Extreme drop in torque with car...any car experts please help

[GL]

I'm not a big expert in cars although I used to love reading R&T, C&D and all the other magazines. My dad is hanging onto his 1991 Buick LeSabre Limited. He loves this car for some reason (he's convinced it's a good car because it was the last metal bodied LeSabre...not sure if that's true!).

Anyhow, it'll be replaced after winter. Up here in Toronto though with the temperatures varying from -40 degrees C (with windchill considered) all the way to 15 degrees C between November and March, this can really take a toll on a car.

Let me cut to the case. The car doesn't have nearly as much torque as it did. I'm convinced the transmission is on its last leg. It seems as if the transmission timing is off. First gear gives horrible torque and there's a "thud" when you change into second gear where the car seems to pick up torque. On the highway, the transmission doesn't seem to switch into overdrive. So passing has become next to impossible unless you plan well ahead. Also, sometimes even getting onto the highway is a chore, as the car starts lagging and the gears won't change...so it seems like I stay in 3rd or 4th for a REALLY long time where the car stuggles to get past 80 km/h...and then that "thud" happens and everything seems fine again.

Anybody know what the problem might be and what the solution to it would be? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

-GL

 

[LAUST]

Definantly take it to a tranny place your tranny is definantly shot... on a rare chance your Torque converter could be screwed too.. but that is uncommon unless you throw lots of torgue to it like a performance vehicle. All my Auto's usually have lasted about 120-160K miles and then it's time for a rebuild I put heave HP motors to them but it's just a fact of life with an Auto.

I say take it to a place cause rebuilding a tranny on your own SUX.. you have to be VERY clean around it no Dog hair or Dirt and it just plain sux to do tranny's.

I would say look at allot of your tune-up type of work but when you say you have a big clunk that comes from the Tranny that probably means some big slipping going on in that tranny

 

[hippy]

When was the last time the tranny fluid and filter were replaced?

I'd check there first.

 

[GL]

Thanks for your help guys. I know my dad changed the tranny fluid and filter sometime this past year. I checked today the transmission fluid level and it was fine. The car just needs a lot of babying right now. Depending on how hard/soft I step on the accelerator from a stop, the transmission can either kick in absolutely fine through all the gears or horribly slow. It's an old car though...I guess it's time for a major overhaul..or better yet a new car!

-GL

 

[Ronstang]

If you get a thud when it shifts you definitely have some tranny problems. It could very well be the torque converter. My girlfriends Suburban had very similar symptoms and it turned out to be the torque converter. If the car shutters at all when it shifts then the TQ converter is definitely suspect.