1993 Eclipse wont go into gear...

[jaysa_lee]

I bought a 93 Eclipse a few months ago. 2.0 L 16vDOHC non-turbo Automatic
The transmission fluid had not been changed in awhile. It also has a 30,000 mile Japanese motor put in. I had been driving it for 4 months when I left my friends steep driveway in 2nd gear and forgot to shift back up to drive. I may have been going 55 for about a mile when I up-shifted and the transmission went out. The car would not go into gear and all gears acted like neutral except for park. I had my boyfriend look at it and am not sure what he did to it exactly. I am no longer with him and he is totally unreliable. I then had my other friend put the car back together from what the boyfriend "tried" fix. He noticed that the safety lock device for the gear shifter was gone. We went to the parts yard and got a used one. The Ex had also unhooked the gear shifter so it didn't respond when you moved it. We changed the filter and fluid and hopefully put it back right without any missing pieces. Now the car's gears are all acting like park, except for neutral which works. It acted like it wanted to shift into Low, but never fully engaged.

Here's my deal; As I am short on funds, what else can I do to check to see if it is fixable? I know nothing of trannys and don't want to sell it cheap and have someone else fix it easy. The replaced engine has low miles on it, so I guess it would be worth rebuilding the tranny. I don't want to scrap her just yet, but don't have a lot of money or the knowledge to get her moving again. And keep in mind, the Ex could have taken another part that I am not aware of! Great huh!?!?

Thanks!!!

~j

 

[RoryBarron]

Basically shift while sitting in the car and have someone visually make sure the selector is moving on the transmission. Check the fluid again, if it is black (even though it was changed) that isn't good. It means something is toast. If you can find a transmission to swap from the junkyard for cheap that might be a good idea. I know how hard it is when you love your car, if anything put it on a back burner for now until you can fix it.

Also, what fluid was used? I know it didn't really cause a change but improper fluid isn't going to help a bad situation either.

The "low-mile" japanese motor story is a myth as well. They do not grow on trees over there, they come from any car they can strip down. Since it still runs it is a good motor either way, just don't be suckered into thinking that is any better than the motor that came from the factory.

 

[DSM1G90]

You CAN get a JDM transmission (being a F4A22 tranny-which is in your vehicle now..) that has a better chance of being in good shape than a yard pull.

But, plan on $1400 bucks to buy and have it installed.

Automatic trannies are so fragile that they can break down if not too careful in operating one. I know the feeling: drove a friend's '76 P.U. that the shifter pointer was broken so one didn't know what forward gear he was in.
I drove it from one town to another, in the space of 25 miles in 2nd-I didn't know that it was in 2nd until I bumped up the shifter and I could tell that I went into "D". Running that distance and speed in 2nd did some issues to that tranny. But he guessed that the tranny needed rebuilt anywhos.

 

[jaysa_lee]

I used the store bought atf that the auto parts store recommended since it was cheap. We changed it twice & it smelled really badly burnt, unlike the first draining.

 

[SupremeDsm]

Well im wondering why under your profile name it says you have a 93 Eclipse GSX. Is the car that you are talking about now a totally different car? I can probably get you a used transmission for a good deal if you need one.

 

[daplatano91]

Try bleeding the transmission cooler lines. Yeah you said there might be a problem in the trans itself but do you know if he actually went into the trans and checked the clutches? Also if you have anyone competent enough have then check the end clutches as they might be the reason the car doesn't want to move. But if your ex pulled of those lines trying to fix your problem (not sure if he went in to the trans) there's a chance that this is why your car wont shift now.

 

[jaysa_lee]

No one has looked inside the transmission yet. I do have a reliable person helping me now. So the clutches would cause the fluid to burn? I guess my best bet is getting it diagnosed at a shop if we can't find the problem. Or rebuilding the tranny. Finding one is getting difficult!

 

[daplatano91]

Actually it works the opposite way. From you running the car for so long in the wrong gear it heated and burnt up your oil and in turn burnt up the clutches in the transmission. If I were you I'd take the transmission to a reputable transmission shop to be rebuilt.