Calling car experts... looking for some opinions...UPDATE

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SaturnX

Diamond Member
Jul 16, 2000
3,415
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Hey everyone,

Well here's a little back story.. I drive a 1991 Dodge Shadow, automatic, it's got about 250,000kms (155,000+miles) on the car, and it's on it's 2nd engine.. (long story, water pump went out.. mom kept driving, cracked 2 pistons) .... anyways...

As of a couple months ago, the car's been acting funny.. first off it seems that it "sticks" in a specific gear, say I get up to 60mi/h+ when I start to brake it's supposed to downshift.. but instead my car will jerk back, just as if it randomly poped into a lower gear.

When accelerating, I'll give it gas and it sounds like its trying to shift but keeps going (don't have a tach in the car so I can't tell you RPMs), but it seems like the RPMs shoot up and then finally it jolts into gear...

Lastly, during all this the gas pedal feels really "spongy" meaning it's got a lot of give.. so if I put my foot down it just about hits the floor with barely any pressure...

I've been meaning to get it checked out, but I'm right in the middle of finals and will after they're done.. but just looking for some insight for ATOT..

Thanks for your help!

UPDATE: Well it seems, that I had several problems.. the tranny mount was just about non-existent, and I had somehow lost a couple holds from the engine mounts... but yeah got that all cleared up, but as it turns out the tranny is indeed on its way out...

Luckily for me, I've got 3 spare tranny's kickin' around in my basement. Now just turn this into yet another weekend project, and it'll be like breathing fresh air into it again... well somewhat...


--Mark
 
Zenmervolt

Zenmervolt

Elite member
Oct 22, 2000
24,514
43
91
Transmission shouldn't have any effect on the feel of the gas pedal.

That said, it's definitely dying. It's a small miracle that an early 90's Chrysler transmission lasted that long. They have a history of dying in the 60,000 to 80,000 mile range.

ZV
 
mobobuff

mobobuff

Lifer
Apr 5, 2004
11,099
1
81
I have that jolt problem on downshifting from braking on my 96 Olds Ciera. I've come to adapt to it subconciously and it doesn't do it for me anymore, but anyone else who drives it notices it. You just have to apply the brake at a certain pressure. Not sure if it's the same kinda thing, but nothing else seems to be wrong with it.
 
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SaturnX

Diamond Member
Jul 16, 2000
3,415
0
76
With the braking, there's no way to get around it... meaning it'll happen 9 times out of 10... there's the odd chance it won't happen... but it usually does. Also, if I'm driving and throw it into neutral... the problem goes away entirely... so again pointing me to the transmission...

I was told I might have a sticky throttle pressure sensor, thus causing my jolty shifts.. to be honest, I'm not quite sure.. any other feedback?

--Mark
 
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psteng19

Diamond Member
Dec 9, 2000
5,953
0
0
Originally posted by: SaturnX
Hey everyone,

Well here's a little back story.. I drive a 1991 Dodge Shadow, automatic, it's got about 250,000kms (155,000+miles) on the car, and it's on it's 2nd engine.. (long story, water pump went out.. mom kept driving, cracked 2 pistons) .... anyways...

As of a couple months ago, the car's been acting funny.. first off it seems that it "sticks" in a specific gear, say I get up to 60mi/h+ when I start to brake it's supposed to downshift.. but instead my car will jerk back, just as if it randomly poped into a lower gear.

When accelerating, I'll give it gas and it sounds like its trying to shift but keeps going (don't have a tach in the car so I can't tell you RPMs), but it seems like the RPMs shoot up and then finally it jolts into gear...

Lastly, during all this the gas pedal feels really "spongy" meaning it's got a lot of give.. so if I put my foot down it just about hits the floor with barely any pressure...

I've been meaning to get it checked out, but I'm right in the middle of finals and will after they're done.. but just looking for some insight for ATOT..

Thanks for your help!

--Mark
Click to expand...

At that point you should've probably just gotten rid of the car.
Any engine or tranny repair on an old car like that would've cost more than the car is worth.

Sorry, can't provide you with any help on your problem.
 
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SaturnX

Diamond Member
Jul 16, 2000
3,415
0
76
Well, the only part that was replaced was the engine, the tranny at the time was fine... either way.. it was dirt cheap, since my step-dad was a chrysler mechanic, we dropped in a new engine that we got cheap through some of this connections... trust me, I wouldn't have spent the cash if it was worth more than the car..

--Mark
 
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psteng19

Diamond Member
Dec 9, 2000
5,953
0
0
Originally posted by: SaturnX
Well, the only part that was replaced was the engine, the tranny at the time was fine... either way.. it was dirt cheap, since my step-dad was a chrysler mechanic, we dropped in a new engine that we got cheap through some of this connections... trust me, I wouldn't have spent the cash if it was worth more than the car..

--Mark
Click to expand...

Wait, if your step-dad is a mechanic, then why are you asking here? :confused:
 
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SaturnX

Diamond Member
Jul 16, 2000
3,415
0
76
Well I'm on campus, in the middle of finals... and well.. just killing time since I don't want to study.. that and to get some other opinions..

--Mark
 
J

JeffreyLebowski

Lifer
Aug 23, 2000
15,509
1
81
well if the gas pedal is sponge, then it's possible that the spring on the throttle blade is weakend. I doubt you have a computer controlled transmission. It is most likely attached to the throttle via linkage cable. If the throttle is slow to close or that linkage cable is loose that would explain the jerkiness with out it actually being the trans.
Pull the trans fluid dip stick and smell it. Does it smell burnt? If so it means the tranny is dying.
 
Ryan

Ryan

Lifer
Oct 31, 2000
27,519
2
81
It's a dodge. If the transmission didn't fail, I'd suspect something was wrong :p
 
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SaturnX

Diamond Member
Jul 16, 2000
3,415
0
76
Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
well if the gas pedal is sponge, then it's possible that the spring on the throttle blade is weakend. I doubt you have a computer controlled transmission. It is most likely attached to the throttle via linkage cable. If the throttle is slow to close or that linkage cable is loose that would explain the jerkiness with out it actually being the trans.
Pull the trans fluid dip stick and smell it. Does it smell burnt? If so it means the tranny is dying.
Click to expand...

Hrmm.. thanks for the tips, I'll go check those out...

--Mark
 
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