I'm not sure if this is a stupid question...

Is there a variant of the "italian tune-up" for an automatic transmission? Just curious.... I have an '89 240 with 205,000, auto tranny (I think, but not sure, the AW71. Whatever was standard for that year.) It's running beautifully, just starting to slip once in a while... besides, I'm always looking for ways to improve my ride.

-Matt
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"I was unfashionable before anybody knew who I was." - Paul Desmond

Try a can or bottle of K&W Trans-X before flushing with new fluid. (which involves disconnecting a return line at the radiator of back of the transmission and draining old fluid into a container until pumping air bubbbles,then adding 2 new quarts at a time). Before flushing, though, drop the pan and change the screen, as the Trans-X instructions will tell you to do anyway.

Most problems with slippage are due to low fluid level.

The term "italian tune-up" refers to running the engine at sustained high RPM's. The theory is that doing this will burn off carbon deposits and so forth, resulting in better performance and a cleaner running motor. I have been told that this was more effective on old carb'd cars, and that it offers little to no benefits for modern fuel injected engines.

If you want to do an "italian tune-up" on a car with an automatic trans., just put the selector in "1" or "2" and drive it around for a few miles at high RPM. This will do nothing to solve your slippage problem, and may, in fact, exacerbate it. Fresh ATF and a new filter may be in order (see Matt's post).


-=Bob=-

I have now seen the term "italian tune up" 3 times this weekend. What is an "italian tune up"

an italian tuneup is when you run it to the redline in first.. then keep it above 3500 for a mile or two.. this removes carbon that builds up in around town driving and lets the valves rotate..i use it a couple times on customers cars

The only thing you can do with that transmission is flush the fluid. It is "slipping" most likely because of internal wear. Driving it hard (i.e. italian tune-up) will only make the condition worse.

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Matt L. -- Cary, NC -- '89 740 sedan -- '91 740 wagon