Trouble finding 1st or reverse when hot?

[WS6FirebirdTA00]

Found problem to be piece of plastic in a check valve, removed and the problem went away.

[86FieroSEv6]

Hmmmmmm, almost sounds like the filter pick up tube is leaking. Is the pan dented or otherwise damaged? If the tube is fractured or the seal is leaking it will suck air. How old is the fluid? Try a little Trans-X and overfill the mark by about an 1/8 to a 1/4 inch hot level and get back to us.

[WS6FirebirdTA00]

Thanks for the fast reply.

Fluid was changed a few months back. Checked it and it was ok. Then another day it looked overfull, so I drained some. Then I read to overfill it some and added a bottle of lucas. It was recommended (good recommendation or no?). I've had good luck with their products. Shifting felt smoother right after.

I am anal and change the fluid every 15k miles, scared of the tranny lol pan it not bent, filter was changed before the last fluid change.

[WS6FirebirdTA00]

What electrical components may cause an issue like this (if any)?

When the car is heat soaked, the TPS acts up and I think heat is the primary cause for other sensor failures. I don't notice this when the car is cold, or at least yet I have not.

[Tbay99Venture]

So wasn't there a long-standing issue with wear on the piston seal? (Forget the name at the moment -- it's where they switched from a "short lip" to a longer lip version.) Anyhow as the wear worsens the bang-shift becomes more common because it takes longer for enough pressure to accumulate and shove things in place. Of course the solenoid can also be responsible for low pressure.

[gpse3400]

If you are having a problem with going into the drive or reverse then you have a serious loss of pressure internally. At least in reveres you should have full pressure on the reverse servo, if that is not present then you may have a pump issue....which is not good.

[WS6FirebirdTA00]

This does not happen all the time and the times it did happen was mainly when I was selecting the gear. It also only did it hot.

[WS6FirebirdTA00]

OK, is there any issue with the lucas additive? Just curious if that could cause some symptoms.

The car seems to be shifting hard from 1st to 2nd (and somewhat slow). This has been going on for a little thinking back. Also, in the driveway if I shift to reverse, let the RPMs drop and then get on the gas quickly, it will rev and then catch. Same if I go to 1st quickly. Fluid and filter are fresh, but I wonder if adding the lucas could have caused some of this (who knows, it is thick) or if the filter could be dirty enough. I wouldn't think so since it only has about 15k miles on it.

Also, today after leaving work it did not want to shift unless I backed out of the throttle it seemed. Once, and maybe by coincidence, if I went from "D" to "3", it shifted right away.

[WS6FirebirdTA00]

Found the problem.

Found parts, lovely. There was one stuck by the filter port on the bottom of the tranny in what appears to be some sort of check valve. I assume that was giving me my loss of pressure like symptoms.

Here is a pic. What is this and how bad it is going to suck?

[gpse3400]

Ah...Themz a Plastique Thrust Washer.... Typically they dont cause immediate failure....But it would be nice to have in there...If it runs ok now then dont worry too much about it, you have time. But keep in mind that you will be grinding metal to metal where that thrust washer was meant to be.

[WS6FirebirdTA00]

Thanks. Still had issues going from P to D or R but it only did it when it was really hot outside and the car is driving fine and has no issues when it is cold.

[gpse3400]

Yeah I am sorry man. At least in reverse it should not slip....I really think you have a pump issue amongst other things....

[WS6FirebirdTA00]

Talked to the neighbor and he seems to think if I had those parts in the pan they could be in the valve body causing the issue when going from R to D. I know nothing about the internals really, but he recommended checking that. What do you think?

[gpse3400]

No different than what I told you before. You will need to tear it down or replace it.

[WS6FirebirdTA00]

OK thanks. Guess I will just see how much I can sell it for as it. Went to look at some newer cars Friday with not so many miles lol