QuestionIt's a 06 Lamborghini--Ha--aka 90 Mazda 929S --no one is a Mazda expert so figured you could answer just as well and you have, many thanks--my last question is: would you just replace the converter in this situation since you think that's whats causing the intermittent chatter by making the valve body stick? Can't figure the intermittent nature of it if the converter clutches are the source of the chatter. Will check on egg nog. Thanks again. Clem
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Hi D, thanks for taking so much time to explain. I forgot about the lockup having clutches, also that the converter is not really a pump just a fluid coupling between engine and trans. You seem to indicate the converter is my problem, sending crud to the valve body causing erratic shifting. If you had the car would you just replace the converter, or overhaul the whole trans? I might spring for a converter, but considering the age of the car, etc. can't see spending 1400 on a complete overhaul. As to 6 spd auto trans, --how ridiculous, when a 3 spd is perfectly fine. Guess Mopar learned a lesson when their torquflites could go 300k like the one in my 66 Valiant convertible and came up with something their dealers et. al could make money on. I wasn't too thrilled with the lockup on my 78 Volare, but fail to see the need for electronics in an automatic trans.except to make it more expensive to repair. Good luck with your engine job. Only ones I've done is on my Gravely tractor and a Tecumseh go cart engine. As to the home life, got rid of the ex 22 yrs ago and the 26 yr old son 3 yrs ago. My cat Moonshine and I get along fine, and my girlfriend and I have separate houses when we don't get along. Happy holidays. Thanks. Clem
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wasn't aware you were privy to evaluations, sorry I insulted you, undoubtedly you are considerably more knowledgeable about the subject than a dumb dentist, perhaps I didn't explain the symptoms and history adequately, but I find it hard to believe that an additive would cure problem for many thousands of miles of driving if there were a severe mechanical wear problem in the clutches. It seems to me an intermittent problem such as I described which can skip days and work perfectly has to be a varnish laden valve body. If it were clutch linings it would seem to me have to be a constant problem and I don't see how an additive could delay the inevitable for thousands of miles and many months. Again, regrets for insulting you and perhaps not providing necessary information for you to accurately analyze the problem. Thanks
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have twice had intermittent chatter at shift points fixed for a year and 1/2 with Lucas and a couple of months with Seafoam after removing the only oil that comes out by dropping the pan which is a mere 2 quarts. Can I safely run the engine and disconnect a cooler line to pump out the rest or is some special pump needed? The Lucas has a leak stop in it which I don't want to use again since there have never been leaks and I think it will damage the seals and create leaks when not needed. It is viscous like STP so wonder if Stp would be a good substitute. Thanks
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Clem,
My stand point on additives and synthetics is that if it was supposed to be there, it would be. Additives are "snake oil" and there are none that will help prolong the life of anything in an automobile. The chatter your feeling is probably the clutch packs coming apart and any additive that will stop the chatter is only heading you for a train wreck. The chatter could also be torque converter clutch breaking up, depending at what speed you feel the chatter. 45 mph and above will usually be torque converter. The only way to permanently repair the chatter is to overhaul before you have a catastrophic failure. When transmissions are overhauled you are only charged for the parts you need, at least by me and other honest shops. If you continue to drive it with the chatter masked by the additive a catastrophic failure could occur. This means that more parts will be needed to overhaul and ultimately cost more money. I am referring to "hard parts". Hard parts are the hard metal parts inside the transmission that are normally not replaced when a transmission is overhauled. If you bust up a planet assembly, a drum or pump assembly, it could cost you $500 additional to your quoted overhaul price. Let alone numerous other parts. So just be careful with what you are putting in there. I've worked on over 10,000 transmissions. If there was a fix in a bottle, I would know about it.
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Hi Clem,
I can't respond to you in that comment forum. Sorry for coming off so strong, besides working with the public all day, I'm miserable at home and answer 15 of these a day plus follow ups. If you could give me your e-mail I will send you a diagram if the inner workings of a torque converter. When you see it, you will get it. They have their own set of clutches inside that are activated when fluid is feed through a small hole in the shaft it rides on. The TC is not a pump, though it drives the transmission pump. It has a piston inside that creates clamping force for the clutch plates. The "TCC" or torque converter control solenoid is activated by the computer, but only in the right conditions and this causes "lock-up" or, in otherwords, the clutch discs come on. Thus giving the benefit of a solid link from the engine to the transmission equals better fuel economy. Lock-up also helps to keep the transmission cool. Heat is the number one enemy of a transmission. When the lock-up discs inside the converter wear or have become overheated, they chatter. The additive family out there, and there's hundreds, change the molecular structure of transmission fluid. It makes it slipperier. Like soap does to water. Most use zinc to do this. Now what happens is your transmission AND torque converter will slip to cover the chatter. It actual quickens the wear to make surfaces smoother. For a time. You said yourself that this has happened before. The additive did not fix the problem any more than nasal spray cures a cold. It only masks the symptoms. Transmissions are friction devices. There are no gears like a standard shift. Your gears are made of clutch packs layered in clutch drums. When a gear is called for it slips into it and wear occurs just a fraction at a time. The slip you do not feel, but if it didn't slip into gear, you would spill your coffee on every shift. Clutches, as we call them, are made of paper and clutch "packs" are the paper rings interlaced or layered with metal rings. It's a fatal design and all automatic transmissions will fail. Some before others. Seasons make a difference. We see certain cars in certain temperatures. We see Chrysler product all the time! Toyota makes the finest transmissions. For exotics, it would be BMW. Now things are starting to get exciting in my industry. Manufacturers are coming out with 6 speed and 8 speed transmissions. Pretty soon, transmission work will be $5000 to $8000 a copy. Last thing on the chatter, as the additive makes the fluid more slippery and causes a little bit more slip in the transmission, it will cause the transmission to run a little hotter. Then a little more until the heat makes the little brass and copper washers wear away in the planetary gear train and that is what I meant by a catastrophic failure. I have even seen cases exploded. I just wanted to give you a friendly heads up. Sorry I was so sensitive. I shouldn't be. Pride gets in the way sometimes. I do really try to do the best I can and I have read everything, well almost, on transmissions. This week, I am doing my first engine job. Read about it enough to give it a try. Wish me luck! and Happy Holidays...!
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Hey Clem,
What the hell kind of car is this? LOL
AnswerHey Clem,
I only answered 200 of these since last time but we never talked about the model. Stopped at a casino tonight & won $300. Nice second job! I would inspect the pan to see what is in there. I buy parts cheap and would do the whole thing because labor is free. If you over haul that one it's because you love the car. Personally, I would put in an additive... Just kiddin'! LOL Go trade it in. Or give it to one of the kids and let them know it might be facing a serious issue later on. They are nice cars, don't get me wrong, but it is 17 years old. That is friend to friend. That transmission is a Nissan RE4R01A. Same as the Pathfinders and Maximas. About $2500 to $3000 retail for a complete overhaul including the torque converter. Fully electronic and highly dependable to a point. Let me know what you get... I suggest a 2007 Navigator. I have had 2 and never had any problems with either one, except I just put a transmission in this one. 117,000 of driving it like a rental cashed it in.
