Transmission needs to warm up???

[chinemerem]

I have a 4HP22 gearbox, with a kick down cable on my '89 535. For about a month it would not change gears unless it has warmed up. If I warm it for about 5-10mins it will take off well shifting normally. If I don't I have to crawl in the 1st gear for a while, revving up to 4500rpm before it changes to the 2nd. What do I do? :(

[JonE]

I don't remember the rpm mine changes at with cold weather and a cold engine, but I know it is signficantly higher than when engine is warmed up or warmer climate/weather. This phenomenon is normal but 4500 does sound a bit high, though. Had a tranny oil/fluid change lately, perhaps that would help? Also, check the tranny fluid level.

[chinemerem]

Thanks, but the level is ok. Maybe even a little high. I'm thinking about draining the oil, though it feels too easy to be the solution . . .

[genphreak]

Thanks, but the level is ok. Maybe even a little high. I'm thinking about draining the oil, though it feels too easy to be the solution . . .4500 is way too high unless your foot is hard down on the accelerator. When was the last time you changed your filter? I bet its clogged, (hotter) thinner fluid goes trhough a clogged filter better... :) Nick

[Bellicose Right Winger]

Go ahead and change the fluid and filter, but I doubt it'll help. It sounds like the 1-2 spool valve is sticking in the valve body. Warming up trans fluid opens up the bore the spool valve rides in and trans shifts normally. You can remove the valve body and have it rebuilt. Kirk Koeller might sell you a rebuilt one. How many miles on trans?

Paul Shovestul


QUOTE=chinemerem]I have a 4HP22 gearbox, with a kick down cable on my '89 535. For about a month it would not change gears unless it has warmed up. If I warm it for about 5-10mins it will take off well shifting normally. If I don't I have to crawl in the 1st gear for a while, revving up to 4500rpm before it changes to the 2nd. What do I do? :([/QUOTE]

[chinemerem]

Uh-oh! Sounds scary! I bought the gearbox secondhand last year, and I definitely don't even know who imported it not to mention how many Ks on it. In Nigeria where I live, trans specialists are hard to find. I'll probably have to replace either the whole body assembly or the whole gearbox itself with another "unknown". Do you think it could be some debris? Could I get the mech to clean or flush it? Christmas time is not the time to start any painstaking job cos its peak travel season here and most decent mechs are usually overloaded with work!

[Bill R.]

find use the 4hp22 transmission with the kickdown cable for shifting, they all use the 4hp22eh with electronic solenoids for shifting, so right off the bat you have the wrong transmission. Is it a 4hp22 or a 3hp22? First thing i would do is change the fluid and the filter as others have suggested, and use some dexron III/mercon or synthetic trans fluid in it , then i would adjust the kickdown cable as far in as it will go at the throttle to give it some slack so it will shift early just to see if its a cable adjustment problem. It that fixes it then i would go about setting the cable correctly.












Uh-oh! Sounds scary! I bought the gearbox secondhand last year, and I definitely don't even know who imported it not to mention how many Ks on it. In Nigeria where I live, trans specialists are hard to find. I'll probably have to replace either the whole body assembly or the whole gearbox itself with another "unknown". Do you think it could be some debris? Could I get the mech to clean or flush it? Christmas time is not the time to start any painstaking job cos its peak travel season here and most decent mechs are usually overloaded with work!

[chinemerem]

It solved!! I really got lucky this time.

Right from when I got the car in 2002, it has always made some thud sound when downshifting, or when I just ease of the trottle and allow it to coast. Just that over time it graduated from a slight thud to a bang. Finally the coupling at the rear axle diffrential box gave up. So I got that replaced. This time being a bit more sensitive ( and poorer too) I noticed the same bang and concluded that it was the regular bangs that destroyed the coupling.
My mech took it to the pit to inspect. He came out again, picked some spanners, adjusted something at the axle and we were off testing again. This time the bang was reduced to a slight thud again. It took less than 10 minutes. The next morning it changed smoothly first time. I have been using it without the old morning problem for 3 weeks now. The guy saved me 35K naira by luck!!

[632 Regal]

i can understand a loose differential causing a thud or bang but cant se a relation between the trans shifting problem going away...anyways im glad it worked out.
It solved!! I really got lucky this time.

Right from when I got the car in 2002, it has always made some thud sound when downshifting, or when I just ease of the trottle and allow it to coast. Just that over time it graduated from a slight thud to a bang. Finally the coupling at the rear axle diffrential box gave up. So I got that replaced. This time being a bit more sensitive ( and poorer too) I noticed the same bang and concluded that it was the regular bangs that destroyed the coupling.
My mech took it to the pit to inspect. He came out again, picked some spanners, adjusted something at the axle and we were off testing again. This time the bang was reduced to a slight thud again. It took less than 10 minutes. The next morning it changed smoothly first time. I have been using it without the old morning problem for 3 weeks now. The guy saved me 35K naira by luck!!

[danzee]

I recall that some auto trans progams keep them in low gear to higher revs in order to warm them up quickly, then change to the normal program. I don't remember if my 1986 E30 did that. Perhaps yours is really ok (?)