Neon Tranny shifting hard


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Old 05-23-07, 04:17 AM
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Neon Tranny shifting hard

My wife & I just bought a 1999 Neon, 185k miles, Automatic transmission & the transmission is shifting really hard between 2nd & 3rd, but only between 2nd & 3rd. It won't shift until the rpms get real high & then it feels like I've been rearended when it finally does shift. If I let off the gas when it should normally be shifting it'll shift a lot better. All the other gears are fine & the car runs great.

I already tried replacing the tranny filter, but it did not help at all.

Thanks for any help in advance!
Dan
 
  #2  
Old 05-23-07, 05:11 AM
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First thing I would do is have it scanned to see if any tranny related codes come up. Auto Zone, for one, will do it for free (they hope you'll buy their repair parts). Beyond that I'm afraid it'll need diagnosis at a tranny shop. Generally speaking 185,000 miles on an average tranny would mean it may be asking for an overhaul. Your car was driven pretty hard by the previous owner or else had a lot of highway mileage put on it; we're talking over 20,000 miles a year.
 
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Old 05-23-07, 04:38 PM
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Sounds like your VB pressures are to high. Or sticky VB solinoids.
 
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Old 05-24-07, 05:14 AM
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Thanks for jumping in, Cabot. I was thinking shift solenoid, but can't speak knowledgably about Neon trannies.
 
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Old 05-24-07, 06:26 PM
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It's a hard place to see, but follow your shift cable up to where it attaches on top of the transaxle. The top piece of linkage is what controls your shift when applying the throttle (pushing the gas pedal). On my 95 Neon, this top piece has partially seized numerous times,because of it's location and the weather we get here in Ontario Canada. It's kind of a pain to see and get spray to it but try to get as much penetrating lubricant or WD-40 as you can on it, and work it with your hand, until you feel it start to move freely. Once you have it freed up, your shifting should change, as it acts like a kickdown linkage, and it probably seized in the kickdown position. Then lube it up good with some spray type grease. I had a picture of it, and if I can find it, I'll try to get it to you. Whatever you do, DON'T try to take it off & clean it up, leave it where it is. I tried that and ended up with $100 bill from tranny shop, as something falls down into the transmission. (inside) Let me know how you make out. If you push gas pedal to floor, and feel down there, the linkage should move back when you let up on the pedal, but when it's seized, it remains in the kickdown position. Hope this isn't too confusing for you.
 
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Old 05-24-07, 06:30 PM
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I found the picture that will help you. It's the throttle pressure control cable & linkage that I'm referring to. I need to know where to send the picture if you need it for reference, at least then you'll know what your looking for.
 
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Old 05-24-07, 06:33 PM
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One other way I could tell it was needing more lube was that the gas pedal seemed to get a little stiffer to push.
 
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Old 05-24-07, 07:53 PM
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Thanx TTG, I dont know about Neon trannys, but with my Caravan and my Stangs AOD and my Escorts F4EAT this is what happens when they go bad in them. I tried to adjust the Stangs VB cable, it lasted 2 miles the blew up, guess I didnt do that one correctly. The second one I did seems to work good.
 
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Old 05-25-07, 03:53 AM
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The solenoid is rather cheap. I'll grab one & see if it makes a difference. Anyone have any idea where it might be on the tranny?
 
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Old 05-25-07, 04:12 AM
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Not exactly, but the last ones I changed ('95 camry) were under the pan. Have you tried Mike B.'s suggestion?
 
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Old 05-25-07, 08:43 AM
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Not yet, but wouldn't something like that cause the problem in all gears?
 
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Old 05-25-07, 12:28 PM
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Not necessarily. And a late thought, you might stop by Auto Zone or one of the other big box parts places and have it scanned; possibly a tranny code will show up for some guidance.
 
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Old 05-26-07, 05:17 AM
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FYI Danno ! This is a technical service bulletin I found on neons.org
Pretty good site if you haven't been there.
I didn't have to go through the adjustment procedures they have listed there, all I did was lube it until it moved freely & problem was cured. Mine shifts down hard too, when it happens. Best part of it was that it cost me nothing except some, time & lube. My buddy at Mr.Transmission, told me that this is quite common on the neons, but the general public is not very aware of it. Good thing he's a buddy eh ? The best thing is if you find it already moving freely, you've eliminated that possibility, if you replace a bunch of expensive parts and then discover it's seized, or partially seized, it will be a big "OOPS". ("been there, done that") LOL

http://www.neons.org/neontsb/TSB/21/211394.htm
 
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Old 05-26-07, 06:21 AM
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Good detective work, Mike. I'm guilty like most people of occasionally jumping to conclusions and overlooking simple stuff.
 
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Old 05-29-07, 03:35 AM
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Sticky valve! I bought this stuff called Trans Tune. Ran it through it on Saturday & after just a couple times run through the gears it was shifting great! Thanks for all the help guys! $5 fix!
 
 

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