Trans fluid is halfway down the "OK" bar, going to add more tomorrow. But turning either way, the trans basically neutralizes and RPMs go to the moon if I don't lift, then things go back to normal when I straighten out. Safe to say the trans fluid is slushing away from the pickup, but i thought that the whole pan basically was a pickup? Unless my dipstick isn't reading right...I do have a leaking trans cooler fitting.

 

How are you measuring it? I mean, motor and transmission warm, motor running, transmission in neutral after at least 5 seconds in each gear? Or cold with the motor off?

RwP

 

First see if filling the trans to the correct level helps with this problem. An active leak / fluid loss is as you said is the most likely cause. If the transmission still drops out of gear on turns it may be due to the trans filter being loose which also acts like a pick up and draws from lower in the trans pan than it would if the filter was loose or the seal between the filter and pickup were missing or not sealing. With the filter not in correctly place you would starve the pump feeding the transmission any time the fluid moved in the pan. Resulting in no hydraulic pressure to hold the clutches and bands in place to hold the trans in gear.

 

loose linkage or motor mount? my pappy always said "check the easiest and cheapest things first"