Newcomer to this forum, but a Porsche fanatic for 34 years. Current project car is a 1987 S4 with automatic. The symptoms are: the car will start out in the gear selected, not in lower gear. I can shift from 2nd to 3rd, 3rd to 4th, by moving the selector. It will not do it by itself. I just serviced the transmission last night and the fluid looked new as well as the filter. No change in operation after the service. What's my next step? Thanks in advance for all your help and I enjoy the forum.
Grace and peace,
Mitch

 

I have heard of manual shift valve bodies being used in drag cars... not any kits I know of pertaining to a Porsche (MB) tranny though...

 

So if you start off in D, does the car just stay in second gear and never shift? Your trans is designed to start off in second gear unless you depress the throttle enough to engage first gear or manually pull the shifter into "2". Does the car ever go to 1st gear when you move the gear selector manually into "2"?

 

With the car in drive it starts out in 4th and stays in 4th. If you start out in 3rd, it stays in 3rd. If you start in 2nd, it stays in 2nd. Hope this helps.