Wow, I'm worried that my car is falling apart.

I know I need struts and I have a check engine code that says I need a catalytic converter.

I have a leak somewhere it seems to be on the passenger side of the car. That's where the majority of the fluid stains on the driveway are.

So because of the leak I pressure washed the engine hoping that I could tell where it was leaking. What ever it is it is also hitting the exhaust and stinks when the heat is on.

Well after pressure washing the engine it makes a whining noise in the mornings when it is cold. This noise seems to be coming from the transmission. Also the transmission is slipping some now. Mostly when it down shifts or I go around a corner. I checked the fluid and it isn't low and the color looks good.

There is also another issue when it is cold. When accelerating the drivers side feels like the wheel is going to fall off. Like a wheel bearing is bad. But it only happens for hard acceleration and around 60 if I accelerate. When it happens I can usually back off the acceleration some and it clears up and is smooth.


Ok, so is there anything external to the transmission that I could have hit while pressure washing the engine that might have affected the transmission?

Any ideas regarding the vibrations? Could it be the CV joint? Wheel bearing? Wouldn't those be more constant?

Will a transmission flush help any? Can you use stop leak in the trans?

Thanks in advance. I have always received solid advice from this forum.

For some reason I can not see this forum from work, so I will check this thread at night.

 

The leak is probably up high, maybe a valve cover gasket. Did you ever locate it?

The vibrating wheel sounds like a slight bent axle, that probably caused a bad bearing also. Hit anything recently?

As far as the whine noise, if it's the trans, I would try a 1x3 drain and fill and hope for the best. Definitely wouldn't any additives in this trans.

 

curb shot will mess the axle and wheel bearing up
what fluid are you losing--what color is it? blackish or reddish brown,,look at and smell the dipsticks to find out which it is
low on ps fluid?---should be near upper mark when off

might be an axle seal leak if low on atf

How did you ck the atf fluid level??
at 15 minute freeway cruise from cold- then stop-engine off and ck as
`between the dots`- not at either--between

 

Well it looks like the transmission is done. Barely made it home today. 4th gear doesn't pull at all. First stutters, second pulls ok and third pulls a little.

I have not hit anything. The vibrating could be from the transmission. It would seem like a bearing or axle would vibrate more often. Mine only happens when it is cold and not all the time when it is cold. Even then only around certain speeds.

Anyone know of a good transmission shop in the Lawrenceville Ga area?

Is there any shot with changing the fluid or would that be a waste of money now? I changed it 50K ago and it was on the radar to change soon, but these problems.

I've read so many bad things about the trans in this car. It scares me to think about putting money into it, but I don't have the money for another car.

 

I was having some slipping in my 99tl and I did a drain and fill with the redline atf racing fluid, and it has been smooth shifting since. I want to say that I read on this site that a member revived a failing tranny with a drain and fill, it sounded like it was in a state close to yours. There is a lot of discussion about these trannies. I still have I believe 6 qts of the racing atf fluid if you want to try a drain and fill or two. I live over in kennesaw. Message me if you do or respond on here.

 

Thanks for the offer. Wish I had read this sooner. I was really thinking of trying that, but I was unsure since 3rd and 4th don't seem to pull at all.

I dropped it off at a shop today. I choose this guy because several people I know recommended him, he had done work for me before, and when I called him and asked about it he really knew a lot about the particular car and the transmission issues.

While he has it I'm also going to do the front struts, the timing belt, and possibly the cat(since I have been getting a engine code for 6 months that points to the cat).

When he is all done, it should be almost as good as new.