I think the answer is "I'm about to" but I know better than to trust my instincts.
2002 Mercury Gran Marquis, 121k miles, last routine trans service @ 50k or 60k. No history of trans problems.
Trans fluid smells fine; I know what burnt fluid smells like. Level is fine.
Potential problem - Over the last week, the upshifts have changed. Upshifts with this car have always been a tad firmer than you would expect. Now, they're suddenly butter-smooth. Shift points remain the same. Under gentle acceleration , the 1-2 is at ~25 mph, the 2-3 at just under 40. Revs don't go past 2000. Under moderately spirited acceleration, the speeds remain the same but the revs go up to ~2500. I have to concentrate to feel them, they're so smooth.
Under full throttle from a standing start, the upshifts don't happen. The trans stays in first, the revs go past 4000 and I lift off, panicked because I think I've broken something.
I've observed this phenomenon exactly once. Since it happened, I've been driving it like a little old lady, babying it as much as I can.
I really need this car functional since I will have to use it to transport my sister home from the hospital, maybe as soon as tomorrow. Her back injuries are so severe that making the trip in my truck would be far too painful and (realistically, seriously) would threaten to fracture more vertebrae. A breakdown of this car with her in it would be even worse; the last tow truck I rode in would have definitely broken bones for my sister.
I mostly trust my mechanic shop but there have been changes recently and that trust has eroded. I figured I'd first ask people I trust who don't have a financial interest in the answers.
So, anybody seen this sort of behavior before? Any ideas what's happening?
2002 Mercury Gran Marquis, 121k miles, last routine trans service @ 50k or 60k. No history of trans problems.
Trans fluid smells fine; I know what burnt fluid smells like. Level is fine.
Potential problem - Over the last week, the upshifts have changed. Upshifts with this car have always been a tad firmer than you would expect. Now, they're suddenly butter-smooth. Shift points remain the same. Under gentle acceleration , the 1-2 is at ~25 mph, the 2-3 at just under 40. Revs don't go past 2000. Under moderately spirited acceleration, the speeds remain the same but the revs go up to ~2500. I have to concentrate to feel them, they're so smooth.
Under full throttle from a standing start, the upshifts don't happen. The trans stays in first, the revs go past 4000 and I lift off, panicked because I think I've broken something.
I've observed this phenomenon exactly once. Since it happened, I've been driving it like a little old lady, babying it as much as I can.
I really need this car functional since I will have to use it to transport my sister home from the hospital, maybe as soon as tomorrow. Her back injuries are so severe that making the trip in my truck would be far too painful and (realistically, seriously) would threaten to fracture more vertebrae. A breakdown of this car with her in it would be even worse; the last tow truck I rode in would have definitely broken bones for my sister.
I mostly trust my mechanic shop but there have been changes recently and that trust has eroded. I figured I'd first ask people I trust who don't have a financial interest in the answers.
So, anybody seen this sort of behavior before? Any ideas what's happening?