1) Changed lower control arms
2) Got an alignment and while there mechanic said he would do my axle (which needed to be done/replaced) at the same time for a great price
3) Go on road trip same day...get 120 miles away and smoke everywhere in engine bay when stop at rest stop and rear of car covered in oil.
4) Come to find out it was trans fluid and the axle had pulled itself out due to being faulty or the seal (they replaced both for free)
5) I had to get it home and put some fluid in from the gas station (came up to just on the cold end of dipstick after a whole quart
6) got around corner to parts store and got some Castrol import and put in another quart to get it up to standard level
7) Drove 25-30 miles, stopped and checked/topped it off until I got home
Now I pick up the car and mechanic says everything seems okay with trans and doesn't think did damage. HOWEVER, it has always seemed to shift a little hard from 1-2. Now on way home it seemed to shift a little hard 1-2, 2-3, 3-4. Then I get home and cycled from D to R and going into R it is a pretty hard thunk in. No real delays just hard.
2 questions...
1) Does it sound like the trans was damaged and going out so I should go back and have them do something about it?
2) Should I just do a drain/fill since it had the standard fluid in it, then some sunoco gas station ATF then some Castrol import and then topped today at the shop with whatever they had.
I'm truly debating on keeping the car because I have to still do the PCV, Timing Belt and Water Pump (have the parts) but now not sure what to do. I love the car but as a result had to buy a new car (1.5 year old and 4 year old in the car stranded was NOT fun). I would love to have this as my daily driver to/from work and leave this for my wife and when we have the kids but don't want it to be a huge money pit
