i have rebuilt these transmissions over the years and what we have found is this

the unit is very well engineared and the weak spot in the unit is the type of paper that was used to create the clutch discs - when dextron 11 was discontinued < its almost a type F ford fluid -- the paper when dextron 111 is used starts to come apart < does not happen in GM units only euro MB volvo e jags and alike BW type gearboxes > around 140,000 city cars 180,000 highway cars the paper starts to fall apart and by doing so the distance between the discs and the steels is increased and the crumbling paper from the discs makes it slipery so with extra travel the clutch hub piston has to travel and the sliperyness caused by the paper ends up with a pop like action when the clutch engages ALSO the heat cycles of average 150,000 miles has the sealing O rings hard as stone not doing the job of sealing the pumps oil pressure Bleading < for the lack of a better word > all of this ends up with a unit thats in need of a kit -- i could spend another hour but i would loose most and i thhink this is ok as an explain hopefully --

now a trans that is sliding around when shifting can be helped by turning the boden cable out makes the gear hold in speed longer more road speed and greater pressure will make it work for a while - jz