Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting ATX slipping in first gear

Well, it seems like my atx is slipping in first gear in anything higher than 1500rpm. Only first gear is slipping so I assume it's time for a new tranny or a rebuild. How much is it going to cost me? Can it be fixed easily/cheaply?

have you tried having the tranny serviced?? that would be far cheaper than a rebuild...if you have to have a rebuild...might as well level-10 it....

If you have to rebuild your unit and you have a pre98 then you would be better off going with a reman for around $1600-$1800. Depends on where you get them. As for where to get them, do a search on Google and you will find a good number of companies that will ship out a reman tranny to you. If you have a post98, then it might be worth a rebuild since you may only have to get it repaired. Going this route could run from $450-reman cost or more.


Reason being is because if it is before 98, there are a ton of updates that need to be done and you basically rip everything out of the case and go back with almost everything new. This will ensure that the tranny will perform better and last longer. It cost less to replace then to rebuild in this case. A repair bill here can run from $1000 or great then $2000 (yes I have actually talked to someone that paid $2000 to have a pre98 CD4E repaired!)

If it is a 98 or later, then you really do not have all that many updates (if any), so they would only have to break down the tranny and inspect it for damage and wear. Most things will be in check, so they simply replace what needs to be replaced for the repair.

I would change the fluid if you have not done that for awhile (or at least had it done). Just changing the first 4 quarts with a quality ATF (Mercon) can make a difference if it has not been done in a long time. If you do see a difference, then drive it for a short while (10 miles or so) and change it again. Wait a few days or a week and change it again. You should have about 80-90% of the old fluid out of the system by then. If this sounds too costly then you could go somewhere and get the tranny flushed. Be prepared to pay for about 12-15 quarts of fluid at least, plus labor.

If this does not help, then it is off to the shop and see what they say.

Going Level10 is way more then this. By at least a thousand dollars. If you are not very serious about high performance, then I would suggest going the standard route. It is already hard enough to find good support for our tranny, muchless a seriously modified one.

The fluid was last flushed and changed in September. The funny thing is that it doesn't slip when the fluid is cold, ie for the first 5 minutes after starting the car. The slipping isn't too bad but it's really annoying and I have a feeling that the longer I wait, the more expensive it'll get... I've got a good mechanic that gives me very good rates. What should I tell him? Replace the worn out parts and update it or what? Thanks!

BTW, it's a 98. A strange 98... 98 design with a mix of 97 AND 98 parts... bleah!

Have your mechanic take a look at it see what he thinks. You still did not state what year your car was, so it would be hard for me to say.

I still say that if it is a pre98 then go reman if you can. If it is a post98, then you should be able to go with a rebuild and come out with satisfactory results.

It's a 98. Built October 17, 1997.

I'll let my mechanic take a look at it. And I'll look at what a salvaged tranny costs too. Thanks for the help.