One more reson to hate automatics

On the way home from work today my car died. Less then a mile from home I( 29 mile commute ) I stopped at a stop light. When the light turned green I pushed the throttle and the car refused to move. It was like I had the brake on. Suddenly the car started to move forward in jerks. I stopped thinking I had a flat tire but they were fine.

My father-in-law does all the major work on it at his garage and he is sure that the transmistion is gone. After thinking about it I agree.

So I may have a 2000 Grand Prix with a bad transmition for sale cheap soon.

I've come to understand reams more about slushboxes since going to work part time at an independent transmission shop... And I still hate them.

Is there any fluid in it? Check the lines to and from the cooler. Clogged filter? Start with the easy stuff. If the fluid smells burned or there's chunks in the pan, proceed to your nearest preferred shop for a new unit.

Given the age and the unit in question, it may very well be history. Junkyard units are cheap and plentiful, and rather easy to swap out if you've got a few good jacks, prybars, and patience.

Best of luck!

I was going to be getting another car in a few months anyway. I have had this one for long enough but I wish it could have lasted a little longer.

Fluid was full and not burned. Something is deffinetly screwed up inside.

With the supercharged engine I do not feel to well about a used trans. And they are still listing for around $600 on Ebay.

Oh, I hate that. You just never know when they're going to go. Thankfully, I've only had to do one trans rebuild on any of my cars, as I've always sold or junked other ones before I ran into a transmission rebuild.

Now I have a Sonoma with an auto 4L60E, and I can't tell if the trans is starting to go or not... it shifts hard as berkeley when cold, but shifts slippery as E36 M3 when when hot. But it's been doing that ever since I've had it, and the fluid isn't burnt, so.... it's just a E36 M3 bucket beater truck, but I'd like my E36 M3 bucket beater truck better if I could shift it myself.

I won't say gone, gone, but the transmission does need some repairs.

Sounds like OD is gone. The 4T60E in those operate "funky". It seems when OD fails, it sticks" on". When it is "on", it causes a bind in the drivetrain and you get little to no forward movement. Now, I can not rule out either a PCS, pressure control solenoid, or torque converter/torque converter clutch solenoid failure.

Scan the controller and find out what the DTC's are and it will be easier to know the root cause.

Brian

My father was letting me use his Mercury Zephyr as my "run-around" car when the transmission started that jerking bit. Because the car was given to me in what was supposed to be "perfect" condition with 160K miles on it, I had the trans rebuilt, even though I should have just given him the money. In that one shot I doubled that car's value.

FWIW, the automatic in my '92 Integra had 220K on it when the engine was killed by me. Older Honda transmissions aren't as smooth as some of GM's finest, but they are apparently bulletproof.

integraguy wrote: My father was letting me use his Mercury Zephyr as my "run-around" car when the transmission started that jerking bit. Because the car was given to me in what was supposed to be "perfect" condition with 160K miles on it, I had the trans rebuilt, even though I should have just given him the money. In that one shot I doubled that car's value. FWIW, the automatic in my '92 Integra had 220K on it when the engine was killed by me. Older Honda transmissions aren't as smooth as some of GM's finest, but they are apparently bulletproof.

Honda automatics are completely different than most. They are more like manual transmissions with clutches instead of synchronizers.

Got home today to find the car had been towed home. My wife comes out to show me that somehow the right front brake caliper braket had come loose and was hitting the wheel whenever I tried to drive forward. The trans if fine. I don't know how I missed that last night. I was probably just to pissed off to notice anything.

when I did the brakes a couple of months ago I had to take the braket off because one of the pads had broken free and jammed between the braket and the rotor. I guess I did not get it tight when I put it back on.

I still don't like automatics and as soon as I get some money I am going to get something with a standard.

Now you just need to turn up the boost so you can have a real transmission failure.

