I think I have to bite the bullet, and get that shift solenoid taken care of. (po773 code)

Lately it has been acting wierd. When I come to a stop from 4th gear, it doesn't downshift all the way into first. The light will turn green, and it won't be in first. What is worse, is that I'm not in 2nd either, I'm like in between1 and 2. It won't just bog like it should if I was in 2nd, instead it winds and slips. The only way to stop it is to manually shift into 1st, and then out.

 

How many miles do you have on it? Has the fluid been changed regulararly?

 

I had the same issue with a 1980 Corona. I manually shifted that pos for years. Damn car would not die! I finally sold it for the $600 I paid for it. kinda funny how some things don't change.

 

Well, today on the way to work it took a dump on me. I stopped at t red light, and went to take off, and nothing. I manually put it it 1st, but it wouldn't shift. I had to rev it to 4k to get it to move, and I nursed her into the same shop that did my timing belt. They hooked it up, and told me that the solenoid is completely gone, and that it is stuck in 3rd.

Since they don't specialize in trans. work, they quoted me 900 to fix it. Instead I took it to a highly reccomended transmission place down the road, who told me that they would replace all of the shift solenoids for 500 bucks.
When I started it to drive it over there, I put it in 2nd, and drive across town fine, stoplights and all. It goes between 1 and 2 great, just once it hits 3rd, it stays there.

BTW it has 136k currently, and I have only owned it since 115k. I dropped the pan, and the fluid wasn't stinky, and the magnets were sqeaky clean, so I have not flushed it, only drained and filled.

 

Shes all fixed. I am going to start a new thread explaining the CEL.

 

Wow, that was quick. Did you end up out of the mess for only $500?

 

Yep! $500 even, and she shifts like brand new.

On a side note, it was nice to hear form an expert whether or not I should flush my tranny. He said that it's not worth it, and that one drain and fill every 50k is the way to go.