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Tranny problems (TCC solenoid or leaky valves)

Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 2:02 pm
by Mithrandir
Does anyone else or has anyone else ever owned a 95 pontiac sunfire or a car with a similar tranny (3 speed, electronic torque converter). Well my car was shaking every so often when i bought it and got worse over time. I recently changed the fluid and found more than normal amount of metal powder in the tranny pan. I cleaned everything good, new gasket new filter and put it back together. I added high mileage tranny fluid with lucas stabilizer in it. No about a week later it is much worse. It seems like it cant shift gears very well. It jerks pretty bad when i speed up, ESP if i mash the pedal. Im gonna unplug my solenoid and drive to get my hair cut and see if it fixes it. Does anyone know if there is a tranny from another car i can swap with that or what the problem could be and what would the best option be for my car?

1.Sell to unsuspecting victim
2. Tranny rebuild (half the price i payed for the car)
3. Junk yard tranny swap (probably 700-1000 bucks)
4. Junk the car (bad option cause i still owe 1800 on it and cant get a new one without going severely into debt)

Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 2:14 pm
by MobileAudio219
Are you mechanically inclinded enough to do the swap yourself?

I'd go to u pull it and find a lower milage car thats been totalled, just make sure you pull the pan and check for shavings... You should be able to get it for around 70 bucks... :happy055:

Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 2:49 pm
by Chris from MI
Mithrandir wrote:Does anyone else or has anyone else ever owned a 95 pontiac sunfire or a car with a similar tranny (3 speed, electronic torque converter). Well my car was shaking every so often when i bought it and got worse over time. I recently changed the fluid and found more than normal amount of metal powder in the tranny pan. I cleaned everything good, new gasket new filter and put it back together. I added high mileage tranny fluid with lucas stabilizer in it. No about a week later it is much worse. It seems like it cant shift gears very well. It jerks pretty bad when i speed up, ESP if i mash the pedal. Im gonna unplug my solenoid and drive to get my hair cut and see if it fixes it. Does anyone know if there is a tranny from another car i can swap with that or what the problem could be and what would the best option be for my car?
Yeah I have heard from a lot of people that when there tranny was slipping, they flushed it and only made the problem worse. Thats why I am hesitant on getting mine flushed.
It all depends on what the car is worth to you. If you can get the tranny fixed and the car will last you another 3 years then it may be worth it to you. I mean 1000 for a car you are going to drive for 3 years isn't that bad of a deal. On the other hand if there are other problems after you fix that then it may be time to move on.
MobileAudio219 wrote:Are you mechanically inclinded enough to do the swap yourself?
I'd go to u pull it and find a lower milage car thats been totalled, just make sure you pull the pan and check for shavings... You should be able to get it for around 70 bucks... :happy055:
Those places are getting hard to find, at least around my area.

Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:39 pm
by Mithrandir
well i still owe 1800 on it that would be 2800 than id be paying 3800 for a car thats only worth 2500 :(

Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 5:59 pm
by MobileAudio219
Where are you from Mith?

yeah, if you are having tranny problems alot of times it does make it worse to change the fluid and filter... It sorta puts the tranny it shock, theres an additive that you can buy that helps, but once again its not a sure thing...

Pretty much if your pan has shaving in it theres a major problem, even if changing the fluid helps its only going to be a temporary fix... I suggest you drain a quart or so of fluid out and replace it with some lucas, it may help you out for a little while....

Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 6:27 pm
by Ryan from Ohio
A guy I worked with had a 4 cylinder Sunfire. The transmissions for that car run about $300-$400 at the junkyard.

You will be needing one, so brace yourself...

I advise going to http://www.junkyarddog.com and finding your local JY's and searching for their inventory...

I had quotes of $300-$425 to get mine swapped in the Buick. I paid $425 as they could get my car back in the same day 10 hrs later...

Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 6:29 pm
by Justin from Detroit1
So this isn't a thread about the prostitute you picked up last night....?

Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:06 pm
by MobileAudio219
Justin from Detroit wrote:So this isn't a thread about the prostitute you picked up last night....?
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..... :sad017:

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 6:49 am
by Ryan from Ohio
Ya its that too. But "shim" was only $5...

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 6:58 am
by Mithrandir
why do u say i will be needing one? I unplugged the electronic torque converter control module and its working fine no shifting problems at all.

Id be more than happy to get a junk yard tranny (if its not junk lol) for like 300-400 bucks but then its like 400 to get put in probably. Ill probably end up blowing up the dealer i got the car from or atleast beating his ass lol.

Id be happy if i could get a junk yard tranny and it put in for 500 bucks total but i doubt that will happen, unless one you guys have a lift i can borrow for like 2 weeks and ill put it in myself. lol