Thread: harsh shift + brown fluid.. problem?

Originally Posted by kind153

IT IS BACK.......... on my way from work it did the same thing but at a lesser degree. The engine temp was about a quarter higher too.(relevant?)

We just had a thunderstorm so I had to park somewhere else, and I drove it to my usual spot and it did not do it.
I had to drive a short distance (1/4 block) again afterwards, and after starting the rpm surged about twice.. 800-1500-800-1500-then 800 stable. I'm not sure this is relevant as well.

Could a computer cause a hard shifting as well?
I checked the ATF and it still looks pink.

if its chugging at light throttle, ( driving in any gear) thats the pcs going bad.

if its slipping or shifting hard it could be cause it got hot.

external trans cooler may help some more.

we all knew you were on thin ice to start with having dark burnt fluid. my fluid was like that and it blew. i lost 3 rd gear. got a used one put in.

maf can do that, or a vac leak. the check engine light come on?

sounds like the trans got hot and started to act up again. bleed and top off your coolant as well, that could be the temp spike.

these engines typically will get hot in traffic or stop and go driving, and on the open road drop back to a cooler temp.


my regal runs at 1/4 on the temp, and as high as 1/2 way. back and fourth all the time. i have no numbers on my gauge, like your gp.

let your car warm up, check tranny fluid in park at idle, add trans fluid if needed. i just did that fixed my slipping and hard shift problems

you put a bottle in already didn't you?

you would need to remove a quart of trans fluid if its full now. you dont want it over filled.

if you have a long thin tube, you can siphon out a quart, the hose needs to be long enough to go down the dip stick tube hit the pan and then to the ground, into a bottle.

or crack the pan and let some drain out.<<<<messy.

then add a quart of lucas.

hmm. Lucas is good, it's worked some wonders with my trans. I use it with every pan drop I do.

And for hard shifting, if you can't remedy it, that's one of the "common fixes" that a shift kit can provide. As well as slow shifting fyi.

Well...your transmission is hydraulic. It uses fluid to shift from one gear to another. There are accumulators with springs in them for when you shift. It's very easy to get to and when you change these springs, you add a shift kit. It firms up your shifts etc etc etc. There are plenty threads about it. I have 3 in my favorites regarding install.
There should be more info if you look.

Anything I can help with let me know.