Auto Trans 1995 GT No first Gear

[monkeystuffer]

I got this 1995 GT 5.0 with Auto trans, has overdrive, it works except for first gear.

First gear only works when the trans is dead cold, it will auto into first gear from DRIVE, and I can select first gear manually. If I select first manually I can then drive 5000 rpm for 6 miles no problem, but if i shift out I cant get back.

If I shift into first after it warms up, the car binds up, tries to move forward and stops and when I release the gas it lurches forward a little on return to idle.

It drive fine all day in DRIVE, but uses second gear from dead stop, never tries to use first.

Flushed trans and drove around, no difference, changing filter now (jiffy lube doesnt change filters when they flush)

Anyone else has this happen ?

Other than the first gear issue, engine and trans are solid and drive fine, including all other gears , reverse and OD.

Thanks

 

[wheelyman19]

Try getting some conditioner for it. Trans X works good. Put it in run a tank of gas through it then change the oil and filter.

 

[screamin5oh]

maybe the driving 5000 rpm for 6 miles in first has something to do with it? lol

 

[revhead347]

maybe the driving 5000 rpm for 6 miles in first has something to do with it? lol

LOL. That will definately put some heat into the tranny from the converter.

I've had good luck with that Lucas crap.

Kurt

 

[monkeystuffer]

1- why would an additive to the gas help the trans ?

2- Driving a trans in 1'st at 5,000 for 6 miles or more wont hurt a thing, it has made zero difference in my case. It did prove that first gear does work cold or hot, just cant get back in it after its warmed up. The binding I'm guessing is a valve problem and two bands are engaging at the same time like 1 and 2 or something, thats what it feels like


3- Added the Lucas and shell 93 and bg 44k and went out for a 100 mile drive. No diff on trans and too soon to tell if the bg44k did anything to improve and potential degraded injectors, but thats a diff topic

 

[toyman]

1- why would an additive to the gas help the trans ?

He meant to say put TransX in the tranny and run the car starting with a full tank of gas and when empty drain the tranny fluid

2- Driving a trans in 1'st at 5,000 for 6 miles or more wont hurt a thing, it has made zero difference in my case. It did prove that first gear does work cold or hot, just cant get back in it after its warmed up. The binding I'm guessing is a valve problem and two bands are engaging at the same time like 1 and 2 or something, thats what it feels like

Possible Transmission Range Sensor issue?

 

[wheelyman19]

Thanks u for correcting me lol. ^^^^

 

[revhead347]

Actually driving around in 1st gear is terrible for it. The leading cause of transmission failure is heat. The torque converter over runs. The higher the rpm on the engine causes the converter to over run more which pumps more heat into the transmission which makes things worse.

Kurt

 

[Bullitt95]

He meant to say put TransX in the tranny

I'm sure putting a TransXual in the tranny will make the fluid tickled pink.

 

[monkeystuffer]

ok so i ran 100 miles with the lucas in the trans, flush and filter done.

then let it sit overnight

this morning i started and went from nuetral to first while sitting still about 50 times, work it loose

drove it basically same thing, first works fine until the trans gets HOT, not just warmed up.

I had a selectable first gear for 5 miles (tested at stoplights).

But after 5 miles of hard takeoffs in drive, to ensure it not only warmed up but was hot like it would be in city driving, no first gear, again it does move, its bound up like maybe its selecting to gear at once, it moves forward under power and feels like a brake is on.

It is SLIGHTLY different than pre-lucas additive, prior to lucas after the trans was hot it really didnt move forward, it loaded the trans down and then when u let off the gas it lurched like it was releasing

Now it trys to move forward, and will move forward, but its binding and will stop if u let off gas, i dont move it forward much like that I dont want to burn anything.

So it definitely is heat/warm-up related, once hot the problem begins.

 

[2002BLGT]

Take it a reputable trans shop , sounds like something in the valvebody is not right

 

[monkeystuffer]

i agree, between my post and yours I went and found one and am dropping it off tomorrow

 

[monkeystuffer]

ok, heres an update, i'll cut to the chase, seafoam for trans

fixed it in 20 minutes

 

[monkeystuffer]

no for more details, trans place couldnt dupe problem, cause they didnt roadtest properly, i did and it still did it, then they decided it needed a 2,000 rebuild. I took car from them and searched for transmissions. Went to the auto place and this week they had seafoam for transmissions, last week theyt didnt, all they had was lucas, it did nothing, dumped 8 ounces in, sat in parking lot and shifted N 1 N 1 N 1 for 10 minutes. Problem is gone

 

[toyman]

I would guess the seafoam cleared a sticking first gear solenoid. Hope that solves the issue permanently for you.

 

[monkeystuffer]

ok the seafoam did and did not solve the problem, but now it is solved, and after 1,000 HARD miles, local, flooring it here is the final solution

Added 8 more ounces of seafoam AND a cooler.

This problem originally happened once trans was warmed up, few miles (heat)

Adding seafoam HELPED but when trans was driven farther it re occured intermittently. You could drive at 10 mph and try manually shifting into 1st and 80% of the time it would, 20% of the time it bound up as if in 2 gears.

Prior to giving up, I added 8 more ounce of seafoam, then drove home with a plate type oil cooler, took about an hour to add the cooler.

Since the cooler was added, ZERO problems with first gear, ZERO.

I will also add that these auto trans are famous for SHUDDER, and the solutions range from replacing the fluid with mercon to replacing the torque convertor.

I can tell you one thing that will FIX that shudder forever, ADD HP, and can be done for little money and in under an hour.

Go to americanmuscle.com and order the SCT 4-Bank Eliminator Chip w/ 3 Free Custom Tunes (94-98 GT) 270 bucks

I added that chip and it REALLY WORKS and it FIXED the trans shudder

The reason is Ford, to satisfy EPA, has the shift points all screwed up to reduce air and increase mpg by lugging the engine everywhere.

I added the chip and get BETTER mpg and BETTER performance and BETTER power and BETTER driveability.

I will add to this as time goes on if things change, but I have driven with the chip 1500 miles now, and I would HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend it for the 94 95 stangs.

The computer is hidden to the right of the passenger foot, u remove the computer, remove a slot cover and toss it, plug in this daughter board, run a rotary switch from it to somewhere (i just placed mine in the glovebox) then select mode 1 2 3 or 4 to go back to stock (and shudder).

EXCELLENT PRODUCT

 

[monkeystuffer]

update, transmission still running good, i have a rare occasional problem with first gear as before, very rare though and clears up on its own. Tonight Im drianing the trans and convertor and refilling it all with Mercon V and a new filter only cause i got 40% off at autozone so i got 26 quarts.

 

[toyman]

26 quarts? Why so much? Capacity is about 13.5 qts.