1991 Geo Metro Transmission stopped powering car down road

1991 GEO METRO
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LINDAMARIE805
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Transmission problem
1991 Geo Metro Engine Size unknown Two Wheel Drive Automatic 190000 miles
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While driving, my car lost power. The engine was still running, but the transmission seems to have quit. I turned off the car and restarted it and the transmission engaged in LOW gear and took off down the road a short distance and then quit again.

There was no noise at the time, but the car has had a high-pitched scream that usually comes on when the car is cold, but sometimes it will quit if I stop and shift through the gears. Could this just be a clogged filter or something else?
Dec 28, 2007 at 4:18 PM
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MERLIN2021
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The only practical thing you can do now is to check the fluid level, and color, should be full to the mark, and red, if it's brown or burnt smelling, it's time for a decision! Tranny or new car?
Dec 28, 2007 at 4:59 PM
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LINDAMARIE805
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[quote:b0dbb51d88="merlin2021"]The only practical thing you can do now is to check the fluid level, and color, should be full to the mark, and red, if it's brown or burnt smelling, it's time for a decision! Tranny or new car?[/quote:b0dbb51d88]
We changed the tranny filter and fluid and it seems to be shifting and running fine now. We will see what happens next.
Jan 1, 2008 at 5:38 PM
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MERLIN2021
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How was the old fluid? See any metalic flakes? Brown or burnt?
Jan 3, 2008 at 2:59 AM
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LINDAMARIE805
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The fluid was a dark orange. There are no metallic flakes, but it appears that there is some water? mixed in with it. It is a real thin consistency. How could it get watered down like this?
Jan 3, 2008 at 2:32 PM
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MERLIN2021
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No water. If you had water the fluid would look like a pink milkshake! Any water would ruin the clutches! You might get lucky with this car...Tranny fluid is a light oil anyway!
Jan 3, 2008 at 2:39 PM
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LINDAMARIE805
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What do you mean "you might get lucky with this car"? I read something about the water in the radiator getting into the lines that go thru it to cool the tranny. Have you any idea how to check this?
So if the fluid id dark orange almost brown, what does that mean? What is causing it to get dark?
Jan 3, 2008 at 3:47 PM
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MERLIN2021
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It is what is called burnt, possibly due to having been neglected, or clutches slipping...if the tranny cooler in the radiator goes bad, usually it's the radiator that fills up with tranny fluid, due to the tranny having higher pressures than the radiator! Is your coolant the right color?
Jan 3, 2008 at 3:54 PM