Hi guys, new to the forum, new to magna's and new to Australia. I basically got given a 1994 Magna TR Exec Saloon for $200, 207,000kms. Paint all faded etc, I have had it a month and it was running fine, puff of smoke in the morning and a wee bit sluggish for the first 5 minutes until it was warmed up. After 3 weeks it overheated, I was luckily keeping an eye on the guages and as soon as the guage shot up I stopped, took a 45 minute walk to buy water from a chip shop, and when it cooled I topped up. Traced this to splits in outlet and inlet on overflow bottle. I have been topping up the water every morning if I have to, I only travel 8 kms each way daily. I have a new (second hand) overflow bottle arriving soon.
The other day while at traffic lights when the car was up to temp (i.e. guage slap bang in the middle)
I was in drive with my foot on the brake and the car kind of burped, auto gearbox kind of burp, it did it once every three to five seconds. The lights changed and the car stuttered away from the lights, if i put my foot down it would clear and happily cruise at 40-60kph happily, only had a problem at take off. I checked transmission fluid and there was none!!!!! This is a 4 year old recon transmission.

So I parked it up and walked a wee while to supercheap with my list of transmission fluid choices
Mitsi ELC-4SP, BP Autran MM or Castrol TQ-M SP

According to the guy at supercheap they have changed all the names, and he has the same car and just found out the equivalent is Castrol Transmax, previously know as Castrol TQ-M ST

I have put the whole four litres in and when hot it is sitting on the bottom notch of the dipstick, but is behaving better as in the stuttering stops quicker?

Is there anything else I should look for other than topping it up some more, and obviously replacing radiator overflow bottle? It revs fine in neutral with no stuttering.

There are no obvious leaks of any kind except from the overflow bottle

Thanks for your help guys

just make sure all the coolant hoses

are in good condition and keep checking oil and coolant levels
as you see fit

i take it it is a V6

just make sure all the coolant hoses

are in good condition and keep checking oil and coolant levels
as you see fit

i take it it is a V6

No its a 4 cylinder 2.6. I will be happier when the overflow bottle is replaced, then I have one less thing to worry about, and will get the transmission fluid topped up. It is the correct transmission fluid yes??

Thanks for the reply

I am hoping this car will be my wife's daily runner when she gets here end of Jan, and will last about 8 months, the last cars I worked on was 5 years ago 30-50 year old Triumphs, the Magna is slightly more complicated. Do you think it will last that long??

shouldnt have too many problems
that oil will do for the auto

just watch for oil leaks
check front and rear engine mounts
fit a new radiator cap if not already done so

if the baattery light starts coming on its usually just the regulator

if its efi it can run on ethanol

Thanks for that Magna Buff

Its not the EFI
There are no oil leaks that I can see
I will check the engine mounts
I will also get a radiator cap. Where is the best place in Adelaide to get those?

Thanks

thats a shame

have to use unleaded all the time

any auto parts shop for the cap

dont expect great fuel consumption with the carby and auto combination

I noticed, especially as I only drive 8kms at a time :-)

Hi again, ok sorted overflow bottle, it still is fine when cold but within 20 mins, if sitting at traffic lights, gearbox has a wee thump sound to itself every 5 seconds or so, then stutters in 1st and 2nd in auto, if i put the foot down to 3.5k revs and ease of it is fine, seems fine in reverse, and will sit in park or neutral and rev ok. just noticed atf on garage floor!!! Where would that leak from, and is that a mission to sort. As I said before, I am new to Australia, and have no tools, so it makes life a wee bit difficult to fix :-)

powersterring
fluid is the same colour
could be a joint a seal or a pipe in the system
not so hard to fix

auto leaks at the front seal of an auto means box out

can leak at the drive shafts seals ..easy fix

I am an embarressed idiot. I put the ATF down the oil dipstick tube instead of the ATF one. I guess I will need to do a complete oil and filter change. What a complete idiot!!

What kind of damage may I have done?

just do the oil change

both oils protect at temp

good thing you realised

What's your recommendation for for the cheapest best oil?
And thanks for your help again

repco has 50% off some oils at the moment try there
here in vic