a-4 slush box help?

[walt's 98 ta]

Short and sweet, I don't have 3rd gear at all, or 4th, and reverse seems to be slipping into gear. I know these stock trans' suck, but before i plunk down the cash for an upgrade my question is: what are the odds of the previous owner burning out 3rd and 4th gear due to a driving habit? i could see 1st or 2nd, is it likely a fluid issue (it is black and smells burnt)? thx

[Siciliano15]

Short and sweet, I don't have 3rd gear at all, or 4th, and reverse seems to be slipping into gear. I know these stock trans' suck, but before i plunk down the cash for an upgrade my question is: what are the odds of the previous owner burning out 3rd and 4th gear due to a driving habit? i could see 1st or 2nd, is it likely a fluid issue (it is black and smells burnt)? thx

id def start by doing a trans flush and get all that old crap outta there. then see how it operates.

[SSTODD]

These trans. don't suck, The GM autos are better than almost anything out there. Just upgrade the sunshell and a few other items for extreme use The rearend sucks.

[performabuilt]

If you are neutraling where the 2-3 shift should be the 3-4 clutch set it bad you would be wasting your money and time doing a flush, Sounds like its time for a trans and the 3d clutch is a very weak area that needs to be upgraded in any build

[walt's 98 ta]

where it actually neutrals is from 2nd on, so there is no 3rd or 4th gears, reverse slipps occasionally. I may drop the pan to see what it looks like but i hate to spend money on quarts of trans fluid just to flush it out if it's shot, i guess there are no guarantees.

[walt's 98 ta]

performabuilt? I understand your opinion is biased, but how difficult is it to swap a trans into a firebird formula? a weekend project with hand tools and no lift?

[thearborbarber]

If you have jack stands tall enough to get the tranny out from under the car you can do it in a weekend.

[walt's 98 ta]

cool, and is it basic. meaning take the stock trans out, install the new one, no computer changes etc? I've done trans swaps b-4 but not on these cars. thx guys..