Another VR Auto Transmission problem

[mootazzy]

I need some advice pls

I have a 95 vr commodore wagon, I am having intermittent gear change issues going from 1st to 2nd and then 2nd to 3rd. This has been happening for nearly 6 mths now (i did have one month where it drove normally).
I have taken it to my mechanic so many times and of course it never misbehaves. I have had it serviced twice in the last 12 mths and still it acts up.
Its main issue is going into third gear it wants to go into gear around 40-50 on the speedo but it wont kick until around 60 and sometimes it wont at all. Sometimes it revs a bit longer going from first to second but no where near like 2nd to 3rd.
I have noticed that if I shut off the engine and restart it seems to reset something and it changes perfectly however lately I may have to stop it twice. There is no engine light that comes one at all - this only happened once last year just before all this hassle started
I have had the mechanic check out the computer in case there was an issue there (only because of how it would work after I would restart the car), apparently all was fine there and his answer was just keep driving till it gets worse! I have had a supposed reconditioned gearbox put in around end of 2006 but only to be told last year by my current mechanic that it was not a reco one but a 2nd hand one.
I have been in contact with an auto transmission specialist and will leave it with him to check over but I was hoping to get some helpful info to ask him etc.
I am also having some idling issues where the car will idle badly at times in park and it will stall, idling while the aircon is on also seems to make the car struggle and there is obvious loss of power.
I was wondering if anyone had any light to shine on this for me and if any of it sounds familiar and if there is a possibility that my Oxygen sensor maybe the cause as I had been told that there had been a fault reported on the right o2 sensor just before all this started happening with the gearbox.
Hope someone can help.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

You could try doing an error code check by following this Checking error codes VR/VS (Revised). The fact that your idle is rough could point to a vacuum leak. Try resetting the PCM and the TPS by disconnecting the battery for 10 seconds then revving to 2000 rpm for 10 seconds while in park. There is also a procedure for resetting the shifts in the transmission too. After revving for 10 seconds switch off the engine, wait about 20 seconds and restart and let it idle, drop the shifter back to 1st for 10 seconds and then shift up into each gear for 10 seconds each until you hit drive. Put it back into park and switch off. Then take it for a drive and see what happens.

[mootazzy]

Thank you Not_An_Abba_Fan

I will give that a go, thank you for the instructions I would have been up the old proverbial, I know only the fundamentals on cars

I will post back when I have tried and let you know how it worked, fingers crossed.

[spd_dmn]

I have the same problem, and also whenever I go to the mech or transmission joint it drives normal. It's very annoying. For me the prob is always between 1st and 2nd. the rest of the gears are fine. Let us know how ya go.

[VR38]

I know it is of no help sorting your problem but I have found that sometimes with wear and tear that an auto cops that a bit of shit gets caught in the wrong place and gives trouble and a bottle of trans conditioner can help, if it does, take it in for a service while its running good and the shit is in the filter/pan. If it don't work than it only cost you around $20 for the bottle.

[mootazzy]

Hi ppl

Well I have finally sorted out the issue and thanks to the helpful information I have found on this site it saved me a new reconditioned gearbox
It turned out that the mechanic checked the oxygen sensors and found the faulty one but replaced both, now admittedly he cut corners and picked up the whole kit and cabudle at a wreckers and only charged me $60 all up and said that he didnt charge labour cause I was a good customer.
I do wonder if that was due to the fact that he never thought to check that all the times I took it into him.
Anyways its running like a dream, changing gears perfectly and the idling issue has gone as well So very happy driver now.
Once again thankyou to everyone's input on this whole forum, I could have been $1300 down and still none the wiser.

mootazzy