For the past few days my auto tranny has been shifting sluggishly. After warming up it seemed better ... shifted fine ... no slipping ... pulled strong.

Today after driving around town for 30 miles or so I parked it at a friends house. It sat there for a good 8 hours in snow and below freezing temperatures.

I started the car to go back home ... let it warm up a little ... shifted into reverse ... and the car moved very little ... at around 3000 rpms. Anything below that it just stopped moving. I shifted to Drive and it moved forward very very slowly at 2500+ rpms. I pulled back in ... let the car warm up to normal temp ... but it does the same thing again.

I shifted the lever in all positions and then in Neutral ... went out to check the tranny fluid. It didn't touch the dipstick. I let the car there because it was already 3 am and I thought I'll give it another try in the morning and check for any leaks in daylight.

Anybody with any suggestions as to what I should check or do? Does the dipstick show correct fluid level if the engine is warmed up but not the tranny? Is the tranny dead/dieing?

Thanks

If the car is started the level should be up to par, your problem is most likely low fluid. Without the proper level the tranny will over heat and wont operate properly. top it off chack for leaks and pray you didnt damage anything.
Andrew

sorry to tell u this but tahts exactly what my car did when my clutches went completly out
so I think you'll be needed a new tranny

so I finally got a chance to get some B&M Trickshift and added it to the tranny because the level was really low. I added a quart ... and the level came upto "cold" ... while the engine was warm and running. I drove around a little to warm up the tranny ... checked the level and it didn't even touch the dipstick ... although the car drove really well ... pulled fine and everything ... no lag between shifts either.

I added another couple of quarts of oil ... took it back home ... checked the oil and it was low again. I saw under the car and oil was dripping. I couldn't tell from where ... I didn't have time to jack up the car. I'll take it to a transmission shop tomorrow and see what they say.

Anyone got any idea where it could've been leaking from? the oil seems to be dripping from the center of the car ...

Thanks

some places a tranny can leak are: trans pan gasket, axle seals, dipstick tube, vent tube, front pump seal. There are other places but these are the most likely places for a tranny to leak.
ANdrew

Thanks Andrew. That should be helpful.

I'll be finding out whats actually wrong with it by tomorrow or so. I'll update u guys as soon as I find somthing out.