Auto transmission missing gears

[Randell]

Hi,

I think my auto has had it... recently it's been downshifting quite hard from 4th to 3rd (at around 24mph) with a loud metallic clunk, so I started pulling the stick into '3' before it reached that point (which would for some reason downshift smoothly)

I could live with that, but then about 2 weeks ago I was driving along and was at the point where it usually shifts into overdrive, I feel it shift, straight back into third! i got that lump in the throat feeling, but I was almost at my destination so i thought i'd try and forget it happened.

2 days later it happened again, and this time i decided to cruise the streets and try to figure out what was happening. It was in economy, stick in 'D', and wouldn't shift into overdrive, so i pressed 'S' for sports mode, and it kicked back into 2nd and wouldn't shift up! I pulled over, switched the car off, then back on again and continued driving. This time it went into 3rd but stayed there, until i got onto the freeway where it reluctantly shifted into 4th with a bit of hesitation.

In the 2 weeks since then it's been fine, but then last night it happened again. I only had 1st and 2nd, no matter what I did or what mode i put it in i wouldn't get third. It would try and shift to third, stutter a bit, go back into second and wouldn't bother trying again.

Now it's parked and I'm driving my old toyota... but I've searched all over for an answer to this one and haven't found much, can anyone give me an idea of what's wrong with it? It's a ZF-4HP22 i think, with a dipstick (that is impossible to pull out!).

Thanks for any ideas.

[632 Regal]

it might be worth giving him a call, I'm sure he can tel you where to go LOL...

Winfred, front basket clutch gone??

Kirts info,

Kirt Koeller
europetransman@hotmail.com
direct (616)748-5735

he dont answer his email should be a clue.

[Randell]

Thanks, but being in Australia he probably won't know of any place for me to go!

I'm really just looking for any ideas as to what it could be, I'm just hoping it's not new tranny time, cause if that's the case the car is going to sit for many many months :(

Apart from this problem the gear shifts are fine, sometimes a little rougher than it should, but it never does anything out of the ordinary. Drive and Reverse engage in less than a second, though sometimes reverse goes in with a bit of a thump. It's just a bit of a surprise for me, I thought gearboxes showed a bit more of an early indication of failure, whereas this has just come out of nowhere!

[Dan in NZ]

Have you checked your fluid level and colour? It should be pinkish, and it's quite difficult to check the level properly. Mine was leaking for a while, and wasn't shifting so great when the level got low. If the fluid is red or smells burnt it could mean there's mechanical damage inside the transmission. If you've got the original transmission at 264k you're doing well!

[Randell]

I would check the fluid if i could get the dipstick out! No matter how hard i pull, wiggle or twist the damn thing it won't move... I'll have to try some WD40 on it when i get a chance

I don't think it's a fluid thing, I've seen what autos do when they're low and this isn't anything like it... I just got home from work and took the car for a spin and it's shifting perfectly, all 4 gears, smooth, responsive downshifts and upshifting when I expect it to.. it was still doing the nasty 4th to 3rd metallic clunk, but I'm not sure if that's related to the other problem

could this be electronic? I can't understand how it can come and go like this, unless it's got stuff clogging the valve body, which builds up, blocks it and then gets flushed through somehow.

another thing... I'm not sure i have a ZF transmission, as I just had a look at the PDF showing the different types of E34 autos on bmwe34.net, and the second page shows 'GM transmission with dipstick'. Mine has a dipstick, the car manufacture date is 07/92. Is this a ZF or a GM?

[Dan in NZ]

I would check the fluid if i could get the dipstick out! No matter how hard i pull, wiggle or twist the damn thing it won't move... I'll have to try some WD40 on it when i get a chance.

There's a trick to that... Push the base of the dipstick cap in the direction of the arrow, then pull it up. Don't twist! Took me a while to get it out the first time.

[Randell]

Thanks Dan, got it out just then and had a look, the level seems ok (maybe a little high? Past the black on the stick). I just drove the car down to get some dinner and it was turned off when i checked it... I think the car is supposed to be running when you check it, so it's probably no indication of fluid level

I couldn't really see any color on the stick until i wiped it off with a paper towel... and it was BROWN ! dear god, that can't be good. I pulled the car out and had a look at the oil tray on my garage floor, and there was a tiny bit of what is probably transmission fluid, pinkish-red color... not sure when it got there, I don't usually look at it... now i'm just confused!

[Dan in NZ]

BROWN FLUID! Oh ****. Do you know when it was last changed? With a bit of luck, having the fluid flushed and changing the filter might make it work normally again. That's quite optimistic thinking though... Definitely worth a shot if it's still driveable. If you have it flushed and filter changed, and it restores transmission performance, it would be worth having it flushed again 1000kms or so later, because the new fluid will flush out all the old crud that's built up with the brown fluid.

[Dan in NZ]

Oh yeah, and to check the transmission fluid level, the transmission should be at normal operating temperature, engine idleing, and transmission in park. I get the dealer to check my fluid level, because either too much or too little fluid will cause damage. The level changes a fair bit according to transmission temperature, and it's impossible to tell the trans temp without a service tester.

Hmmm yes. Get that fluid flushed, might not be too late to save the transmission.

[Randell]

yeah good idea, i'll get the fluid changed ASAP, and i'll leave it parked until then... I don't think that will cure it, but it may prolong it's life a few months so i can save for a rebuild!

I'm not sure when the fluid was last changed, I've only had the car 6 months (i have great luck with these things). The last service was 10000km ago..

The brown fluid on the paper towel was a totally different color fluid to what was on my oil tray... maybe it discolors on paper towel? ahh i'm grasping at straws here ....

[632 Regal]

hopefully its just a bit of dirt in one of the servos and it will flush itself out.