Well ive got a 1994 Oldsmobile 88 with the 3.8L V6 and ive had a small problem with the transmission. Every once and a while when i start the car and put it into drive, it doesnt go into gear, its like it goes into neutral. Then if i shift it into 1st, it goes into gear, and from there i can put it into drive and it will go into gear. Usually this only happens when it is cold, when its warm, it always shifts into gear.

This problem is off and on, it will do it for a couple of weeks, or a month, then work perfectly for a month.

Im wondering if it is low on gear oil, or if my transmission is actually messed up. If it is my gear oil, how do i check it?/ do i have to check it while running or warm?

Thanks in advance.

With the engine warm and the car on level ground, start the engine and let it idle. With your foot on the brake, move the gear selector down slowly through each gear, then back up through each gear to park. With the engine still idling, check the level via the dipstick under the hood, it's probably somewhere near the firewall.

Thanks, ill do that.

So i found the problem. Im low on gear oil. I just hope that i havnt damaged my valve body. On another note, where is the transmission gear oil filler resivour? On the tranny i suspect.

The reservoir is on the bottom of the transmission itself. You fill it via the dipstick tube, a small funnel will be helpful.

Also, make sure you get the right kind of automatic transmission fluid... you won't get very far with "gear oil" in there!

What Eric said.

Dexron VI would be the recommended fluid.

TOC Admin
Brando

Thanks guys, thats really helpfull.

So you are saying that the filler for the tranny fluid is only through the dipstick? Wow this is very weird. And that the resivour is just for draining?

I dont drive the car much (maybe twice a month) would it be advisable to just top the fluid off? Or do i HAVE to do a change? If its really a better idea to actually change it, ill probably top it off, and the only drive i will go on will be back to my house (away from college) then actually change it there.

Onward & Upward - Ross

Yep. The transmission pan holds the fluid just like the oil pan holds engine oil. When you drain the transmission fluid for a change, you either remove a drain plug, or drop the whole pan, depending on design.

You can top it off to get where you need to go, but I would advise a change soon, so that any abrasives in the transmission from running it low on fluid get flushed out so they quit circulating through. I would drive it as little as possible until you get the transmission fluid and filter changed.

Depending on how much/how hard it's been driven with the transmission fluid low, there may or may not be much damage done to the transmission. You will usually damage the friction clutches before the valve body, when running the transmission low on fluid.

Let us know how it works out-

Andrew

Im not going to lie, i drive the car *hard* all the time. But shifts always seem to be smooth.

Thats what i will do, top it off, and change it after i drive back home (Portland) from College (Eugene).

Its just that i have soo much work to do on my VW project that i find it hard to keep up matinence on the Olds (aside from regular oil and filter changes).

Okay, so i had the fluid flushed and replaced at Aamco and my problem has only gotten worse. In the morning or when the car is completely cold, the car will not engage into gear when i shift it to either reverse, drive, 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. Sometimes after i warm her up she will catch into 1st if i rev it a little., then i can shift to drive.

After the car is completely warm, i can park it for like 45 min and it will shift into gear from park fine, but when it gets cold the problem comes back.

Oh and i forgot to mention, shifts are very smooth and it seems like it shifts on point every time when i get it into gear.

At this point, i want to go to the junkyard and grab a used tranny off another car, i have a 1994 Oldsmobile Eighty Eight, what years/ other models can i get a transmission off of? And does anyone have any tips to swapping them?

Im pretty mechanically inclined and have pulled an engine or two before, im thinking that i will basically just unbolt everything that goes to the tranny, remove it, and plop the new one in. Are there any small parts/ gaskets/ bearings that i should replace when im in there?

Im on spring break now, so a quick response would be greatly appreciated so i can get to swapping!

Thanks,

Ross

Have you checked the fluid level again since you had it flushed?

I've heard horror stories about chain places like that, hopefully they filled it back up all the way.

Yes i did check the fluid after, it was good to go. But feel like something is seriously wrong mechanically with the tranny now, and i would rather replace it then get it looked over etc. by someone or have it rebuilt because i dont have the money for that.

ross,
my toronado had a similar problem to say the least, and i found that in the event that it slips when putting it into gear, if you rev the engine with your foot on the brake, it will sometimes glide into place. this problem, in my case was with fluid being to cold etc. you may also have a qualified mechanic look at the transmission linkage, as it may be loose. that may cause tranny to fall into halfs of the gear, if that makes sense,(happened to my buddies truck [ex: P-R-N-D-S-L, your shift selector is seating on the "-" letters, so jimmying the shift selector, just running it from park to low and back quickly may help.

Peace and good luck,
Sean "Murph" Murphy
1969 Special Ordered Toronado

Okay, i have a pretty extensive knowledge of manual transmission cars, but i really dont know much about how an automatic transmission functions. I didnt know that they had "shift linkage" i thought it was more of an "electrical" connection.

If i were to check the connection, i assume i would look at the connection right on top of the transmission correct?

its not a linkage but a rod that connects the shift selector to the tranny, you may see it sticking through the firewall and here you may see an adjustment link etc. you may experiment with that and see if you can get it to select the proper gears. before you do that, run down to schucks or some auto supply place and pick up Lucas brand tranny anti slip or tranny conditioner, cant remember what its called now. this will cost maybe $11. anyways, this stuff works super well. when i woked on an '84 chev tranny, the second i added this stuff, we had tranny movement, so i highly recomend this.
Peace and good luck,
Sean "Murph" Murphy
'69 olds toronado (1968 special order)