It doesn’t want to shift out of first. I have to rev it pretty high before it will shift up. I think I can “force” it into second sooner by moving the gear shift lever into the 2nd position.
So does this signal a total rebuild? Can I be so lucky that it is something more simple and cheaper? Should I take it to my trusted mechanic, or a transmission specialist?
Its got 57,000 miles on it.
It probably has a vacuum modulator, and if so, that’s a likely suspect. Could be a broken or disconnected vacuum hose, or a faulty modulator - both fairly inexpensive. A bigger problem is not out of the question, of course, but at least there’s reasonable hope it’s small.
Any knowledgeable mechanic can check out and repair a problem related to the modulator. If it turns out to have an internal problem, I’d suggest then going to a reputable independent transmission specialist (I’m distrustful of the chain operations).
Can’t help with the diagnosis, but I would suggest that the fact that it is 41 years old is probably more of a factor than the low mileage. Start with GaryTs suggestions. If that doesn’t fix it, I would suspect that the fluid has become ‘gummy’ over the years. I don’t know if a simple flush and fill would alleviate it, but I would doubt it.
If it is suggested to rebuild it, consider getting one that is remanufactured instead. My understanding is that a rebuild will consist of a cleaning and replacing of seals and whatnot, while a remanufacture consists of stripping the whole thing down and replacing all the parts with new ones.
Owning an antique car is not for the faint of heart, or faint of pocketbook.
As soon as I read the first sentence I thought vacuum modulator. Being 41 years old, the rubber vacuum lines that connect the vm to the metal hard line, and connect the metal hard line to the intake manifold should be changed.
Well that was about the easiest car fix I ever did!
New question(I’ve debated starting a new thread, but won’t)
about how much would this fix cost me for a mechanic to look under the hood, find a loose hose and plug it back in?
If you go to a non-chain shop, a bottle of Pepsi. I had a problem with my carburetor and went in a small shop. The mechanic open the the hood, replaced the arm (I forgot the term) that opened the carburetor in all of 5 minutes. He wanted nothing for the repair, but I insisted on buying him a soda at the liquor store next door.
Genaro
Glad to hear that.
Perhaps a better question would be how much would it cost for a mechanic to test drive to verify the symptom, inspect for and identify the problem (using his professional expertise and knowledge that most people do not have), rectify the problem, and test drive to verify the repair?
When you do come up with that number send Gary T a check.
Yep; That’s a much better way to put it. Thanks. Any ball-park clue? I’ll be using the amount to justify why I spend so much time on this message board.
I’m thinking in the 40-50 range.
As a minimum. In some areas it might be twice that.