Hello everyone, I am owner of a 1990 245, bought at 180k about a year and a half ago. Currently it's at 210k (went back and forth across the country some last year) and running great. Burns no oil and runs fantastic, mostly...

I want to say this site has been an incredible resource for me the last few months. I've used info. here to do the following successfully:

-diagnose, remove, and install new brake master cylinder including bleeding of all brake lines. Brakes work better than when I bought the car.

-change fluid (using baster) in power steering pump

-replace factory radio with consumer brand CD player/radio and new speakers (talk about fun- I finally reached a point with screwing with it all that I just removed the amp and extraneous wiring and pared everything down to what I really needed- acc power, battery, ground, and speakers. Car lost about 10 lbs weight.

-replace fuel sender unit in tank (much easier than one would think, if one follows instructions here on the site)

Lots of other little things, too many to mention. Taking the car in to a shop would have cost me thousands at this point. Thanks so much for making this information a public resource! If there is a donation link please let me know. I will follow up on that.

Now, my problem is not unique (haha) and involves the OD. Transmission has run just fine after getting the fluid flushed by a shop a year ago. Then this last Nov., OD started acting up. Tranny would not shift up from 3rd- occasionally on the freeway it would kick in for a second, then jump back down to 3rd. Switch operates light and makes relay click.

Got under car and examined badly decomposed solenoid and wiring. Removed both and replaced with a brand new solenoid, ran the wiring up and reconnected to relay. Can hear the solenoid engaging when switch is depressed.

OD still not working.

Changed tranny fluid by draining pan (carefully undoing the bolt!) and refilling then driving for a day, draining again, refilling. Did that several times till fluid looked healthy again.

No OD.

Is tranny shot? Could I have gotten dirt in the OD fluid openings when changing and ruined something?

Any advice greatly appreciated. Thanks!