans out myself.

I'll give the valve body a check in the morning and see how it looks. But I figure I'll be swapping the trans out in the end.

I'm telling you mine has the same exact symptoms for the first shift of the day. When I start my car it starts perfectly but when I put it into gear absolutely nothing happens. I put it in neutral/park a few times and rev and hold it to build pressure/ fill the torque converter and then it will go into drive. After that the car runs and drives great. At least try my advice and see what you find.

I have torn my trans apart multiple times, and I know know what my problem is. Bad Pump/Leak back from the Torque converter. This happened because I was an idiot and did not read on how to properly install the transmission. I bolted the torque converter to the engine first and then attempted to install the transmission. This may have damaged the pump or the seal there. This could have happened during the install of the trans that is in your car.

 

[ChesterGT]

You can buy a pump seal for $12 shipped. I forgot the website tho. I'll find it for you.

When I put it in D it clunks ever since I did the shift box.

 

[StealthyRT]

That would be great, but that would mean dropping the trans...... );

I get the same kinda clunk, also I'm sure this is related to my leaking torque converter but my car has no creep speed with foot off gas and break and it idles low only when in drive.

 

[ChesterGT]

I'm gonna correct what I said about the clunking. I didn't notice the clunking till my trans started leaking. I think it's coming from the TC. I'll find out real soon tho. I'm waiting for my fuel lines and fitting to come in so I can drive it to my friends shop and drop the trans.

I cannot find that website. It was a link I found on a Dsm forum. When I remember I'll post it up.

 

[StealthyRT]

Found it! W4A33/F4A33 Pump Gasket

 

[ChesterGT]

Still not the place. I found the box. It's from transmaxx. It was $3 and was $12 total with shipping. It came in a big box.

 

[Roscoethug]

Did you ever get the problem resolved? What did it require?