So here's MY story. I am not sure if my tranny is slipping in certain gears, but when I accelerate quickly, the car stutters. I was told it could be my motor mounts. Could that be the mounts or the tranny giving up? I ask because when I am driving, the RPMs look like they stay stuck in the 3K position even when I let off the gas. That is when it slowly starts to go down. A drop of pancake syrup on a fork will move faster that the needle. If I was to throw it in N, the car feels like it was being forced and it relieved pressure and cruises smoothly. When I throw it back in D, it slows down...like a 4 wheeler when hauling, then letting go of the throttle. I'll try and post a video tomorrow on my way to work. But for now, has anyone else had this issue before? I checked the ECM and its giving me the camshaft sensor. that's been replaced and I dont have a SEL on.

 

The engine mounts are easy enough to check, even easier if you have a helper. Start the car and put it in gear. Keep your foot on the brake, pressing hard, and rev the engine to 2K - 3K rpm. Watch the engine, it will twist. If the engine mount is good, the engine will move only an inch or two. If it is bad, you might think it is going to jump out of the engine compartment, but it won't. Do this for both forward and reverse gears.

I see that you are in Houston, but if the car is from up north in the snowbelt, check the lower radiator frame that it is not rotted out. The engine cross member bolts to this and the engine will drop if the lower radiator frame rots out.

Do the rpms actually stay up at 3K or do they drop but the tach keeps indicating 3K?

 

It feels like it slows down, but the RPMs are still in the same spot then slowly drop. I haven't had a chance to test that out, but I will today. Now i'm having issues with I suppose my alt. blew out my headlights last week when I accelerated pretty hard. The battery light and brake light lit up on my dash.

 

There is a little silver rectangular box behind the factory airbox...I'm pretty sure it controls the smoothness of shifting...hard acceleration...soft slow acceleration...easily obtained at junk yard...