O.K.gentlemen. I recently am experiencing the same problem I had a few months back and wondered if anyone has a suggestion. I have had my pre-owned 1995 850 with 102k miles on it for about 8 months now. When I first brought it home I had some shifting problems whenever I came to a stoplight or end of an off ramp.
When the car is completely standing still I can feel the trans trying to downshift. Then when I hit the gas the car doesn't respond for about 2 seconds and then lurches forward with a bang. I already changed the AT fluid 4 months ago with Dexron. It initially seemed to solve the problem and it went away until now. Any suggestions? I hope I do not have one of those 5% bad trannies.

Please see my 7/6 posting "850 Trans Problem"; this is deja vu all over again!

Have you considered a synthetic ATF?

Thanks,
Tom in Chicago

Sorry to say, but it doesn't sound good. I discovered my 95 855t had a tranny replacement about 56k. Just curious about a possible bad run, if you don't mind, what's your VIN number? My last 7 are 2160051.
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Erwin in Memphis, '95 855t

Erwin:
I will get you the VIN tonight and send it tommorrow. How did you find out that your car had the trans replaced? How many miles were on your car when you took ownership? Who replaced your tranny and how much?

I finally got around to taking the dealer's service manager up on his offer to peruse the car's service history. They're closed weekends (!) so it makes it harder to get by there. When I bought the car in January it had 77k miles and had been maintained at the dealership. At that time I talked with the service dept and found that the car had been very well taken care of by them. They knew the owner (daughter of a senior salesman) and recommended the car.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I went by with a little time on my hands and read through the history. Receipts, work orders, owner complaints etc. Turns out the tranny was replaced under warranty at 56k miles. "No drive." Four hundred miles before that it was towed to the shop with the same problem. They power flushed the tranny, replaced the PNP switch at that time.

This was in '97 and the dealer cost of the replacement trans was $1000 plus all the incidentals. The rear seal was alao replaced at that time. It's a flat-rate 10-hour job for the tranny replacement.

I don't know how they drove the car or if that was a factor. There was no record of the ATF being changed as a PM move before the power flush at 52k.

I've posted my car's service history at:

http://www.geocities.com/hwy51_guzzi/carhistory.htm

I'm at 83k now btw and judging by the intervals the brakes were replaced, it may be time again.
--
Erwin in Memphis, '95 855t

Erwin:
Does this mean that if I know the dealership where my car was previously
serviced, they might be willing to give me the service records?
Or will I have to hold a gun to their head?

Yes, it's worth a shot. All they can do is cite privacy concern for the PO but more than likely they'll let you sit with the folder. FWIW, I just asked to see the records and they said OK. I asked to copy them and they said you can use our copier. Due to time constraints I ended up sitting in the waiting area with a notebook and recorded date, mileage and work done.

While I was doing this I was witness to a young lady being led to the slaughter. "Ma'am, we can't find the leak in your A/C but we put 134 with indicator in and we'll find it when you come back." Poor dear. Probably an evap.
--
Erwin in Memphis, '95 855t

Yes, you should be able to get the service history on the car, since it is now yours. Bring either registration or title just in case they give you a hard time.

At 2 different dealers, I was able to have them go thru the service records they had on computer, BEFORE I made the decision to purchase it. I was looking for tranny, evap, or oil leak issue. Being nice helps, telling them you're about to purchase it helps, too. The car wasn't being sold by that dealer, btw.

After purchasing it, I got a computer printout, just for my own record. They no longer had detailed information that tells you which part # was used, how much parts & labor cost, etc., (they purge that record after a year or so). It had, however, enough information so I know how many times a/c work was done (0 so far!), tires replaced, alignment was done, etc. It also helped, I think, that I had an appt scheduled at the same dealer (no gun, but a carrot). I ended up canceling 'cause timing belt had already been done before 70k mi, and I'm waiting till 70k mi to get the rest done. They may or may not get the carrot.