Chrysler Repair: Transmission 95 Chrysler Cirrus lx, chrysler cirrus, 95 chrysler cirrus

Question
Hi Roland, back again for transmission help this time.  Driving home yesterday lost drive completely, I still have 1st and 2nd gear, reverse.  I took it into the shop this morning and had it put on the computer.  This is what they told me "removal and teardown required to give a complete diagnosis and estimate, either the overdrive hub has failed or the front carrier spines have shearred off. Will require complete overhaul with necessary hard-parts. Codes: 36 Fault immediately after shift.  53 Gear ratio error in 3rd.  35 Loss of Prime..."  I did add the wrong type of transmission fluid (I know there is a difference now after reading the other questions) about 6 qts worth over a period of a month and a half.  They are estimating repair at no less than $1400 at one shop (chrysler dealership) and No more than $1400 at a private transmission shop.  Is there any chance they could be ready a faulty code due to the transmission fluid itself, or am I pretty much going to have to empty my piggy bank to get the repairs?  Thank You for responding in advance  

Answer
Hi Karen,
I would suggest that you might want to consider a little more diagnostic work and small service job, just in case...
The loss of prime is saying that either the fluid level is (was) too low to maintain the hydraulic pressure needed to operate the trans's gear shifting or the trans filter was defective. Did you happen to check the level at the time of loss of 3rd gear? You evidentally have been loosing fluid at a high rate recently; has any one located the leak and tried anything to repair that? It could be also due to a  leak in a line that carried the fluid from the trans to the cooler located infront of the radiator behind the grille. Because the only alternative to this is r&r which will no doubt rise over $1400, there is some incentive to look a bit further. If you only had the 36 and 53 then I would say that there is a good basis for the r&r, but given the 35 and the history of leakage you might want to discuss with the shop with which you are more comfortable the wisdom of looking for the cause of leak, repairing that, draining out the fluid in the trans and replacing it with Mopar 7176 and cross your fingers to see if that fixes it. I don't know how much that would cost to take a chance on avoiding the r&r but when you get an estimate you can weigh the probability of it working (based on dialog with the shop) against its cost. By the way, if you used ATF+3 it may not have been the cause for this problem. Chrysler ok's it, but encourages the use of 7176.
Please let me know how you proceed from here and the result.
Rolamd