Hi guys, names Chris.
So I have owned my car for about 22 years. 7 years ago while in N.C my brother drive my car into a Flooded road. From what I understand the 13B was totally under. I have just had Mazda rebuild the engine a couple months before he did that. Anyways, I got the engine running the same day and did multiple oil changes grrrr. When I was on my way back to pa the trans stopped pushing about 100 miles in. It's an automatic. I checked the fluid back then and it was up to the correct level. I had it towed to the nearest garage in God where am I land. Thought before I tried to figure out a way to go the rest of the miles I'd try her again. I started it up, put her in drive and felt the gear catch. I drive back to I-95 and continued another 10 or so miles and it happened again. Had it towed to a trans shop near where I live. I found a trans and had it shipped there and installed. Here's the thing. It does the same exact same thing with the installed trans. I also changed out the ecu thinking water got to it. So, it's not the trans. No wierd noise coming from it either when it happens. Just the sound of the engine rev. It there a sensor on the engine that detects rpm the the ecu uses to tell the trans when to shift? Or does anyone on here with a wealth of knowledge that might be able to give me some ideas? I want so badly to get her back on the road. Just bought new caplipers and rotors. Did all the wheel bearing last week. Bought a new radiator because the old leaks and I was also thinking mabye the trans cooling lines might be clogged. I don't know. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Chris

 

The trans on these cars have no electronic control by any type of ecu that i am aware of

Therefore, when the trans was changed, was the torque converter replaced, or at least dumped of fluid and refilled?

If not, i'd say thats your issue

 

Well, I don't think it was changed. The fluid in is should have spun out and circulated by now correct? When I moved to my current house I drove it onto a dolly and pulled it over to the gageage and then drove it off the dolly and with the brakes locked on the rotors and one wheel dragging.... literally... drove it into the garage. Would a bad torque converter let me do that?

 

it may not be a bad torque converter, I asked if it was drained because, if the engine was under water, you can almost guarantee the torque converter filled up with water, and if it wasn't dumped, your new fluid is now bad fluid because it has water in it, and when trans fluid warms up (along with any other liquid) it loses viscosity, and may explain your problems.

you may get lucky and flush the fluid and add fresh and it may fix it

or, ya know, swap to a 5 speed

 

It's probably just wore out, for whatever reason. The flood not helping.

 

I really thought about changing it out for a 5 speed. I found the how to post on here ���� That said though I'd also like to keep it original. It's an antique now... (and my wife can't drive a manual trans lol) course if I do the swap it would keep her out of my car �� I bought a radiator. This ones all metal. I'm going to install that, blow the trans lines and do a flush while
I'm at it. Mabye I'll get lucky.

 

Don't use air to "blow" the lines

Let the trans pump do the work, get about 15 quarts of trans fluid (maybe more) and figure out which line on the radiator is the in and out, have it suck in fresh fluid while it pumps the old out

I'd also change the filter if it wasn't changed when it was put in

 

I read about doing that. Since I'm replacing the radiator and rubber hoes going to it that sounds like a good idea.

 

The real shame is, I scraped an automatic trans for these cars recently because no one would take it. I kept the bell housing though. As far as I know, it worked fine.

I edited to ask: "If the bell housing was made separate, maybe other vehicles used the same box"?

 

Man... that sucks. The auto is original to the car so I'm keeping it that way... for now lol