Hey guys,
my car's been in storage off and on for the past 15 years. I just got it out and have been driving it and every so often I will experience this weird jerky stutter feeling, kind of like when you let the clutch out too fast in a 5 speed car or accelerate around a corner in a car with an aggressive limited slip. This happened one time when going down hill and accelerating a little and another time when I was accelerating moderately from a light. When I was going down hill the car didn't shift, but the car shifted when I was accelerating from the light and it was stuttering. It doesn't do it too often, but when it does it worries me.

The car has the 10 bolt limited slip and a stock 700r and all components have 73xxx on them. I almost wonder if the torque converter is having a weird engagement or something's wrong with the diff. Any ideas?

 

It didn't do it again for a few days, but it did feel like it would get stuck between overdrive and third at part throttle on the highway, and it would feel like it would be about to kick down and then it would return to overdrive. It kicks down fast and smooth if I give it more throttle or ratchet down to third and runs smooth in overdrive with less throttle. It did the stutter thing again just yesterday when I was going around some 25mph rated curves at 45 mph in third. I have no idea if the problem's with the transmission or the diff... the diff hasn't been making strange noises and the transmission shifts to all gears quickly and cleanly. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this? The transmission and diff fluids have never been changed, would it be worth it now, or is it a lost cause?

 

changning fluids may help. it may be too late for the trans (tough to say though) and changing the diff fluid is always adviseable especially if you have not changed it in 15 years.

 

Update: took the car to have the transmission fluid and filter changed, and the shop told me they didn't want to because they were afraid it wouldn't even move after the flush. I've been driving it regularly and it still goes through all the gears fine and doesn't seem to slip but it does shift between gears and search a lot when it's in overdrive and it does the weird stuttering thing when it shifts sometimes. Could this be gunk in the valvebody or something? Should I have it flushed somewhere else, or it this transmission toast?

 

Another update, for anyone with similar problems:
Put an entire bottle of Lucas Oil Transmission fix down the transmission dipstick tube, and all the problems diminished or stopped. It still acts up every now and then but the shifts are a lot firmer and the little nuisances are more bearable, at least until I can get a rebuild or swap in a manual.

Seriously, if your transmission's screwed, try that Lucas stuff. $10 a bottle to be able to limp it until you can get enough cash or time for a rebuild is pretty sweet.