Hi All,

Bought a 1994 SC1 in 2012. After taking care of the defrauded registration and getting it to pass smog, it's served me well as my daily driver since. However and at this point, it's starting to act up, and three different trusted mechanics have failed in their attempts to diagnose it.

Here's the issue. While taking it up a steep grade on the 101 freeway, it seemed to be slowing down, so I punched the accelerator. It jumped all the way up to 4000 RPM's without increasing speed, and the engine seemed to make some funny noises. Since that time, every time it hits a grade, same issue. If I start on a grade at 65 mph, I can be assured it will slow down to 50 or so by the time I reach the peak of the grade, even if I give it as much gas as it can handle.

I've been told it could be the transmission or the catalytic converter. The second would seem highly unlikely given that I had it replaced a year ago. The trans, on the other hand, is probably in need of service, as I haven't had it done since I bought the car, but I'm scared that it may end up spelling the end of the thing. Any ideas?

 

kinda difficult to help you without knowing
manual/auto trans?
mileage?

The title indicates a shifting problem, but the word "shift" does not appear in your description of your problem so it's kinda confusing (?)

From where was the cat sourced, what brand and who installed it?.

Service Engine Soon (SES) light on? if so please post codes (Pxxxx format please)

_____

I know what I suspect but will wait for the above requested information so I can make a semi informed call.

 

Derf,

Thanks for replying. To your questions:

1. Automatic transmission
2. Mileage is very high. I bought it with the ODO frozen at 120K, never got it fixed (I know, I know, bad move). It is probably well over 200K at this point.
3. The catalytic converter was a Walker Cal-Cat. I ordered it online and had it installed by a trusted mechanic. You can check it out here:


4. The SES light isn't on, but the check fluids light flashes intermittently. Everything is full, fresh oil and oil filter professionally installed, but there is a minor leak from a damaged gasket on the oil drain plug. I added a new gasket to it which slowed the leak down, but the plug needs to be replaced, assuming I haven't junked the thing by the next oil change. The car has also had electrical problems from day one. I've been through two brand new alternators since purchasing it.

As mentioned, the problem only came on all the sudden and has seemed to stick. The trans seems to be acting generally a little sticky at this point too after a short drive home from the shop. It will just kind of stick at a given RPM, and only after a good length of driving downshift.

Another potential issue: it started overheating for the first time ever a few months back. Was stuck in the city far away from home, stopped and checked fluids, and found out that the trans fluid was low. I added some no-name ATF fluid from the 99 cent store instead of the recommended Dexron-Mercon stuff. It drove home fine with no more overheating, and has driven fine since until just a few weeks back when I hit that grade.

Anyhow, hope that helps, and I'm eager to hear what you have to say. I would like to keep this thing alive, affordably if possible, until I can afford something better. I suppose I'm beginning to question my desire to avoid car payments at this point, however, as I've probably dumped somewhere around $2000 in repairs into the thing since buying it just to keep it afloat, although around half of that has to do with California's stringent smog requirements, which cost me nearly $1000 in repairs to meet. Would have retired the car if I could have, but because the guy I bought it had let the reg. expire and concealed that fact at time of sale, the car was ineligible.