Hi, hoping someone can shed some light on this and also offer viable alternative choices

4 speed 3.5l (2005 TW ES) that at approx 121,000kms
started not selecting (displaying N + D at same time) sometimes, driving at about 3kph in 1st gear sometimes, thumping into gears sometimes, not going into gear sometimes

it was replaced with a box from a rear end wreck that had apparently only done approx 50,000 for approx $2000 remove and replace. was given the option of that or a reconditioned box that could have done any number of km's

immediate issues with new box (flaring between gears) told it is no big deal and would settle in. requested warranty replacement, was told that would mean it getting replaced with a non reconditioned box that had done any number of km's and that what i was mistaken previously, that original option was a 50,000 box or a unknown box both unreconditioned (like that was ever a logical choice) basically left it, not happily, hoping for the best

the original box was replaced in august 2012, it is now february 2013 and the replacement box has recently started developing severe issues that suggest failure is imminent
not selecting (displays N + D at same time)
not going into gear
delays going into gear
3kph in first until it 'picks up' fully (first time this morning pulling into a roundabout)
flares (it has always had this issue)
hard gear changes

this is worse when it is cold, i can back out of the driveway fine first thing in the morning (still slow/delayed picking up reverse) put it into drive and it does nothing besides roll down the hill. I stop, move between selections, maybe switch over to the semi manual selection etc until it works. in general it appears to be working better in semi manual (or whatever its called) this is not something that i use otherwise

my magna yet again is now worth basically $0

any suggestions as to what the issue may be will be appreciated

sinking more money into it (another personal loan would be required) seems to be a really silly option. in hindsight throwing $2000 at it last year to make its value change from $0 to basically still $0 was a mistake as well

a transmission should last a lot longer

I can't answer the rest of your questions, but:

immediate issues with new box (flaring between gears) told it is no big deal and would settle in
This is correct. When the battery has been disconnected, the auto box has to re-learn how to shift gears etc. A symptom of this is that gearshifts tend to flare quite badly, particularly for the first few trips afterwards. There is an official learning procedure posted in the DIY & FAQ section, but in my experience, it'll go away after a week or twos worth of driving.

It is completely down to the electronics and not the gearbox itself.

I guess the first thing I'd check would be that the selector cable has been adjusted correctly. The other would be the selector switch and cabling just in case it's corroded or shorting as the only way I can imagine N & D being displayed simultaneously would be the switch being in the wrong position or it's shorting between the 2 positions.

Never worked on this issue myself but that's my theory.

I don't think your gearbox is damaged at all. I think its more of an electeical issue or an issue with shifter linkages.

What an annoying situation! If it does turn out to be the box though mate, I have a TW box with 36,000km on it sitting in my garage that i have no use for any more.. if you want it I will give it to you for $200, you wont find cheaper than that (I was going to advertise it for $500, but you've had some pretty crappy lucky so I'd be happy to help out an AMC member with a cheap price.)

Check for coolant on the ecu, may be damp plugs as this will often bring on the same symptom

thank you for your replies :)
looks like I will need to learn a few things to check these out ;)

Woob, thank you for the offer, sounds very good. Rough guess I am about 5 hours south of you... what do these things weigh? (larger than i expected since my previous car was a HR holden ;) )

I will check the ECU (when I work out where it is) as well as the linkages, the mechanic changed something or other on the linkages and adjusted them, after I suggested that appeared to be a logical thing to do, but it made no difference

ECU is located in the center console section
Pull the carpet back on the passenger side and remove the metal plate
You should see the ECU once its been removed

thank you Mr_Roberto :)

just dropping a couple of links on that fit the thread

instrument panel codes after battery change/disconnect

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89615

learning procedure for auto transmission

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86194&highlight=transmission+relearn+procedure

battery disconnected today to reset ecu

ecu located (confirmed by the number on the side of it as there were 3 things that could have been an ecu to the untrained eye (and brain))

ecu is covered by plastic, all appears dry in the area, no visual signs of issues.
ecu looks at the least like it may be mildly annoying to remove as well

is there a way the ecu can be tested, fairly easily and cheaply? (if this can only be done at local dealership it will definitely not be cheap) would it make sense to do so, if possible?

had to stop at an intersection this morning and it would not move again, played around with selection and got it to go, had to dtop again 50 metres up the road (would be much easier if other people could drive :P and the speed limit was still 60! ) and had the same issue

used tiptronic, but in tiptronic it actually worked as full auto, still not well though

have handed it over to the same mechanic who replaced the box last time, he is going to assess with the person he sourced the box from, still no idea what the actual issue is, could just be very unlucky and two bad boxes... seems odd though

i am not currently excited

You shifted to tippy mode and and it worked properly? Suggests its an electrical problem. I would start by looking at the electrical switches on the gear selector. Possibly unplug them and try the car out?
There are a few things that can make a Magna act like it needs a gearbox transplant, like TPS and those tippy switches. Mechanic needs to go in eyes open and not assume the second box has died as well.

(Ask him if he swapped the speed sensors from you original box to the second one, that may be where the problem is.)

thank you

it has been passed onto another mechanic now, he has noted it is now (mostly) in limp mode

suggesting it may be ecu. does appear to be electrical

is burning the oil, but at this stage still hoping damage to box is minimal (i am still planning to buy the one offered on here assuming it is compatible) and that the issue is the ecu (sourcing at least should be easy i assume)

mechanic is planning to drive it hooked up to diagnostics today

will ask if speed sensors were swapped over, thank you for the suggestion

well if hte auto was replaced, make sure its not a TJ box, cause Madmagna, told me that the TJ and TL-W boxes are different, not sure on what exactly, but if a TJ box is put in, then it will eventually/stay in limp mode.

They look well identical, but with each other they arent compatible.

the number was checked, current (and previous i believe) number/model being F4A5. hopefully that is correct and it is that simple

it looks (as it did to me as soon as the 'new' one was put in, that the box issues are the end result, not the cause. so... ecu, other electricals, cable etc seem to make sense

when the (assumed) original box stuffed up, i was offered a box from a rear end collision that had done 53,000km or a reconditioned box that had done an unknown distance
I decided on the 53,000km box, the mechanic agreed with me.

when it was installed it was flaring, i queried it and was told it would settle down, it did not
the mechanic decided it was probably a sticky valve and it would get better, it didnt
an additive was put in that made no difference

I requested warranty replacement. mechanic looked into it and told me that original choice was:
53,000km non reconditioned box
or
unknown (most likely high) km NON reconditioned box (different to original story)
so warranty would mean putting in a non reconditioned box that may have done any number of kms

basically left me screwed, I left it

so intermittent flares/hard changes for nearly 6 months since then