My car is 92 GXE, AT, 120k miles already. Yesterday, I went to Tire&Plus to change oil. In my way back, a smoke came out from the hood and I cannot accelerate.I stepped on the gas, the engine roared louder but the car could't accelerate. So I pulled over the car and cooled it for about 3 minutes. Then I tried to drive slowly. Surprisingly,everthing is OK.
I went ot Car X today, . They said the smoke was just the fuel left over on the engine but they cannot figure out why acceleration failed. They said it may be some problem with transmission.
Do I need to check the transmission? Thanks.

 

Fuel left over ON the engine? That's a scary thought. I doubt that.

Here is the thing, if you just had some work done (oil change) and on your way home you saw smoke, then you can pretty much conclude that something occurred between the time you had the oil change and your ride home. It could be a couple things:

1. Burning of residual oil that was spilled (which does not explain a loss of power)
2. Tranny slipping (which explains the smoke and the loss of power)

The Auto trans in your car is at about the end of its rope if no one has changed the fluid or its been abused, FYI.

 

I changed the fluid in May. Drive 3000 miles in six months is not a kind of abuse and the tranny worked good. Anyway, I will go to AAMCO to get a check.
If is was the tranny, where did the smoke come from? Out of tranny? The fluid is good, no burnt smell, no change in color.
I drive it on highway this couple of days. Smooth as usually. But a kink of less power, maybe just scaring myself.
Thanks.

 

Someone correct me if I am wrong...

Well, in my limited understanding of the Maxima Auto trans my hunch would be that one of the pressure discs started slipping. Basically an auto trans has small clutch discs activated by valve bodies. Those can get worn, and start slipping, causing a loss of power and smoke.

Just remember to narrow it down by examining the cheapest possibilities first. Dont always assume the worst right away.

 

Please don't take your car to ammco they screwed me, they told me my old transmission was not rebuildable for whatever reason and ho would get me a good deal on a used tranny. well about $1500 later I had the same transmission with a new seal they didn't put one of my axles in right so it broke that, and i had just gotton it replaced. I got screwed I ended up telling them to shove it and i took my car to certified transmissions and they did a bad *** job on my car if i stand on the gas it chirps into second. I'm hard on my cars and have alot of tranny problems do yourself a favor and stay away from Cottman and Ammco, please man they don't deserve business, i guess thats all i can say.