Auto Trans Opinions please

[terry0400-40]

Hi, when i bought my 97 VS Auto series 2 auto 3.8 there was trans fluid in the water and also water in the tranny, so i drains and flushes the box and put in new fluid and did by pass the radiator cooling and did run the cooling lines through a 12" x 8" cooler i installed in front of the radiator.

All was going ok just dawdling around Brisbane for 4 months but on its first road trip yesterday i was just crusing at 100 and whenever i came to a rise she would just drop back and rev out and not speed up, at the completion of 360 ks the bands sorta went and she just revs and crawls along at 10 kph if im lucky, the tranny fluid is also gritty to the feel.

Would the previous water in the box have caused the bands to disintergrate or would it be because i did bypass the radiator cooling and did just have the fluid running through the external 12" x 8' cooler alone.
Finally does anyone know how or where i may choose to fix this without spending excessive amounts of money that i as a pensioner do not have. thanks.

[hako]

From the sound of it, the coolant has affected the clutch friction material. This probably held up on short drives but on a long drive with a bit of load it has started to disintegrate etc. The external cooler probably did not contribute to this failure at a guess.
I'd reckon that the cheapest easiest path would be to take your time and source a good secondhand box - they can be had from about $350 up and will usually come with a (short) warranty.
Wreckers are the usual source for these but the classified in your local paper may have private ones or another place I've found handy for bits and pieces have been the noticeboards at Woolies or IGA - I've bought mowers, towbars and even budgies this way and always at rock-bottom prices. Another source is from the damaged vehicle auctions where you can pick up VS writeoffs for under $500 which were good cars before the prang. Councils also auction abandoned cars - you'd be surprised how many get dumped outside bus and airport terminals. Gumtree is another source as is Ebay. Good Luck

[terry0400-40]

Thanks for the info Hako i guess as you say the extra ks i drove Bluey from Brisbane to Nimbin return compared with the usual daily 60 kph 1/2 hours drives around Brisbane really did prove the final straw for the bands after having previously been subject to water in the tranny fluid ect.
I will take your good advice and have a look around cheers. terry