RRC auto gearboxes?

I.ve recently got a 1988 classic 3.5 v8 auto and on driving it home it felt a bit sluggish on shifting especially when pulling away from a stop, is this normal for an old auto? Also it smelt hot every time i stopped but the rad, block and pipes felt ok, does my model have an oil cooler, where would it be and one more thing, sometimes i thought i could smell burning clutch, does the auto box have a clutch or just the torque converter thingy.
Forgive my lack of knowledge i'm new to this auto malarkey and not quite sure about the finds details of it all.
Any help greatly recieved.
Thanks, Rob.

Check fluid level, and clean out the filter on the autobox (download RAVE to see where to get to it).

Transmission oil cooler is a long stick thing that looks like a bog brush behind the front grille. Be careful taking it off, if you need to do so as the pipes are unobtanium for the early ones - well, they were when I needed 'em.

Gearbox oil filter is a dead easy job, takes 20 mins if you've got the slightest clue what you're doing. Make sure zero crap gets inside the box though, and I mean zero.

Check the kickdown cable tension, if it's set incorrectly then the box can misbehave. If the cable is too loose the changes get harsh and 'orrible, too loose and the box will change up at the earliest opportunity but feel lazy like you describe.

Tar muchly will try.

that 20 mins doesn't include refilling the auto box though.... that can take some time to get right.

Ah ha i don't think kickdown was working at all so that sounds like one of the first ports of call also, gearbox oil change too as it's probabibley never been done looking at what the abuser did.
Cheers pete and mr take5

I have been getting the exact same symptoms. Sluggish, rapidly changing up through the gears and the hot burning smell. The truoble now is that it seems to slip in forth gear, the revs climb but the car gets no faster. I changed the oil but that seemed to make it worse!! Could this simply be the cable being loose or is my box simply fecked??


Cheers,
stu

Might be too Late! Change your filter ASAP slipping clutches will cause it to slip more and more! My mate has just done his in no drive whatsoever now facing a £1000 rebuild. Jai

It's not a hugely difficult job, but it does take time to do, and the gearbox is very heavy - obscenely so if you try to remove it with the transfer box still attached (DAMHIKIJD,OK?)

Sounds to me like you've killed the 'box.

Pete-M said:

It's not a hugely difficult job, but it does take time to do, and the gearbox is very heavy - obscenely so if you try to remove it with the transfer box still attached (DAMHIKIJD,OK?)

Sounds to me like you've killed the 'box.

Click to expand...

EH????

Sorry, Usenet speak.

Means "Don't Ask Me How I Know, I Just Do, Ok?"

Roughly translated as "Don't try and lift the autobox complete with transfer box unless you want to wear your bollocks as ear-rings".

Pete-M said:

Sorry, Usenet speak.

Means "Don't Ask Me How I Know, I Just Do, Ok?"

Roughly translated as "Don't try and lift the autobox complete with transfer box unless you want to wear your bollocks as ear-rings".

Click to expand...

Thankinye, but no need tae apologise, ah was just curious

oh no, i hope my box ain't fudged, it's the one thing that sort of works on my rangie! Plus the missus'll never let me spend that amount on fixing it
It's bad enough as it is.
Aaaargh!