Hey folks,

I'm quite pissed because my girlfriend's 2000 kj left me on the road tonight.

4sp tiptronic, 168000km, tranny recently serviced by myself, never had issues.
I was driving home from work in 4th gear at about 65km/h (pretty low rpm) when I heard a "knock" and lost all the traction.

I couldn't change or re-engage any gear at all almost like the tranny was disconnected from the engine.
No noise comes from the gearbox when I try to engage a gear and there is absolutely no power at the wheels.

Oil level is fine and the engine runs sound and strong.

It could be my fault because sometimes I drive like a pig (never redline tho).
I also use the engine as "brake" exactly like we do with manual transmissions, engaging a lower gear to take advantage of the braking force: I don't know if that is good for an auto tranny but I had manual cars all my life... can't help it.

Thoughts, suggestions highly appreciated.

I'm thinking of replacing the whole auto box with a secondhand one.
So if you guys sell one... :) sydney area!

Thanks a lot and sorry for the long post.

Maybe a broken wave spring these gearboxes are know to snap wave springs. If you plan on installing a new transmission make sure to fix a transmission cooler through the fluid return line. A cooler from a second gen would be great.

Thanks ddg90!! I'm definitely gonna get one!

I've got a good offer for a tranny 77k km 500$ so not bad so far... I'm just scared that I might do the job and then even the "new" gearbox will fail since apparently this bloody wave spring is a common issue.

Seems like Mitsu designed an upgrade (wave spring) but I can't really find any good info on the Magna-Verada Workshop Manual.

Also I'm pretty sure that my wave spring failed and smashed the oil pump, but I'm soon gonna drop the oil and find out if there are bits of metal in it.

Damn, it's such a good car but the transmission is hopeless.
As I said it could be a bit of my fault as well.

Some interesting readings:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/mitsubishi-f4a51-automatic-transmission-hazard-problem/#13557103166662&action=fb_connect&fb_id=0

http://www.club3g.com/forum/2423133-post23.html

Is there anybody with experience on this tranny?
Any other particular thing I have to consider when replacing it? (seals, washers, bearings...).

I can follow the workshop manual, but I prefer to hear from folks with experience.

Thanks y'all

Unless you are a trans specialist leave it be. Special tools are required to allign the oil pump

Wave spring is not that common and accounts for prob 40% of failures. Is just the only term ppl seem to know

Coolers are great but only an idiot would use a secondhand cooler especially given the price of new ones

Sorry my bad, I mean advices when replacing the trans, not the oil pump.

I'm not even thinking of opening the gearbox: I'm good with torque wrench and stuff, but not that good. :)
Bout the cooler, looks pretty easy to find after market so I think I'll go for that.

Have you got any clue about what else could it be rather than the wave spring?

I had a look this morning again, and the gearbox sounds completely dead no matter what I set on the gear selector.
When I move the selector on D or R all I get is a slight higher idle, but I reckon that's because of the TCU-ECU (one of the two) which is expecting the gearbox to kick in, but nope.
Also no limp mode whatsoever.