Hard shifting is almost gone..

[wander2039]

In the Aspire when I first got I did a complete change out with ST Mercon. Nasty stuff came out of there. 6 quarts are the estimated capacity. Drove it about 750 miles but still it shifted so hard it even pulled the pipe out of the new muffler in 200 miles. Shifted normal once it got hot, that takes a while. About 50 miles ago I drained out a 1 quart-ish and replaced it will 5 oz of Lubegard and 1 quart of MMO. Already you can see a dark tint to the fluid in just 50 miles that plain Mercon couldn't in 750 miles. The hard shifting has decreased to a tolerable level cold and hot you can barely tell.

Personally I think it's the MMO rather than the Lubegard. When I got the Festiva it exhibited the same behavior. But rather than a full change out I only pulled the plug and added a quart of MMO and the rest I think regular Mercon. I didn't change it again for 12k. Can't remember how quick it cleared up but still shifts smooth.

I know there's alot of nay-sayers about MMO on here but frankly it works where-ever it's added. Adding Lubegard on top is just a extra plus.

 

[MolaKule]

You probably needed a tranny cleaning to remove some of the varnish and deposits in the valve body, actuators, and pressure plates.

Seafoam Transtune or ARX or LC20 may have showed the same cleaning effect.

I don't think that Lubeguard is a cleaner but rather helps prevent further oxidation and add some friction modification.

One more pan drain and refill and you should have a much better shifting tranny.

 

[Letter_K]

Originally Posted By: MolaKule
I don't think that Lubeguard is a cleaner but rather helps prevent further oxidation and add some friction modification.


I think Lubegard is also supposed to contain some detergents that clean up varnish in the transmission. It also does the things you mentioned too.

From their website:
•Keeps valves and governors free and frees stuck valves in valve bodies

 

[ltslimjim]

FWIW, I'd imagine the LubeGard flush ATF additive prior to a pan drop/refill with LubeGard Red would've sufficed and, IMO, is somewhat safer than using MMO in the transmission.

 

[SuperDave456]

Ive never added just 5 oz of Lubegard to anything.
I typically add the whole bottle.

BTW, it takes some guts to experiment the way you have. I would of never of thought to add MMO. Probably would of tried another transmission flush product.

 

[mechtech2]

ATF is thin, and so is MMO. MMO will clean things.
But Once she seems to be OK, I'd dump what's in there and use ATF.
Probably a name brand one.

 

[Craig in Canada]

I know this is supposed to be an MMO fan-fest thread, but what's the root cause analysis?

Why does the OP have two different cars, built 6 years apart, which both exhibit intolerable hard shifting which is bad enough it can pull pipes out of mufflers? Frankly, I'm surprised that a 1991 Festiva has enough rotational intertia forward of the transmission to do such damage from a slushbox shift assuming the engine is actually bolted down.

Bad luck? Unapproved fluid concoctions used in the AT? It's a Ford? Motor/transmission mounts? Incorrect ATF used? Owner/driver error? "They all do that"?

 

[TooManyWheels]

Keep in mind that the friction materials in an automatic are glued onto steel plates. If I were trying an unspecced fluid wilth solvent properties in one, I would do a test immersion outside of the transmission first.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
ATF is thin, and so is MMO. MMO will clean things.
But Once she seems to be OK, I'd dump what's in there and use ATF.
Probably a name brand one.


+1 I wouldn't keep MMO in there more than 1,000-2,000 miles. After that I'd do a pan drop, line flush, or fluid extraction. Then fill it with the approved fluid and some LG and call it a day. JMO

 

[wander2039]

I forgot to mention the Festiva and Aspire has the same basic transmission. The Aspire has lower gears and converter lockup where the Festiva doesn't. Per MMO website it says no more than 16oz.. oops. I'll monitor the fluid and change it accordingly, in 1-2k it should be fairly dark. If I use Mercon V and a whole bottle of LG Red probably won't have to change it again for 100k.

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
ATF is thin, and so is MMO. MMO will clean things.
But Once she seems to be OK, I'd dump what's in there and use ATF.
Probably a name brand one.


+1 I wouldn't keep MMO in there more than 1,000-2,000 miles. After that I'd do a pan drop, line flush, or fluid extraction. Then fill it with the approved fluid and some LG and call it a day. JMO


I'd probably do this, if I were to use MMO at all, FWIW. Seems like you've gotten sudden improvements, let's see how it pans out over time.

 

[Boss302fan]

Why MMO? I know MMO cleans but how much more then new ATF? I would bet not much. Reg ATF cleans very well by its self.

I would drop the current fill after 1K and refill with new syn ATF and one full bottle of LG Red.