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AW70 Shifting Issues

15A

World's Oldest Brewery
Joined
May 7, 2004
Location
OH-MI....just like it sounds
Have a 92 240 here w/120k. Never towed and ran flawlessly. After sitting for 8 months, car was hesitant (1 sec) into reverse and would not shift into 3rd gear. Drained the fluid and changed the filter (neither was that bad). Noticed if you dropped it into L2 then back into drive, it would shift into 3rd gear. I never took it up to an overdrive speed as the way it was acting I didn't go far. So check the fluid while hot and its barely touching the stick. Added 1/2 qt. Shifting was smoother but still would not go into 3rd w/o the detour to L2. That was all 2 days ago.

Today it jumps into D or R with no hesitation like normal, but when driving will not shift out of 1st - regardless what you do. The shift down cable is loose in the sleeve and in good shape.

Low miles - good service history - and was fine til sitting for just 8 months, and now not leaving 1st after 2 days and nothing else being done. Zero leaks, starts and runs fine otherwise. Obviously something is sticking.....Lucas product? Do these things have serviceable governors like other trans?

UPDATE: Took it for a 5 mile run....had to use L2 once but then it began shifting normally on its own. Stopped and turned around. Into reverse it hesitated; back into drive - hesitated, then ran normal from there on. So something is sticking. Dunno.

Any similar experiences or ideas?
 
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I've never had these issues, but it sounds like it may just need to be driven. Perhaps an Italian tuneup?

If you disconnect the kickdown cable, you should be able to manually shift it from low, 2, D, OD pretty instantly.
 
I'd go down to the walmart and get a few gallons of ATF and do the old pull-the-trans-cooler-line-2-quarts-at-a-time-non-power-flusharoo before I started dumping mechanic in a can in there.
 
I've got 2 cases of Amsoil synthetic ATF. If I knew for sure that would break it free, I'd flush it with that.

'Italian tune-up' :lol: Might come to that. It was shifting manually - L1 - L2 - D, so I knew it worked, just wasn't doing it on its own. Started to work better after the 5 mile run. Might look into another flush of sorts. Odd that just 8 months would do that to a low mileage perfect running trans.
 
I've got 2 cases of Amsoil synthetic ATF. If I knew for sure that would break it free, I'd flush it with that.

'Italian tune-up' :lol: Might come to that. It was shifting manually - L1 - L2 - D, so I knew it worked, just wasn't doing it on its own. Started to work better after the 5 mile run. Might look into another flush of sorts. Odd that just 8 months would do that to a low mileage perfect running trans.

Save the Amway Oil for something else, the AW don't care, tractor fluid is just as well.
 
I doubt a flush is going to make any difference since you recently replaced all the fluid, like, this week. Try some snake oil. What do you have to loose?
 
Today it jumps into D or R with no hesitation like normal, but when driving will not shift out of 1st - regardless what you do. The shift down cable is loose in the sleeve and in good shape.
Define "loose". The cable should have a slight amount of tension on it at all times, the crimped-on lead "stopper" should be within 1/16" or so of the sheath (at idle) without touching, and the cable should smoothly pull out and return with the spool as you turn it.
 
Thought about that purple stuff. At least then I'd know it was completely flushed.

fwiw, trans fluid is purtee clear red.

Define "loose". The cable should have a slight amount of tension on it at all times, the crimped-on lead "stopper" should be within 1/16" or so of the sheath (at idle) without touching, and the cable should smoothly pull out and return with the spool as you turn it.

It has perfect tension - I dont have any doubt its working properly. This is more like something sticking - like a valve body. Going to run it again tonight.
 
I bought a car with a busted aw71 that wouldn't shift out of first. ended up being the governor. had a shop swap in one from a donor aw71. Yours might have a leak or something, which would explain erratic shifting behavior to a degree.
 
This is what a local trans rebuilder told me - sounded like the governor was acting up....but he didn't know anything about an Asian Warner anything. :roll:

I did get it to shift once it ran awhile. Going to try it again today - maybe flush some more AF through it.
 
This is what a local trans rebuilder told me - sounded like the governor was acting up....but he didn't know anything about an Asian Warner anything. :roll:

I did get it to shift once it ran awhile. Going to try it again today - maybe flush some more AF through it.

You can always take it apart but that is a whole 'nother hassle. This is why I always keep a couple known good auto transmissions on hand. You just never know what can happen. A shop could do a power flush and that could possibly loosen up sticky parts. DIY flush won't do that much but here's hoping it does!
 
I had about 2 1/2 gallons of house brand ATF, so although it was just flushed and serviced about 18 months ago, I decided to flush it again. The first 2 quarts that came out of the return line were very red. By the 3rd qt is was beginning to look murky. 5 qts and it looked like V8 juice - red but not clear. By the 8th quart it was clear kool aid again, so I continued through all 10 qts. Went through all the gears for 4-5 second each and took it for a spin. For about 30 seconds it was like it was then began to shift smooth and normal on its own. Drove about 20 miles around town and it was flawless. Only thing I could not verify was the OD. I got it up to 50mph at about 2600 rpm, so OD wasn't kicking in. The light on the dash works but no proof the solenoid isn't stuck or malfunctioning. Tomorrow I may pull the solenoid and bench test it - also test the relay to see if its working properly also.

As far as the cable - it looks fairly new like its been changed before. The cable is loose inside the sleeve - not binding. Shift points could be tweaked 5mph later, but the OD is now what I'm looking into.
 
I had about 2 1/2 gallons of house brand ATF, so although it was just flushed and serviced about 18 months ago, I decided to flush it again. The first 2 quarts that came out of the return line were very red. By the 3rd qt is was beginning to look murky. 5 qts and it looked like V8 juice - red but not clear. By the 8th quart it was clear kool aid again, so I continued through all 10 qts. Went through all the gears for 4-5 second each and took it for a spin. For about 30 seconds it was like it was then began to shift smooth and normal on its own. Drove about 20 miles around town and it was flawless. Only thing I could not verify was the OD. I got it up to 50mph at about 2600 rpm, so OD wasn't kicking in. The light on the dash works but no proof the solenoid isn't stuck or malfunctioning. Tomorrow I may pull the solenoid and bench test it - also test the relay to see if its working properly also.

As far as the cable - it looks fairly new like its been changed before. The cable is loose inside the sleeve - not binding. Shift points could be tweaked 5mph later, but the OD is now what I'm looking into.

Treat it to a new radiator Chris.
 
What a good save! 15a you the man! I find it strange that it would stick just from sitting. I recently sold an aw71 tranmission to a local. The donor car had been sitting 15 or more years in a field. The person who bought the trans took their car to a shop and had transmission installed. There were no issues at all. Trans went right into gear and shifted like normal.
 
:cool:

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1-3 shifts perfect and smooth now but had no OD. Found OD solenoid was DOA, and replaced it. Now the relay wants to be a seat belt buzzer (making noise) and the arrow is on all the time (switch does nothing - whereas with the old solenoid, it did operate the arrow lamp). Fuse panel is perfect - wire wheeled, new Flossers and dabs of dilectric grease. Wiring harness is very clean and solid (even underneath). Have had bad relays buzz before but never an OD. Looking for my stash of them now, but the one in it doesn't look that bad inside/out, so I'm not hopeful replacing the relay is going to solve anything. The solenoid worked perfectly out of the car - the old one had left the building some time ago.

Its 97F / 88% humidity out so would kind of like a cheat sheet of what to check before going out and bursting into flames. This car (very clean - no winters) ran and shifted flawlessly before being parked while I did another car....now all this. UFB.
 
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