Oldsmobile Eighty Eight 1994, transmission problems

ok here's the story. As the heading says i have a 1994 Olds 88 the 3.8L NON SUPERCHARGED version. I bought the car with 82,xxx miles noticed some tranny irritations (takes a min. from P to D). Nothing major. The previous owner said I needed a tranny flush soon. Fast forward 2 weeks, on my way to get a transmission flush and the car completely falls out of gear into neutral. The only way I was able to get it back into 2nd was to turn the car off for about 20-30 seconds and then turn it back on. THEN it would shift briefly. Anyway, I pull into Lube Stop for a Tranny flush and they say they can't do it. Something about the fluid isn't being pumped through. They said there was no trans fluid in it, so they put 5 quarts in. I went home via the same method (took forever). And decided to look at it myself. Bought 5 quarts of fluid a tranny filter, and the gasket. Also I bought Lucas' Tranny Slip formula.. whatever it was. Anyway.. I pull the pan down and all i see is black sludge. No big junks. But it was brown, black.. gross. So I drain it ALL out. Let it sit overnight, put the new filter, gasket in and put the pan back on. Let the car off the ramps, put it in park and started the car. I first added the Lucas' Tranny product in, then i added 1 quart at a time while the car was idling. Checking the dipstick after every quart. I finish the job (5 quarts did it along with a quart of the Lucas stuff). I get in the car, run it through P,N,R,D,3,2,1. Shifts are hardish. Then i go for a drive. The car shifts MUCH better.. no indecision when shifting, nothing. Well my dumb ass didn't tighten the bolts enough... so most of the fluid let out.. So I went and bought some more (btw, the fluid that leaked on the ground was pink, not brown). I fill it up, run the car.. all the steps. Still shifting better.. but now it seems to have a problem with 1st gear.. at first it'd hang in 1st for an extra long time before shifting. Now it seems as if it skips 1st all together and starts in 2nd. Even if I have it in "1". Instead of being in 1st gear it makes a slight groan from the back of the car and appears to be in 2nd gear. 2-3-OD shifts are smooth.. no hard down shifts. Just seems to be skipping 1st. I'm sure the tranny is on the way out, and it is quite hot here. Just curious as to a couple things..

1)Why the 1st gear skip, and what can i do?
2)How long ya think it can last like this? I can stay on the highway for 25min. with no hesitiation in shifting (like 3-OD shifting randomly) I wonder if I can make a 2 hour trip?

any insight would be AWESOME

thank you so much

divinejc@gmail.com

ok.. well, turns out my suscipicions about the 1st gear may be false.. that is, if the Olds can go to push 30mph and be ok.. unless that's 2nd gear. The most recent problem is it not shifting OD... i'll sit 60mph and it'll be in 3rd.. then... after about 20 minutes of driving.. it just shifts into OD... how can i get some consistency? Also.. how should the tranny fluid look in the dipstick container? Mine is brown and nasty even though i just changed it.. there is quite a bit of pink though.. but what could get it ok? A new tranny cooler?

ok.. well, turns out my suscipicions about the 1st gear may be false.. that is, if the Olds can go to push 30mph and be ok.. unless that's 2nd gear. The most recent problem is it not shifting OD... i'll sit 60mph and it'll be in 3rd.. then... after about 20 minutes of driving.. it just shifts into OD... how can i get some consistency? Also.. how should the tranny fluid look in the dipstick container? Mine is brown and nasty even though i just changed it.. there is quite a bit of pink though.. but what could get it ok? A new tranny cooler?

go with a tranny cooler and change fluid and filter again that should extend the life of it :)

is a tranny cooler necessary for that type of vehicle? i thought those were meant more for fast cars

A trans cooler will help extend trans life in respect to failure due to overheating the fluid, it sounds like you are past that issue and need addt'l diagnosis here. A scan of solenoid functions and gear errors and slippage should be done at a trans shop to really see what is happening here. It sounds like this unit will probably have to come out.

Could the problem "potentially" be eliminated if I change the tranny fluid again. therefore getting a lot of the junk that was stuck in the torque converter? My logic being that it improved massively from the previous tranny fluid change.. i wonder how beneficial it'd be to do it again????

Wont hurt to try.

changed the fluid and filter again... same result. Question, could this problem be the shifter solenoid? Before it stopped going into OD it used to buck back and forth between 3rd and OD... I've read elsewhere that could be the problem. How could I determine if it was electrical? Will i get a code if it i dont' have a check engine light?

What did I say in my last post , I answered this question! ( thoroughly)

ah.. boy do i feel silly.. *bows head in shame*

Do you scan those kinda how OBD works, or is it require some other methodology? I guess my question is, how do i scan it?

thank you and i'm sorry :)

A trans cooler will help extend trans life in respect to failure due to overheating the fluid, it sounds like you are past that issue and need addt'l diagnosis here. A scan of solenoid functions and gear errors and slippage should be done at a trans shop to really see what is happening here. It sounds like this unit will probably have to come out.

:iagree: GET it scanned !

I wouldnt put it off to long, as you can damage the trany more then it is now.
I just replaced a trany due to slippin. It slamed everything back and forth, basicly ruined the whole case too :disappoin

does auto zone scan tranny codes?

You should go to a well equipped trans shop they have a scanner that will delve into any trans diagnosis, AZ and most shops cannot do this, plus they do not know how to interpert the info.

just trying to avoid paying tons if possible. BTW, the fluid turns brown pretty quickly.. it seems more and more like it's mechanical..

See where this is going, not good.