Transmission Question

[Gomanngo]

First, I want to thank everyone in advance. It is great to be able to come here and trouble shoot. Almost three years ago, when a divorce left me without a running car I was at the mercy of the car dealers. Thank goodness for this site, as I was able to buy an used PT with some sense of assurance.

So three years later, I haven't had any problems except for a battery dying and the headlights going out due to a pinch wired underneath. However this past week, it started shifting funny and sluggish. The fluid was low and it had a small leak. So I put a quart of fluid in AT4 and some Lucas Oil seal stuff.

Now when it down shifts between third and second or second and first, it is noticeable. Not so much violent but just a little jerky. Shifts up fine and as I said sometimes it is between second and first and other times it is between third and second. Oh and sometime not noticeable at all.

Any ideas?

[Hooligan]

Have you had the Tranny flushed since you have had it? Should be done about every 30K. How many miles do you have on it?

[Gomanngo]

Yes, I had the tranny flushed approximately 20,000 miles ago, currently I am at 83K.

It is a 2002 Limited Edition.

[CREWZIN]

Someone else just had a similar problem, here's the link...

Downshift problem

[garyerrol]

I'm not sure the Lucas Oil Stop Leak is compatible with Chrysler transmissions. I know the bottle says it is and if you go to their web site, they have all kinds of people saying it did wonders.

Around Thanksgiving I had taken our 2002 Caravan in because was leaking fluid on the ground. We were told the transmission needed resealed for about $1,000. Want to try to put it off a bit longer, I brought a bottle of the Lucas Oil product. After I put it in, the transmission started doing some really crazy shifting, down shifting when when your going along at 40 mph on a level road, dropping into neutral at the same speeds as if it was low on fluid, when it wasn't.

I took it to the transmission shop the next working day, they pulled it apart, did the resealing, put in a new servo pack and all is fine now. I didn't tell them about the Lucas Oil product so I can't tell you what they thought. Maybe it was two things that just happened to happen at the same time, I'm not sure but I doubt I'll try the Lucas Oil Transmission stop leak again, at least not in a Chrysler product.

I'd get yours flushed and see if that helps with the shifting!

[Gomanngo]

The link to the downshift problem is helpful, so thank you for that very much.

As for the Lucas additive, when I first purchased the PT approximately three years ago, it developed a small leak. A customer service rep at Auto Zone recommended it (maybe Schucks). Any ways the point being is I didn't experience any problems adding it at that time. So my fingers are crossed.

[garyerrol]

My problem may have just happened to happen. I don't know for sure but it scared me enough I won't use it again. I'm glad it works for you.