QuestionThe transmission will not go directly into reverse. It hesitates for up to 2 to 3 minutes then finally drops into gear.Low and Drive work excellently as does park. I have make sure it is full of fluid. Is there an adjustment that can be made or is this systematic of a greater problem.
AnswerI'm very sorry to be so slow in responding - I did not see your question until just this moment - something is going wrong on the AllExperts site and they are not sending out the questions to me again (this has happened many times before!)
Now, to get to your question: If this happens only when the transmission is cold, most likely the seals are getting hard with age, and you will have to rebuild the transmission to cure it. You may be able to improve the situation by adding some "mechanic in a bottle" type transmission "doctor" stuff, sold by your local el-cheapo parts store. That will soften the seals - but it will sooner or later have to be cleaned out, however it might get you a few more thousands of miles.
If it does this hot OR cold, it is possible that a reverse band adjustment will solve the problem. This is a fairly simple adjustment, which is well described in your shop manual, but it does require a torque wrench. If you have both of those items, just go ahead and perform that adjustment to see if it will help. If you do not have a shop manual, I strongly advise you to get one - the various automobile literature dealers have these - or you can find one on eBay easily.
If you want to get someone else to do this for you, find a locally owned (Not a franchise shop which advertises on TV!) and take the car in - they will want to do lots of other things to it, but ask them to do a simple band adjustment - to see if that will help the problem.
Dick.
