Well, I am having a bit of a problem here guys and I hope to get some insight from you. First off I drive a 1995 Z28 A4. Now lately it has been having some tranny issues that seem to be getting worse. At first I noticed that the tranny would not slow the car down at all when I let off the gas, No engine braking at all. It's like I pushed in the clutch, which of course I don't have cause it's an auto. Even if I put it into 1st gear manually and take it up to about 4K and let off, the RPM drops back to idle as if I had shifted into neutral or pushed in the clutch. WTF?

So, now it seems to be getting worse. Not only is it still doing the "Coasting thing" that I described. It is now not wanting to shift at WOT. The weird thing is it seems to shift nice and firm at anything other than WOT. Half throttle shifts are still good. If I step on it from a stop, it pulls like normal but will not shift if I stay in it, it will hit the rev limiter until I let off. It has been doing this for about a couple weeks now but within the last couple of days it started making a crazy sound along with hitting the rev limiter. It was enough of a bad sound for me to never want to hear it again, I mean it REALLY did not sound good. It sounds like it's coming from under the hood, I can't tell if it's coming from the trans or the motor and I do not want to make it happen again as I know this is not good and it really sounded like something wanted to break.

So, yesterday I pulled the tranny pan and changed the filter to see if that would make any difference, but it didn't. So now I have a new filter an new fluid but the same old problem.

If anyone has experienced anything like this or knows of anything I should look into PLEASE let me know. I am seriously bummed out about this. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Im sorry to hear that man. I had the same situation happen to me a year ago to my 95 formula. Im sorry to inform u that i had to go in a nd do a full rebuild. But look at it in a good way, nows the perfect opportunity for you to put in a nice stall converter and a shift kit

Godd luck,
Heath

 

If I do need a rebuild I won't be adding a stall, I will be getting rid of this car as soon as I can. It's been nothing but a headache for the three years I have owned it.

 

TTT

 

either way a shift kit is only a few bucks compared to the big bones you gonna drop on a full rebuild. No need to ttt this thing because you gotta do a full rebuild. I just did mine.

 

well if ur selling i wouldnt mind having another lt1, the more the marrier

besides i could always use another ride while i am working on the other one...
keep the damn car man be proud... ur right dont put in a stall but u wont have to worry about the tranny any more...

 

How are you so sure I am going to need a rubuild? What is it that makes you think that? Did yours do the same thing?

 

I am having the exact same problem at wot for 1-2 and 2-3 with my a4. I was hoping it might be the shift solenoids, but have not replaced them yet.

 

yeah it did. Also you didn't note how much miles you have on your car. Most camaros tranny I know start to go at around 80-90K. Depends how you drive. I don't think I drive hard and mine went at about 77K.

 

That's what most all 4L60E transmissions do when they're ready for a rebuild...they start slipping badly and the engine whacks the rev limiter at the top of 1st and 2nd (especially 2nd due to the way the transmission works internally). Your overrun clutches are gone too since you say you have no engine braking in 1st and 2nd. Changing the fluid never helps...it makes the problem worse. How did the fluid look and smell when you dumped it? Was it black and did it have a burnt smell? That's where all your clutch material went.

Bottom line is that your clutches and bands are toast and they need to be replaced. While you're in there, you might as well put a new torque converter in (preferably a 2800 Vigilante or a Yank)...you'll have a whole new love for the car after everything is back together.

 

Where is the solenoid located? is it under the pan?

 

Thanks for the info, although this is definitely not what I wanted to hear it was very informative. The inside of the pan actually wasn't all that bad, there was a little dark sludge in the bottom of it though. The fluid seemed a little more dark than it should have been too. there was a bit of a funny smell, but it didn't smell toasted or anything.

 

Well, I think I left a few things out.

The tranny doesn't slip at all. the other weird thing is that is doesn't have a hard time downshifting infact I can stomp it at about 20-25 and the thing still squats and goes like it always has. Now I don't understand why if it was some serious internal issue that it would only do it on up-shifts and only at WOT. The only thing that has me truly concerned is the fact that it doesn't engine brake. What exactly would cause it to not have any engine braking? When I let off what exactly is happening inside of the tranny?

 

The transmission uses a one-way sprag to complete the power flow from the input housing (namely the foward clutches) to the input sun gear. Because its a one-way sprag, that means it holds in one direction and free-wheels in the opposite direction. To acheive engine braking, you must put the transmission in a manual gear, which applied the Overrun clutches. The purpose of those clutches is to "lock up" the sprag so that it cannot free-wheel, which causes "engine braking"

More than likely either the overrun clutches are burnt, or the hub that the clutches spline too is broken (most likely).

 

well when u let off on the gas it'll go to 4th gear, so if ur going like 20 mph, ur not gonna notice a thing cause 4th gear isnt gonna be being pushed... but if ur going 140 and ur car doesnt engine break u got a problem...