I think I got screwed, please help me out!

[Outshine2]

Yeah, people around here kick arse! ;D I took the Bronco to a small tranny shop (while i was out) and the guy took a drive with me and he thinks the valves are sticking? (doesn't mean a thing to me). He doesn't think the vaccum modulator would have anything to do with it... but I still am going to try it tomorrow cause it's like 5-1 on that! Also, just found out today that I have a miss at higher RPM's (just came up) so could that have to do with it? Gonna hook a light to it tomorrow and adjust the timing, as well as check the plug wires (they all look good). I sprayed carb cleaner around the base of the carb and manifold and no change in rpm's so I don't think I have a leak there?

 

[Outshine2]

Thought I'd post up a pic of the new ride... <br><br>http://www.villagephotos.com/viewpubimage.asp?id_=750943<br><br>I'm not the biggest fan of white Broncos, and the stripes were strange, but it's all growing on me. I think it would look alot better with black rims and some tinted windows.

 

[Guest]

Well now that I've seen it, you did get ripped off. Being the nice guy I am I'd take pity on you and give your money back. ;D Good looking ride!

 

[Hnrys69]

You still looks like you got a great deal. that truck looks great. BTW why didnt they finish the stripe around to the back??!??!?

 

[luvmybronco]

Thats a nice looking Bronco for the money...I'm surprized you got him down to 5500.00....A nice set of polished rims would make that Bronco really stand out..

 

[Rustytruck]

The second port changes the timing of the shift when the EGR is working. Try taking the hose off of the small tube and plugging the hose and capping the tube to keep dirt out and see how it shifts. It is a timing issue with all of the smog stuff hooked up and working properly teeing the 2 together will change the shift points. Normally the second smaller port goes to a vacuum canister on the firewall to smooth the shift.<br><br>As far as the valvebody sticking that could very well be, it doesnt take much to jam a valvebody as they are made of aluminium and very precise. The shop can pull it down clean it check for warpage re-gaskit it and put it back in in about an hour. and they don't pull the tranny for that. It is the same work as putting in a shift kit. I had a tranny get stuck valves because the Brass tranny filter screen broke up and pushed all of the little pieces of screen in the valvebody. <br>This is still in line with your tranny problem so what did they want to charge you to check the valve body? A couple of hundred bucks? oil, filter and pan gaskit and valvebody dissamble cleaning and reassemble? Before you start find out if the valve body is screwed how much to replace with a good used one if needed. All tranny shops have them. If you were more mechanical I woud say do it your self it would be easy with the factory shop manual. But you really have to pay attention on how the stuff interconnects when you take it apart.

 

[Outshine2]

Rusty: he didn't quote a price, just mentioned what he thought it could be. We went for a drive and he actually got it to shift into 3rd by repeatedly "stabbing" the gas pedal while going about 45-50. 2nd sticks too, specially when the vehicle is cold, but it sometimes takes a few stabs to get it into that gear. It seems alot weaker at taking off now too, it hesitates after pressing on the gas, seems like it's about to stall, then takes off. Don't know if those problems are related (I can put it in neutral and punch the engine and it doesn't hesitate one bit). He thought that i should first get a kickdown rod and then drive the vehicle around town alot and let it shift and see if it gets things working. If not, he said to bring it and they would drop the tranny pan and take a look. Do you still think it's a problem with the modulator, should I spend the time and $ to get a new one, or should I go another route?<br><br>HNRY69: I dunno why they didn't finish the stripe... weird huh... I'm still not 100% sure I like the stripe, but it's growing on me.

 

[DPM77]

The modulator is a relatively cheap and easy fix. I had one fail and tranny fluid was in the hose. Like everything in an auto tranny, make sure everything goes back together as you found it. Seems like the logical place to start. When you do it put new vacuum hose on. That stuff is cheap,....it cannot hurt. If I can do it you can, it was relatively simple. <br><br>Make sure you trust your tranny shop, like any mechanic, you are putting your baby in his hands, not to mention your wallet. Get the quote in writing. I know, it sounds hard ass, but consider how you feel about the purchase.....its worse when it comes to repairs.

