Originally posted by TourDeForce:
A few suggestions:

1. check the driver side axel seal.
2. do another drain $ fill so you know you're not over filling
3. part of the first quart of tranny fluid in the 4 qt drain & fill, consider some Lucas Trans fix
4. If you don't have a tranny cooler, get one. The added volume of fluid alone could be helpful.

I read another CEGer raving about Trans-Fix, I had a few similar symptoms, so I dumped some in with my drain & fill a few weekends ago. Seems to have helped to a very noticable degree, and I used less than called for in the instructions. I had harsh, loose feeling shifts before, like mild bang shifts in every gear in many situations - now smoother. Have not had one instance of the 'no fluid neutral' since. Next drain & fill, I'll follow the directions carefully & see what effect it has.



Well, I put the car up on ramps today and took a look around.

1. Both axle seals looked great. There was a stain that looked to be from oil draining from the seal area but it was dry when I checked it. I'll keep an eye on it.

2. I did the drain and fill - like I said, it wasn't even reading on the dipstick. About a quart came out and it was dirty. There were a lot of particulates. It looked like dirt in the fluid.

3. I picked up a bottle of Lucas Trans Sludge.. err-uh Fix and put in half a bottle. I couldn't bring myself to put the whole bottle in. That stuff poured thicker than honey and it was 70�° out! The trans took 3 1/2 quarts of ATF + that half bottle of Trans Fix.

4. I plan on geting one. I noticed that there is a pretty big tube / fin one stock. Do most people eliminate that when they go so a plate cooler, or run them both?

I noticed while the car was in the air that the leak is forming at where the two halfs of the tranmission come together, not where the trans meets the engine. The dirty / oily / greasy part was pretty much contained to the rearmost section of the trans case - right by where the O2 sensor is. The O2 wiring was soaked in fluid too.

I took it easy and drove around the block to warm up the car. I checked the fluid level and needed to add a half quart (total of 3 1/2 quarts ATF plus the half bottle of Trans Fix). I then got on the freeway and took it for a quick blast up to 90. It pulled strong and the shifts feel more authoritative than they ever have. When I got home I pked my head under the car and it's dry.

I plan on checking in in the moring and if it's still dry I'll take it to work... closly monitoring the ATF fluid level.

Shawn

'98 Contour SE Sport v6 ATX - totaled in August of '05 '95 Mustang GT Convertible - 5-Speed.