94 Intrepid 3.5L tranny

155,000 miles. After start up, Reverse doesn't work, and Drive stays in 2nd
gear. After driving about a half mile, shutting down engine and restarting,
transmission works normally.

I guess it's about time to get a new transmission. What are your
recommendations and what can I expect to pay? Thanks.

 

You probably do NOT need a new transmission. The fluid needs to be changed
to the correct fresh Chrysler fluid with no additives and codes should be
checked to see if one of the 2 cheap sensors failed intermittently. Could
also be a bad connection to the sensor. Keep your big bills in your wallet
when you visit your Chrysler dealer and tell them you think one of the AT
sensors is giving you trouble.

 

I just had the transmission on my 94 Concorde rebuilt. It's symptoms were
that it wouldn't engage when the engine was cold, after running the engine
for a minute it would engage but it would be slow to change gears. I had
one episode where it wouldn't change gears at all, that's when I decided
to have it fixed. I first started to have problems around 90K miles, the
dealer told me that there was an internal failure but that they couldn't
say how long it would last. I drove it to 125K miles before it's behavior
became intolerable. I had it rebuilt at a transmission shop, they charged
me $1800. The dealer wanted $2700. BTW I'm very happy with the results, it
feels like a new car.

 

the trans controller may not be geeting the proper power and grounds causing a
limp in mode as well as a bad speed sensor and low fliud, have you checked
that?

 

Am I wrong, or do those symptoms not also indicate the possible need for
valve body work. I have no experience with that, but seeems I've read
several threads on LH car forums where that was in fact the solution (as
well as fluid/filter, and sensors). And IIRC, the valve body repair
isn't all that expensive either (again, from what I've read).

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')

 

No valve body *per se* in this transmission. The solenoid pack takes the
place of what used to be the valve body.

 

I think the solenoid pack is what I meant to say. Do the solenoids
operate shuttle valves?

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')

 

I had the same symptoms on my 300M and just the sensor was changed. I had
the extended warranty and it did not even reach the $50 deductible. Without
the extended warranty it would have been higher though because the dealer
said he could not charge me for diagnosis but normally would.

 

No, they are operated at variable duty cycle to open and close ordinary
poppet valves, supplying fluid or venting pressure selectively to actuate
the various clutch packs. There is a highly detailed SAE paper on the
transmission, published in 1989.

 

The OP said it would not go into reverse. A bad speed sensor would not
cause that. Assuming there's only one problem causing the observed
symptoms, it would not be a speed sensor.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')

 

I'm pretty sure mine would not go in reverse either. Just jerky second
gear.

 

Since the sensors do not generate any output except when the vehicle is
moving, I have trouble seeing how a bad speed sensor could keep it from
going into reverse.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')