ok my gearbox is playing up alot and since my dad made me keep the fairmont i need this fixed. when the car is cold its awesome but after a little bit it wont shift and if i manually shift it theres nothing its stuck in either 4th or 3rd wont kickback and wont go back to normal untill it is cold again

whats wrong and is there a quick fix please

im a newbie but if it helps,

check the condition of the fluid, maybe try an additive such as wynns?

may be difficult as the box has no dipstick in the engine bay
might be an ecu/solenoid problem?

im also a newbie so i wouldnt know where to check for the oil

Sounds like the box is either overheating or thinks it is and goes into limp mode. This could be for a number of reasons but the most common is a clogged trans filter and burnt fluid. I'm not sure what model you have but you need to get a transmission service kit from Bursons etc and service the tranny using new TQ95 or 95LE fluid. This is a straightforward procedure if you have a workshop manual, if not it's a trip to a mechanic and $150-$200 incl. fluid is the price range often quoted on here.
Even if that's not the cause, it needs to be serviced because the recent events have surely stuffed the fluid. If after servicing it still does it, then the temp sender from the box etc needs investigating.
As it's a Fairmont it's possibly already got a tranny cooler, if not consider getting one fitted, better still fit it yourself, every automatic should have one.
Pull apart the big cylindrical, black loom connectors near the washer bottle in the engine bay and spray inside them with electrical contact cleaner, make sure they are reseated tightly. Crap in there could be distorting the signals from the box to the ECU.
Even so, it now needs a full service ASAP, before you can tell if anything else is happening.
Paul
PS Did I miss where you posted the model/year of the car?

no i was in a hurry to type it its a 96 el

looks like ill be taking it to the mechanics

edit just had a look underneath and theres oil over the tranny, black stuff. do i have a broken seal?

just an observation... it looks like it's leaking from the top of the box somewhere.....

i might go and check mine now. lol

there may be a seal towards the top of the box???

also does the car leave spots of oil on driveways??? maybe it needs a top up? depending on how long it's been leaking for.

EL auto's don't have a dipstick so u cant check level easily.

there is a filler hole on the drivers side(i think) at the or near the top of the box. id go to a Auto trans specialist asap. as there might not be any oil in there.

Dave,
Some of the oil may have run down from the engine, but most of that looks like it has built up over the years from fumes exiting the gearbox breather. The longer a gearbox goes without a service, the blacker the fluid and therefore fume stains get [in my experience], the more blocked the filter, the bigger the discharge from the top of the gearbox. The fumes are blown backwards as you drive.
The extension housing seal [at the tail shaft] should be replaced and if the oil coating hasn't turned the rear engine [gearbox] mount into jelly by now it soon will.
If by chance it's still firm, degrease it as soon as possible, just spray on degreaser and hose off, repeat as necessary. $2 tins of degreaser from a bargain shop works as well as anything for this job.
Degrease that entire area ASAP, your gearbox gets hot enough normally and doesn't need an overcoat.
The fume patterns and colour are consistent with a long overdue service and blocked filter. If you've got a workshop manual and fair toolkit these are easily fixed. If you do take it to a mechanic, ask if you can watch and learn from what he does.
Has your 'power' [or any dash warning] light been flashing when your trans plays up? In the EB2, that indicates overheated tranny.
"and since my dad made me keep the fairmont "
When I was 16 [1963], my Dad made me rebuild a 1948 Holden motor and drive train from scratch by reading from a manual, before he let me buy the car off him. I think I could have lived with being forced to keep an EL Fairmont. LOL
He didn't charge me for supervision though and I learnt how to take care of breakdowns and services, so maybe he wasn't as mean as I then thought, given the money I've saved since then.
Cheers,
Paul

no nothing showing on the dash but now my power button dosent work i used to flick it and i can feel more responce in the tranny now theres nothing

As Paul said, Get a service ASAP, do it youirself or get someone to do it. And also as Paul said get a cooler fitted, there is a doco on here to show you how, quite simple realy. If the box keeps playing up get your servos tested. If you get the box service byu an Auto Mechanic get the servo's tested then as they take them out and bench test them so the gearbox will need to have the filter and oil replaced anyway.

seems like there is no 'quick fix'

best to have it serviced by a pro i guess. i think i'll get mine done too soon. the shifts seem quite harsh compared to when i bought it.

its getting really bad and its booked in for monday

i had to stall it up on the way to work today or it wont get up the hill

then as i was trying to get up a hill it suddenly worked again and spun my rear wheels up the hill.

all my mates behind was laughing i guess it was prety funny.

so its doing something new its decids when it wants to kick in and work like normal