oldsguybry

Hey all , I really didn't want to start a thread on this , but I was hoping to actually fix this problem someday soon , and I could not find enough info on the internet to attempt this yet .

I noticed that the transmission likes to shift back and forth in between 3rd gear and OD whenever you take your foot off of the gas and re-apply . I'm sure this is not good on the tranny , and it's quite annoying also . I could not find a ton of info on this repair , but would like to attempt it myself , unless it's to involved . I did find that this is most likely the solenoid in the tranny , but they made it sound like there is more then one solenoid in there . If anyone knows anything about this repair , or have any tips for me , I would greatly appreciate it .

Professur

What you need is the diagnostic tree for that car. Here's one I found, unofficial, for the trans.

http://www.gmtruckhq.com/?q=node/93

oldsguybry

Thanks , that is helpful .

oldsguybry

ok , I called several tranny places to get some info on this also , and all they said was " I have to bring the car in " so they could look at it , which makes sense . ONE place I called said that they have been doing this for 37 years , and my description of the problem sounds like the tranny is toast . He said that almost EVERY time someone brought a car in with this problem , the tranny was done . He informed me that a rebuilt one installed would be $1200 . He told me that he's not going to give me the run around with it like other places will , and that this is most likely the problem . The way he described everything sounded very honest .

I'm not sure what to do . I'm not going to find another vehicle for that price , so maybe I should just get it done if this ends up being the problem . I only paid $1000 for the car in the first place , and I put 16000 miles on it since I bought it , so it seems like I got my moneys worth out of it already . I had to stick some money in it since I bought it , but it was all small common maintenance issues . The car only had a 140000 on it when I bought it , and it has the 3.8 motor in it . I still have to replace the shocks on the car , and a tune up , but that's about all that it needs at this point , besides this new problem .... I don't have the money to buy another car like I said before , and I certainly DO NOT want anything from the late 90's into the 2000's , because of the bad experiences that I've had with them . Let me know if there is anyone with a good tranny for this car that they may have laying around ( preferably a better tranny then the 4L60E if it will work ) .

Professur

For $30 you can get the rebuild manual for this trans from ATSG. Contrary to what you've probably heard ... there's no fairies or goblins living inside there ... just some very basic parts. It doesn't take a lot of fancy tooling to tear one down either. A couple of specialty pullers that take about 15 minutes to make yourself is about it. A master rebuild kit is about $125 ... it's always recommended to change the torque converter at the same time, that's another $100 and change. And it's going to take an obscene about of fluid to fill it back up ... 2 to 3 gallons. Beyond that ... if you've got what it takes to get it out ... you've got what it takes to rebuild it. Getting it out ... easily the second hardest part of the whole job. The hardest? Getting the bugger back in. But again ... it's not rocket science ... just hard work.

Honestly tho ... $1200 for a rebuilt with warranty, installed is pretty darn good IMO. You are talking a '93 ... for any automatic trans, it's done it's time and served well. My wife's 2005 Malibu's trans let go this time two years ago. I had to eat $2000 on that one. (you neglected to mention which particular buick).

oldsguybry

93 Buick Lesabre . I replaced a tranny in a 92 Chevy Cavalier standard shift years ago by myself , and like you said , it was a lot of hard work , but I got it done , and the car drove great after that for $150 . I'm getting old now , and I really don't feel like trying this .... not to mention I heard horror stories about putting the TC on just so , or you fry the whole thing . I really don't have a place to do this anyhow . I may just get this done at the shop . 3 year warranty .

Professur

3 year warranty ... with both hands friend ... grab it with both hands. At that price, there's absolutely no reason to get your hands dirty ... provided your confident with the shop's reputation

oldsguybry

It's a reputable shop , but I'm not 100% sure that he's being completely honest with me . You never are . I read on different sites that it could be a few different things , but it seems like the tranny would have to be pulled in order to repair some of them anyways ..... after what I went through trying to replace the rear tranny mount last spring made me think twice about trying this .

Professur

Well ... I can't speak for him ... but I fix computers for a living and more than once I've had to tell a customer that they've three options. I can spend several hours tracking down the specific problem they're having ... billing by the hour. I can simply do a wipe and reinstall of their system (if the diagnosis suggests a high likelihood the problem's software related). Frequently under an hour if it's a machine I've installed before. Or, if the machine is more than a couple of generations behind ... they might well be better to take this opportunity to loose the dinosaur and spend the money they'd be paying me on a new machine with the OS pre-installed. Naturally the trouble shooter in me would rather spend the time hunting down the problem ... but that's frequently not the smartest financial choice for the customer.

In your case .. He can spend the time hunting down the problem and maybe fixing it ... leaving you with a bill of several hundred bucks and a trans that's still 20 years old with 140K on it .... or end run the problem, give you the fastest solution with the least possible headaches for both of you.