 

[Rustytruck]

The modulator controls one of the shuttle valves in the valve body controling the oil pressure to the governer. If your tranny guy wanted to screw you then he probably would have suggested the tranny is screwed and pay me now. The fact that he is willing to take a gander at it suggests he may be straight up but you never know. He even got in the truck for a test drive and could have said your screwed but didn't. The valve body is a very sensitive thing and is the brain that makes it work and your problem could be a blown paper gaskit between the valve body and its plate or the plate to the tranny or even loose or improperly tightened valve body screws. Ask him how much to go in there and find out and how much it would be to replace the valve body if needed. He will give you a price if he is straight up. If he hehaws and says he wont know until he gets in there watch out he is trying to get it apart just to get you stuck there and then wammo guess what the tranny is screwed and he will make you bleed.<br>I am lucky I do all of my own work so I dont have to deal with this crap. Also in the big city there are shops to choose from and look you will find guys that are straight up. None of the ones I have found are from a name brand chain though. Of course pick a shop that is busy they dont need the money to make payroll or the rent. Of course you can spend the twenty bucks to replace the modulator but if you have good vacuum and no signs of oil in the modulator then i wouldnt give it good probablity. From what Ive seen of your truck even if you had to replace the tranny you will have gotten a steal. I wouldnt have sold that truck for that price not even close.

 

[Outshine2]

Well now it's getting worse Now the tranny is acting worse... If I start the vehicle it starts just fine, engine sounds good, can stab the throttle and good response, shift into gear with my foot on the brake and the vehicle shakes like crazy... if I let off the brakes it will roll but if I press on the gas too hard it will die right away. If i slowly press down on the gas it will wait 3-4 seconds and them boom, take off. Put in a new modulator (was $13, what the heck) and that didn't help a bit. What could be causing it to want to stall on me like that now? Maybe it's just cursed

 

[BroncoJAK]

When it gets to the point you can't drive it, it's time to stop guessing and get it to a good tranny shop before you screw something beyond repair. Good luck.

 

[75_Bronco]

dude three weeks ago i bought a 75, it did the exact same thing, take into a shop and ask them to check the vaccum modulator hose, it probably came loose ( this hose is what tells the tranny to upshift) and you may just need to drive it more, i had alot of quirks wilth mine the first week but now it drives great...

 

[Outshine2]

75_Bronco: Well the hose is definitely on there... actually just put in a new modulator last night and that didn't help... <br><br>I've broken down and decided to take it by a small tranny shop (the guy seemed fairly honest) tonight... man if it's anything big I'm about this close to Ebaying it..! Anways, I really appreciate everyone's help and words of encouragement, you guys rock!

 

[Rustytruck]

Boy I wish I were there to help you. I would check the plug wires for engine miss fire or crossed wiring. The fact that the engine stumbles while under load bothers me. You need to get the engine running right before you sink big bucks in the tranny. There is a whole lot of cause and effect. With out basic tune up tools and diagnostic knowledge it is hard to help a whole lot from LA. Ive had my truck for 24 years and I know how the frustrations come, but settle down and narrow down the problems. I once had a car give me the fits with odd ball misfires on damp mornings and all it was was a heavy layer if dirt on the top of the coil looked like dust but in the morning when damp the thing ran like shoot in LA that can be off and on for a month. Another car worked fine and once in a while it would act up and I couldn't find it and it turned out the mag pick-up in the distributer was foowee. No amount of testing could isolate it and everyone said that item either works or don't but they were wrong, a month later it gave up the gost. Boy was I frustrated I spent days checking stuff. When the gremilins come they come and you learn to deal with it. Good luck and keep swinging, the home run will come. Join a club in your area the brothers will bend over backwards to help you. In my club there are a couple of us guys all with different tallents that can whip anything into shape. Plus they work cheap just be a buddy and when they call be there for them.<br>Steve

 

[Outshine2]

Rusty, do you really think that it's the engine's fault for stumbling at take-off, or the tranny's? The engine is pretty strong other than that, when the tranny actually decides to engage and go, the engine is happy to comply and zips even at lower rpm's or under loads like gassing it up hills, etc... Besides for a spuradic miss that just came up the engine seems to be running the same as when I first drove the Bronco. I know a little trouble shooting that used to be enough... Checked the plugs (look perfect), bumped the timing, checked the wires (new 8mm), sprayed them with water while running in the dark to try and see them arching, tested the wires with a timing light and they were constant, carb is getting good fuel, cleaned out the carb a bit, tried adjusting the idle mixture screws and idle speed, checked for vaccum leaks, checked the vaccum advance, I just don't have the cash to start replacing other parts that I can't really test and might not be the answer... I'll let ya know what the tranny shop says tomorrow morn, btw, what is a ball park reasonable deal for him dropping the pan and cleaning out things and checking the valve body? What about if he has to put a new valve body? Thanks again y'all ;D