Hi guys!

I have this problem on my Mitsubishi Eclipse 1997 2.0 DOHC GS, non turbo:

I was driving on a highway when suddenly my car went neutral (not my stick went to neutral, just couldn't drive forward although the stick was in D position). When I was pressing gas, the rpm went up, but the car didn't move, although I had in D. When I stopped the car (turned it of) then my car moved for about 20 yards and then went neutral again. It didn't help to put in 2 or L, evertime rpm just increased, but the car didn't move. I could drive it in reverse without any problem, but I couldn't drive forward. You can hear tranny shifting, maybe with a little bit of scratching sound...

What might be the problem? Is it electronic or mechanical? Thank you for your help!

The first thing to do is to check the trans fluid level...Check the level, color, and oder. If the trans is at normal op temp, it should read between the hot and cold marks, it should be a dark pinkish color, and should not smell burnt. Try that first..

**topic moved to auto trans section**

you might wanna check the shift linkage :shrug.

If this shit ever happens to my Auto, im swapping to 5-speed.

I checked the fluid: it is in perfect condition (it was changed 10.000 miles ago). So it must be something with transmission.

Your shit's fucked.

lol jk...maybe. Usually, as in when people including myself, have posted with similar symptoms it's because the shit's fucked. The shit being the transmission.

What you're describing can be many things inside the transmission, and sometimes outside. Maybe a kinked cooling line into the radiator causing pressure drop and not allowing gear application properly. That will in turn cause overheating, which explains the fact that your car will work after you shut it off and let it cool down temporarily. so check those lines.

Are you checking the fluid level correctly? Might sound like a stupid question, but there's one way to check it and about 15million wrong ways to check it. So make certain you're checking your fluid level with a normal operating temp, the car ON, the transmission in N and, of course, on a level surface.

Pull out the stick and wipe it off onto your hand, it shouldnt be hot. Check for any sorta blackish/gray metal flakes contrasting onto your hand. If there are some, don't freak out, it could very well be just normal wear and tear depending on your transmissions age.

However, if you've got a crap load of metal showing up with each dip, assuming you've repeated to check, then you might be a redneck, i mean there might be something wrong inside your trans. OR, if you've got like 200k miles on your transmission the magnet in your pan may just be filled to capacity and not capable of trapping anymore metal flakes. In which case you'll need to have the pan dropped and you could clean it out, replacing the gasket AND the fluid when you reinstall it.

Ummm lemme think, you can search some old posts by Joe B Slow, my old screen name, and check out what happened to my transmission. My differential busted through my torque converter housing and made a huge mess. We'll cross our fingers that isn't the problem, i highly doubt it is anyway. I think it's pretty rare to actually have that happen, although the possibility is there with the weak design of the differential.

ummmmmmmm if you need any other help or explanation IM me on AOL at brohymn411. hopefully this was enough to help you.

Joseph

Thanks for your help, Franklin!

I will check all what you've said.
Maybe I can give more info: the car has about 88,000 miles, year 1997.

I checked the fluid on level surface, but in P position, normal operating temperature and it was normal. Also no smell, normal colour. The fluid was changed about 10,000 miles ago, together with pan filter.

Today I drove the car around for about 5 minutes, just to reach working temperature of motor. I don't know if this is enough, but I checked the fluid in transmission like you told me to and it wasn't hot.

What I can say is also this: the car is not working normally in idle as it should: it's shaking a bit. I thought it was because of water pump replacement and that timing belt wasn't correctly installed, but the mechanic opened it again it it has virtually no deviation (1 milimeter). You can also feel the car want's to move, juuuuust a little bit, but it doesn't have "power" to move. As I spoke to other guys, the diagnosis might be some switch or lamellas in transmission (at the clutch or something, I don't know I am not mechanic).

Maybe any new idea or opinion?

Try to form a friendship with someone in an auto trans shop and ask to borrow his/her scan tool. That way you can see what codes are being made even if there's no CEL.
joseph

the last time that happened to me it was a tranny computer problem. pull the code with a scan tool

i DIDNT do it!!!!!! lol
pull the fuses for the motor and ign sys for about 15 secs ...put em back in and test drive if it still does it (rite away) its hardware related. send me over an email or hit me on msn or aim.

*working for satan sucks!!!!* lol but pays well----

*the atx God*
jake

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02:19:28pm InFiNiT3> lol no shit
02:19:39pm DarkOne> and a funnel.
02:19:45pm grain> have to get the ky with warming
02:20:00pm InFiNiT3> i feel sorry for the 18 y/o (one was 17 one 18) his name was plaster'd all over the news n news paper
02:20:06pm DarkOne> Yeah, has to be warming.
02:20:06pm BuckNutty> jus spit on it and it'll go in
02:20:17pm InFiNiT3> aye the ky w/ warming any good>
02:20:45pm grain> never tryed it
02:20:50pm grain> i applyed for a sample on thier website
02:20:56pm BuckNutty> evan didn't complain any
02:20:56pm BuckNutty> it felt nice
02:20:57pm InFiNiT3> lol
02:21:01pm grain> i use id glide whne she dries
02:21:06pm grain> good stuff
02:21:45pm InFiNiT3> thnx for the new sig guys
02:21:45pm DarkOne> Are we still talking about fucking dead chicks?