For the record ... I've spent a lot of time sitting watching while the clock is running. Waiting while Fred Flintstone's computer tries to virus scan it's 2G hard drive ... because the customer hasn't done a recent backup and the files have to be saved at all costs. Then to have the customer at the end of the day having to pay my bill, and still not recognizing that adding $500 to that bill and slapping a high speed backup tape onto his machine for future safety ... it's tough to justify to myself taking my lunch break in the middle of the scan to safe the customer an hour's charge.

1971cutlas

sounds like the 4th clutch hub shaft splines are stripped ,common on those old fwd trans, revised now.1200 is great price if he'll back his work.

oldsguybry

Yeah , the car shifts kind of strange in the last two gears (3rd & OD) .... 3rd gear seems like it has two gears in one or something , because when I count the gears as I'm driving , there are five separate gears all together when going speeds in excess of 50mph , but the shift indicator reads as such ......... P R N D D 2 1

Professur

Lock up torque converter is your 5th.

oldsguybry

I also noticed that when the car shifts into the second part of third gear and then OD , this is where the problem starts with it shifting back and forth . I really notice it when I have the Cruise set .... as soon as I hit the brake to disengage the CC , the tranny immediately shifts into a lower gear . It shouldn't be downshifting the second you take your foot off the gas , or when you disengage the CC .

edit .... I also notice a slight slip of some kind once in a while when I accelerate a little harder then normal from a stop . It's kind of strange .

oldsguybry

I also wonder how long I can drive it this way .

oldsguybry

I found out that "not" using the cruise control is a big help , as long I don't get a speeding ticket


I'm also a bit confused about something .... I noticed some of the guys here doing a LS swap mentioned using a 4L60E ??? I thought this was a front wheel drive tranny .

1971cutlas

4l60 / the L means longitudinal . 4 means 4 speed, the trans in your cutlass is longitudinal . for example
your front wheel drive trans is actually a 4t60 / 4 speed ,t =transverse mounted (sideways)

4l60e E =electronically controlled(computer with solenoids in trans
6t70 =6 speed transverse mounted , ie gmc acadia /buick enclave
hope that helps!

oldsguybry

Yes it does , thanks .

oldsguybry

I was thinking about maybe getting a BETTER transmission installed as long as it's not to much more money ..... Anyone know of a better one that would fit in there ?

MarkDavid

have you considered a used trans at a salvage ? That or look thru the local craigslist and buy a complete car with a bad engine and use the transmission out of it . Get what else you want off of it , then haul it across the scales for some cash back !

oldsguybry

Well , whenever this tranny takes a puke I will get a rebuilt one maybe . The car has actually been doing real good as of lately , I haven't had any issues .

rustyroger

For your $1200 you will (or should be) getting a transmission that will be good for another 140k miles. Perhaps you should consider if the rest of the car is good for several more years use.
The pontiacbonnevilleclub forum which is for '86 on H & C bodies might be worth a look. It seems the engines are normally very robust, good for 200k+ miles with proper maintenance, many members boast of their 300k+ cars that are still running well.

Roger.

oldsguybry

Yeah , I'm still deciding what I should do . The car would need a tune up , and shocks / struts all the way around also . With the rebuilt tranny , that puts the total investment around $2800 . I put 16,500 miles on the car since I bought it for which I paid $1000 for it . It now has 156,000 on it BTW . I had to replace a bunch of crap on the car when I bought it , so there are a lot of new parts on it . The appearance of the car is not the greatest ( on the passenger side ) , rocker panel is rotting out , and the door has a big dent in it , also the rear wheel well has a giant hole in it going through to the trunk . With what it would cost me to get another car ( to which I don't have the money for anyways ) , this would be the cheapest route . The only somewhat lingering issue I have with the car is the VATS security system that I bypassed with a resistor from radio shack .... Every once in a while I have a problem with it , and today I noticed the light came on for a bit while I was driving it , to which I'm hoping is just the resistor I put on there needing replacement .


edit .... Correction , with the tune up and shocks / struts , the total investment would be a few hundred more .

olds 307 and 403

Sometimes you can get lucky picking up a used transmission. I was in the same boat with my 4x4. The 4x4 had the dreaded weak reverse and clutch material in the pan. My truck also wasn't worth the $1000-$1500 for a rebuild. My trans also had a broken bell housing, no good to rebuild. I could only find one place 3 hours away with high mile units for $500. I got one that had rebuild tag and the fluid looked brand new and no build up at all in the pan. I got a very fresh $1500 trans for $500, has been great the last year driving it.

BILL DEMMER

bummer! i just junked a '97 boneyville today with a recently installed goodwrench rebuilt 4t60e tranny. you could've had the whole drivable car for a grand. the car was in whitewater, now it's in waukesha getting shredded.


bill

oldsguybry

, I have to wait for taxes anyways , but I could of put that tranny in this car maybe .

BILL DEMMER

yup, it would've fit just fine. sorry!


bill

BILL DEMMER

i have a '98 olds(unknown model, yet) i'll keep you in mind.


bill