The run down - 1997 TF Magna, 140 000km, 4 speed auto.

Had the car loaded with lots of tools 2 weeks ago, going up a 10km long hill the gearbox started to have some issues (slipped once between second and third) and it tried to hunt between 2nd and 3rd gear.

Had the car serviced this weekend, since then, the auto has been perfect, smooth changes, no slipping. Gearbox fluid was brown, no metal in it.

Now as this happened - does this mean the gearbox has started to chew up the auto band?

In 3 months I will be driving to Brisbane (2000km return trip), now - not wanting to have the gearbox fall out on me lol what are the real options?

I find I have a few real options infront of me:

1. Fit transmission cooler only, and hope for the best. ($200)

2. Find a second hand transmission - later model (from a 3.5), and fit a transmission cooler. ($1200)

3. Buy a reco'd box ($1400) and have it fitted ($500)

Should I take the risk of driving it only to be replacing a gearbox in the middle of nowhere?

sounds like you overheated the fluid. as long as you have flushed it and it is changing smoothly with no slipping, i would just add a trans cooler as insurance. i got mine for ten bucks at pick a part off a mitsi legnum and it took me half an hour to install.

Transmission fluid definately overheated - problem was I was stuck doing 25km/h in heavy rain, with no place to turn around.

As for trans cooler - eitherway, im going for a B&M with a thermo controlled by a thermostat.....

Transmission fluid definately overheated - problem was I was stuck doing 25km/h in heavy rain, with no place to turn around.

As for trans cooler - eitherway, im going for a B&M with a thermo controlled by a thermostat.....

what was the car doing between 2nd and 3rd at 25km/hr???

should of locked it into second gear if ya only doing 25kms. my owners manual says using a higher gear helps avoid overheating on long slow climbs. i would recommend the cooler, my one gets very hot to the touch so its definitly helping to keep the fluid temp down. my trans is in need of a flush, its a very very dark red, when i topped up the box after installing the trans cooler i drained out a litre and replaced it with the litre i bought to top up, and cleaned the sump bolt magnet to help a little till i can do a full flush. it changes perfectly though.

what was the car doing between 2nd and 3rd at 25km/hr???

Struggling......?

It was up a long hill, in terrantial rain, I had to concentrate on the road as you couldnt see very far infront - by the time I realised what was happening with the transmission it was already overheating - thats when I changed to low gear.