Troubleshooting/rebuilding an ATX (F3A)

[htchbck]

My sister's car crapped out on her a couple months ago, its the '88LX that I swapped to an ATX out of a '90 model. It was very low on fluid, had a leak from one of the cooler hoses. It still had enough fluid for it to go into gear and pull, but its like its stuck in 2 or maybe even 3 all the time. When you put it in reverse or in park, it still tries to pull forward and just bogs the engine out. In any of the forward gears it does go forward, but feels like its in probably second all the time, never even tries to shift.

Any ideas that could be up with it? I could just put another one in, but I can get a master overhaul kit from NAPA with all the friction plates and clutch plates and all seals for ~$100. I like the idea of completely rebuilding it, I've done a couple of 700R4s in the past, and I don't imagine this would be much more difficult but I could be wrong? Anybody open one of these up before? I know Jim has. What do you think Jim, would this one be worth trying to rebuild?

[crazyrog17]

Troubleshooting/rebuilding an ATX (F3A)

I also drive an auto, these transmissions are very robust. I'm sure they're pretty much overkill for a Festiva because they came from larger Mazda 323s and Mercury Tracers.
I have a slipping problem when it's cold, I won't hijack your thread, but I'm excited to see how your rebuild goes if you decide to do one.

[htchbck]

This one doesn't slip, but its definitely dead, at least currently. I think I'm going to go ahead and rip out the engine/trans today and start dismantling the transmission. I don't have a new one to put in yet, so why not see if I can find the problem first, right?

[bhazard]

Re: Troubleshooting/rebuilding an ATX (F3A)

When in doubt...let jim take care of it. I can't wait to use my yvanified jimtrans.

[htchbck]

Not dropping that kinda dough on my sister's carb'd B3 lol. Maybe for a BP build though, but not this time

[Movin]

did it sit long enough the valve body gasket might have dries out and failed ?

[htchbck]

Nope, it had been driven weekly (by myself or my wife) for the last couple years, and my sister was DDing it for about 8 months before it died. Before that the trans was in my wife's cousin's car for a while, also a DD, and the trans was only out for a week or two when I was swapping over, a couple years ago.

[bhazard]

Re: Troubleshooting/rebuilding an ATX (F3A)

Not dropping that kinda dough on my sister's carb'd B3 lol. Maybe for a BP build though, but not this time

Lol how much do you think he charges to rebuild?

[htchbck]

Don't know, but I'm guessing more than $100 which is what a spare trans or rebuild kit for this one would cost me. Plus I'd have to get it to him, then get it back. Wasn't trying to say his services are priced too high, don't know how much he charges but I know it would be worth it. Just saying for my sister's daily beater I don't really need that caliber of work, nor do I want to spend anymore than I have to on it. Thats all. Sorry if I sounded like I was trying to put Jim down, I know better than that, the man's a legend!

[Movin]

Make sure you don't just stick the parts in but actually see the
problem, or get another used one, the odds are pretty good of
getting a good used one...this could be more of an education than
you want. We are preparing a 3rd valve body for a 4L60E, and those
are pretty good outside of applicable TSB's.

[FB71]

^^^ thanks!

Sounds like the forward clutch is stuck on, most likely the frictions and steels were overheated due to slipping, now binding. You may need hard parts. To be safe, I'd grab another unit, then crack this one open to find the failure.