Automatic 4 speed.
When it changes gear (usually from 1>2 or 2>3 or R>D) there's tonnes of neutral time between the change (sometimes up to a few seconds but usually only about a second). Revs go really high and the car doesn't have any power and then there's a lil clunk and we're away again.
I checked the trans fluid and it seemed to be reasonably full. No idea what its meant to look like though. i.e. colour, consistency, (novelty options: smell, taste :P)

Do I just go to the local mechanic and say 'transmission tune up please!' or is there something specific I can/should ask for?

On an unrelated note (something that was suggested to me in passing), is it worth it to get it converted to a manual or just wait till a few years from now and buy one thats already manual?

transmission fluid should be red from my experience.

secondly, depends if you want more power and a car which is more fun to play with. I will be getting mine converted in the future as well. just finding someone is the hard part.

On an unrelated note (something that was suggested to me in passing), is it worth it to get it converted to a manual or just wait till a few years from now and buy one thats already manual?
ill answer this bit.

depends.

if your car is in good condition besides that and you are gonna keep it a while then yes. Just dont let choonga near it!

transmission fluid should be red from my experience.

secondly, depends if you want more power and a car which is more fun to play with. I will be getting mine converted in the future as well. just finding someone is the hard part.
Well mine was a dark gold. I assume thats a bad thing then. Also changes gears a bit late.

Whats the cost of getting it converted? My mate said it costed him 900 for a pajero to go from auto to manual. Was he yanking my already sore leg?

some people have done it for around 1000 bucks including parts if you do it yourself, if you pay someone else around $3500, i have been quoted by a few places, mitso i think are about $5000.

Hope that helps

Mike

Thanks for the quote mate.
3500 is massive. Its really not worth it in that case. I'd rather just go and trade in my current magna and pay the 3500 and get the sports 00 model or something.
But the TE magna is now going for reallly cheap these days so I suppose I wouldn't get much for it.

My justification for the manual conversion: my car is already personalised for me, in good condition, stamp duty, the time it takes to sell and re buy, re personalise or transfering parts from one car to the other, good fun, and there arent to many manual TH sports magnas around in my experience.

Mike

My justification for the manual conversion: my car is already personalised for me, in good condition, stamp duty, the time it takes to sell and re buy, re personalise or transfering parts from one car to the other, good fun, and there arent to many manual TH sports magnas around in my experience.

Mike
Sorry to be ignorant, but what year is TH?
Also, does the manual stick have enough room to move in the auto console?
Is console even the right work for what I mean?

TH is the 99/00 model. The centre consol plastic gets change over i believe, well this is what my mate did for his car, although there not expensive anyway.

When was the last time you had it serviced? or how long have you had the car for?

Generally you should get the trans fluid changed every couple of years. My gear box started to play up and after getting the fluid changed it was changing gears smoothly again.

It sounds like the band in your transaxle is slipping, causing the revving out.

If a fluid change doesn't fix her up, then you might need to look at a rebuild.

some people have done it for around 1000 bucks including parts if you do it yourself, if you pay someone else around $3500, i have been quoted by a few places, mitso i think are about $5000.

Hope that helps

Mike

i guess being done by mitsu @ $5000 is a literal and full conversion, that the car would behave and drive and looks like it camestraight out of the factory... apparently with some auto to manual conversion cars, they are still keeping the auto ecu and there is some sort of wiring need to trick the ecu and make it think that it is constantly in neutral. something along those lines. wish i had $5000, the conversion would look mickey mouse.

When was the last time you had it serviced? or how long have you had the car for?

Generally you should get the trans fluid changed every couple of years. My gear box started to play up and after getting the fluid changed it was changing gears smoothly again.
Bout a year since I had a full service. Had it for just over that.
So I'll get the fluid changed and see how it goes. I'll report back once done.

EDIT: Interesting info Boozer.

It sounds like the band in your transaxle is slipping, causing the revving out.

If a fluid change doesn't fix her up, then you might need to look at a rebuild.


Agreed, do these models come with over-drive buttons? Does that still work?

Gold colour suggests its probably more a brown colour, it should be bright red and I'm hoping the correct trans fluid was put in originally.

The only answer is a flush, it will at first fix the problem and feel smoother, if a band is wrecked, after a few days/weeks you will notice the same problem come back, then you will need to get a auto trans place too take a look. In saying that it could be as easy as replacing a band. Its hard to tell without driving the car personally, tcu/ecu might also be an issue

Usually only 3 options exist, the manual conversion. A reconditioned transmission or a swap-over.