RoosterSauce wrote: Oh, I hate that. You just never know when they're going to go. Thankfully, I've only had to do one trans rebuild on any of my cars, as I've always sold or junked other ones before I ran into a transmission rebuild. Now I have a Sonoma with an auto 4L60E, and I can't tell if the trans is starting to go or not... it shifts hard as berkeley when cold, but shifts slippery as E36 M3 when when hot. But it's been doing that ever since I've had it, and the fluid isn't burnt, so.... it's just a E36 M3 bucket beater truck, but I'd like my E36 M3 bucket beater truck better if I could shift it myself.

have you changed the fluid and filter? sounds like bad fluid to me.

you should have been us when our 1986 Pontiac Grand Am SE transmission (wifey bought new) wouldn't upshift into third gear. at 4 years old and 50,000 miles the trans was toast.

at least you got almost 11 years out of the trans.......

could be worse.. I remember the 1980 Aspen Wagon my parents bought new. 4 speed manual on the slant 6. At 9 days old, something let loose in the transmission and locked it in 2nd gear...

They accused my dad of racing it, but did cover the warrenty work.

mad_machine wrote: could be worse.. I remember the 1980 Aspen Wagon my parents bought new. 4 speed manual on the slant 6. At 9 days old, something let loose in the transmission and locked it in 2nd gear... They accused my dad of racing it, but did cover the warrenty work.

How the HELL could they possibly accuse him of drag racing that? That car couldn't get out of its OWN way.

My 4T60Eek lost all but 1st gear. Got it opened up and seen that this thing called a Reverse Reaction Drum sheared off one side, even tore a chunk out. Apparently, this was a weak point. Pulled another trans apart, only to find that the same part was starting to tear apart in the same spot. Damn.

Why can't an american company put together a transmission together that doesn't break? My mercedes still has the original 4speed in it with 133k miles and it works fine, couldn't an american company source a transmission that lives long and prospers?

In reply to benzbaron:

Funny is that up until the 80s it was the American auto transmissions which were known for their strength and durability. The Mopar 727 Torqueflight and GM TH 400 were darn near indestructible. Even the old two-speed Powerglide was almost bullet proof.

benzbaron wrote: Why can't an american company put together a transmission together that doesn't break? My mercedes still has the original 4speed in it with 133k miles and it works fine, couldn't an american company source a transmission that lives long and prospers?

E250 400K Second Trans. Second engine

Chevy Venture 190K Original Trans. Original engine

E150 250K Original Trans. Original engine.

E150 170K Original Trans. Original engine. This one usually has a 7000# trailer hooked to it.

They do, you just never hear about them.

That's just the ones I own and I don't service them, ever.

Keith_Goodrich wrote: Got home today to find the car had been towed home. My wife comes out to show me that somehow the right front brake caliper braket had come loose and was hitting the wheel whenever I tried to drive forward. The trans if fine. I don't know how I missed that last night. I was probably just to pissed off to notice anything. when I did the brakes a couple of months ago I had to take the braket off because one of the pads had broken free and jammed between the braket and the rotor. I guess I did not get it tight when I put it back on. I still don't like automatics and as soon as I get some money I am going to get something with a standard.

Oh neat!

I had that happen to me on the highway at 75mph in the rain once. My seat is STILL brown.

benzbaron wrote: Why can't an american company put together a transmission together that doesn't break? My mercedes still has the original 4speed in it with 133k miles and it works fine, couldn't an american company source a transmission that lives long and prospers?

Turned out not to have broken....

All manufacturers seem to be trying to use one model too small of an automatic transmission for the combined weight/power rating.

Thank you Toyman you may have just answered the question I posted in OT about which van to get. I knew some good would come of a provocative statement.

MrJoshua wrote: All manufacturers seem to be trying to use one model too small of an automatic transmission for the combined weight/power rating.

This would be because the smaller tranny has less weight and prolly less rotating mass, thus less impact on mileage. It's all about mileage, these days...bleah!

My 94 Ford Aerostar has 290K on the original trans.

Am I the only one getting a chuckle out of all the transmission/OEM/not-DIYer bashing going on in a thread that turned out to be caused by something completely unrelated and the fault of the DIYer? Seriously, even the original poster had to get a chuckle out of that.

Bryce

That too

It made me wonder where Rooster Sauce got the idea about Honda transmissions, though.