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Hey all:
My advance apologies for most likely asking a question that's been covered seventy ways from Sunday, but I've read up a little and am hoping for some new or undiscovered information....
First - the largest problem - the transmission on my '85 745T is not doing too well. The 1st-2nd upshift (ATX) has grown quite harsh in recent times. A diagnostic confirms "something is wrong inside" but no one will commit to what it could be. Were this a slushbox from My Other Favorite Swedish Manufacturer, I'd leap to the conclusion that the accumulator springs in the valve body had broken and needed replacement... but that's a ZF tranny and not what's in the 745T - it's an AW71.
So, questions:
1. Is this a common problem, or one that is fixable cheaply? If it's valve-body related, can this repair be done with the tranny in the car?
2. Assuming that's not possible, is there a good source for used or rebuilt AW71s, what's a reasonable amount to pay for either, and what is average mileage for used ones? We made 240,000 great miles on this one and only expect to keep the car another 2-3 years, but that's 2-3 critical years. I've got a quote of $2000 for a rebuilt and $450 for a used one locally. (Then there's labor...)
3. Is it reasonable (or even possible) to upgrade to a later-style automatic?
4. I am considering abandoning the ATX altogether and swapping in a 5-speed, but this is a last resort to save the car and not ultimately desirable. How doable is this, and what other than the transmission itself and the interior pieces would I be needing?
Okay, second problem: Last summer the car developed a stalling problem. It seems to only happen in hot weather when the A/C is on. Idle will get very low for a short time, then *poof* - it's dead. I've checked the things I consider obvious - NTC, A/C pressure, idle control valve, throttle position sensor and vacuum leaks - but nothing has turned anything up. I noticed that unlike My Other Favorite Swedish Manufacturer the LH implimentation in the 745 does not have an idle increase for when the A/C is on... is this something that can be retrofitted, or am I totally on a wrong course here? The car *seems* to idle a little roughly, but I honestly don't remember what it felt like new since that was almost 20 years and over 200,000 miles ago - it doesn't seem out of wack with other "large displacement" four cylinder automatics. Other than that, we get a good ~750 idle in Drive, and ~900 in Neutral.
FWIW, the engine wiring harness was replaced due to insulation rot and the entire car was dealer-maintained (no joke) until 210,000 miles, when it just seemed too pricey to continue. It's really a great car, but this gremlin and a dying ATX make it tough to justify keeping... Right now, we're staring down a ~$3000 repair bill plus unknown diagnostics... that's a long way into a down payment on a new S70... or 9-5... :)
Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer...
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