Any suggestions on a slipping transmission?

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Originally Posted By: meep
LG red not going to help.

the transmission is failing. not enough line pressure or clutch material --- you need to get the thing to GRIP.

LG Red tries to meet spec for proper friction. you don't want that.

You want thicker fluid if it's low line pressure, to artificially raise the psi. Or you want a grippier fluid if the clutch doesn't have much material left in it.

Unless it's something like a binding solenoid, plugged valve, in which case fluid games probably just aren't going to help.

Slap an ATF +4 in there, or a universal fluid. See what it does. If it's TOO harsh, you went in the right direction and can dial it back some with LG Black, which will make it slip more. Add LG B in TINY amounts, or you'll be back where you started. by tiny I mean no more than a tsp at a time.

I've never used lucas, but if it thickens the ATF, I'd absolutely try it. In fact, I'd probably try it First, before getting rid of the old fluid.

Another trick is to add 1-2 tbsp of brake fluid. Swells seals that are shrinking and cracking. It will hang in there for a month or too, but after that the seals will likely melt and it will be DONE. This obviously only works if the problem is with internal seal failure.

Either way, don't go out buying whole new fills of boutique fluids. You will unlikely get more than 6 months from this unit, and possibly much less depending on how it is now.


Lucas is VERY thick. It literally took me ten minutes to pour one 24 oz bottle in my tranny. When I first did it, I thought I had gotten gear oil by mistake but a quick google search revealed it's suppose to be this way.
 
If you want to increase friction as a last resort. I think you can try some of those CVT fluid to see if it helps. In theory, those CVT fluid has additional friction increasing particles that help "biting" between the belt and pulley (Nissan non hybrid CVT), while it is not good for a normal working transmission, it may help you as a last resort to increase friction between the worn clutch pack.

I repeat, this is all "in theory", so don't try it if you have better methods in mind.
 
The filter is inside the transmission. The shop told me in order to change it, they'll need to take the transmission off and disassemble it, which gonna cost me several hundred dollars.
 
You're saying that ATF+4 will thicken the fluid? I just need this car for a year until I graduate, so if some fluid can help me to just to get to that one year period, I'll be happy to use it.
 
My car is slipping when going from first gear to second and hesitating between 3rd and 4th gears also. I changed the fluid and tried Lubegard Red with only a tiny bit of improvement.

I don't think there are varnish in the transmission cause I have several shops checked the fluid multiple times and it looks and smells fine. There are also no error code in the computer.
 
step one. try the lucas.

if that just buggers it up more, we need to know what got better, and what got worse.
 
I had a 2001 Stratus that had this transmission (the coupe version of the Stratus was actually an Eclipse) and I never liked how the transmission shifted. It was always sloppy and would slam into gear at times. There are two versions - if you look on the top of the transmission case there is a spot where a spin on filter would go. If you don't have the spin on filter, there is a non-serviceable screen inside.

You've already done 3 fluid swaps and added Lubegard, I am not sure I would do anything else at this point. I would drive the car as gently as possible to try and maximize what life is left in the transmission. I don't think any miracle fluid is going to help. These cars weren't Mitsubishi's greatest moment.
 
I thought up until 2003 or so, this transmission had an external, spin on filter.

I googled a bit (didn't save links), but someone had a how-to on how to eliminate some of the 2-3 surging on this transmission. I'd look into that.
 
Set aside the consequences to me and it's almost funny: The 5-speed automatic in our 2009 Hyundai Sonata has had this very same flare and slam doing the 2-3 upshift since almost new. Of course the dealer says there is no problem. So much for a warranty. In my case, since it is inconsistent I suspect a valve or solenoid hiccup, but as long as it's under warranty nobody will acknowledge the problem.
 
Originally Posted By: mattd
you are wasting money on fluid. Forget trying so many fluids and additives and put that money toward the rebuild.

+1 The unit is toast. Don't bother messing around with fluids and additives its to late for that, at this point its $$$ out the window.
 
Originally Posted By: hyprytn
The filter is inside the transmission. The shop told me in order to change it, they'll need to take the transmission off and disassemble it, which gonna cost me several hundred dollars.


On most cars you drop the pan and the filter is right there. Normally I would not trust the word of a transmission shop, but in this case they might be correct:

http://www.justanswer.com/mitsubishi/6c5ti-transmission-filter-2002-mitsubishi-gallant.html

I suspect it's item 20:
2012-03-04_183111_78872952.gif


Consider it part of your punishment for buying a Mitsubishi. Next time get a Ford.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Originally Posted By: hyprytn
The filter is inside the transmission. The shop told me in order to change it, they'll need to take the transmission off and disassemble it, which gonna cost me several hundred dollars.


On most cars you drop the pan and the filter is right there. Normally I would not trust the word of a transmission shop, but in this case they might be correct:

http://www.justanswer.com/mitsubishi/6c5ti-transmission-filter-2002-mitsubishi-gallant.html

I suspect it's item 20:
2012-03-04_183111_78872952.gif


Consider it part of your punishment for buying a Mitsubishi. Next time get a Ford.


Sadly this is my first car. I was considering for a Ford Focus before but the price that the Mitsu dealer offered me was just too attractive.
 
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