Manual = pain if you have no idea about cars
Reconditioned = very expensive, but at least you know its your original trans
Swap-over = not 100% that it will last a long time

In any circumstance, make sure you get a warranty.

Hey,

I experienced the same problem in my 96 TE 3L and after some time the transmission gave in. So I'd treat the delayed shifts as an early warning sign that the transmission is about to go. I'm probably being irrational, but those transmissions are old and suffering from considerable decay.

There are a few auto-transmission specialists around so definitely get it checked out.

mine does that sometimes......well if it ****s itself gives me an excuse to do the conversion

I have a similar sort of problem with my 1996 TE V6 Magna, seems sometimes (usually when I am in the lower gears with my foot off the accelerator, I think mainly when it is in 2nd gear and slowing down to a 1st down gear) I put my foot down, and it seems to rev but takes a couple seconds before the car actually pulls away. Also, if I am travelling at a speed that is close to the 3rd-4th gear change, and take my foot off the accelerator, it will sometimes have a real thud to the gear change.

I have had the car since June this year, 108,000 on the clock at purchase, had a full service about a month after purchase, they changed I think about 3 belts at the time. I recall the problem being there slightly then, but no mention of it by the mechanic. I was hopeful that the belt replacements would have fixed it. The previous owner told me he had had the transmission replaced about a year before, Im starting to think he may have been pulling my leg, seemed like a pretty good buy at the time....

Any suggestions? It is almost due for a service, should I wait another month or so till it is due and mention it or just take it to a transmission place? I am a bit hesitant in mentioning these things as I dont know alot about cars, and I get worried Im going to get ripped off when I mention there is a problem!

I have a similar sort of problem with my 1996 TE V6 Magna, seems sometimes (usually when I am in the lower gears with my foot off the accelerator, I think mainly when it is in 2nd gear and slowing down to a 1st down gear) I put my foot down, and it seems to rev but takes a couple seconds before the car actually pulls away. Also, if I am travelling at a speed that is close to the 3rd-4th gear change, and take my foot off the accelerator, it will sometimes have a real thud to the gear change.

I have a KJ 3.5ltr Rada with a 5 speed tippy and 65,000 kms on the clock and what you described is exactly the same as I am experiencing. Only happens occassionally when I'm lazy and let the auto do it's own thing so am not too pertubed at the moment. It's due for a service shortly so I will have the transmission oil changed then and see if that helps.

UPDATE:
Okay, got the fluid drained (it was dark as all hell) and put in some fresh stuff and at first it changed realllllly easy and then after 50klms its almost back to normal but the guys said that would happen, it needs to be drained again.
Also put in a new air filter as he said mine was screwed.

make sure you use the right fluid. you can not use any old transmission fluid in the mitsu gearboxes it has to be magna specific. not every mechanic knows this and can be a hassle if they use the wrong stuff. you can either get it straight from mitsubishi or try auto barn but once again make sure you tell them it has to be suited to a magna and if they say it doesn't they're wrong.

Thanks for the quote mate.
3500 is massive. Its really not worth it in that case. I'd rather just go and trade in my current magna and pay the 3500 and get the sports 00 model or something.
But the TE magna is now going for reallly cheap these days so I suppose I wouldn't get much for it.

Possible 3-4,000 on trade in. Depending on the dealership. You could try a private sale for around 4-6,000.

Possible 3-4,000 on trade in. Depending on the dealership. You could try a private sale for around 4-6,000.


For a TE to be that price on trade in, its has to have very low k's even then you wont make back $3000-4000.

They'll offer $2000 and sell it for $5000-6000

It's always worth more selling it privately, however patience is required

The price of the TE had dropped heaps, its an older 3rd gen now, 1996 model is now 11 years old.

For a TE to be that price on trade in, its has to have very low k's even then you wont make back $3000-4000.

They'll offer $2000 and sell it for $5000-6000

It's always worth more selling it privately, however patience is required

The price of the TE had dropped heaps, its an older 3rd gen now, 1996 model is now 11 years old.
Yeah. Agreed on all counts.
Its definitely not low ks. 216,000 now.

UPDATE:
Okay, got the fluid drained (it was dark as all hell) and put in some fresh stuff and at first it changed realllllly easy and then after 50klms its almost back to normal but the guys said that would happen, it needs to be drained again.
Also put in a new air filter as he said mine was screwed.

Draining it wont do much.
Has to be fully flushed.
if its drained, only half or so is coming out and the rest is in the torque converter
so you will need to get it fully flushed. remember a price floating around on here saying it was something like $250+ from a mitsu dealer