Hi Eric, 

Sorry to hear about your transmission problems.  My '87 also has an auto trans and when I purchased the vehicle, it was not functioning.  Wouldn't not move forward at all, only reverse worked.  I had it rebuilt by a locally-owned and operated general transmission shop and, now ten years later, I haven't had any problems with it at all.  I recall the mechanic saying that they are a very simple transmission compared to today's electronic versions.

So while reading your story, I thought I would suggest the same to you.  Until your last sentence, that you'd had it recently rebuilt.  My first thought would be to speak with the rebuilder -- he may know immediately what is causing your symptoms.  

Good luck with it, Rick

On Thu, 25 Sep 2025, at 18:42, Eric Caron wrote:
> Hi friends,
> 
> My auto transmission in my 85 is not shifting into third gear.  This problem has been increasing.  Also, when going down hill, the transmission increasingly feels like it is binding or holding back.  Not fully like if in second gear but something like that.
> 
> I thought the issue was that the shifter was not fully in drive, but even wiggling and checking this is having less and less of an impact.  On the last  situation, My wife turned the van around after about 4 miles and took it home as it was not shifting into third.
> 
>         Any thoughts from folks on what causes this to happen in a fairly newly rebuilt transmission? 
> 
>         I’m trying to figure out my next steps.
> 
> Eric Caron 
>