ok, I have a 97 Monte with about 235,800 miles on it. I'm hoping this isn't the transmission simply because what it's doing just started 2 days ago with no prior sign of the trans going out.

Anywho, I went to backup out of my driveway and my car wouldn't move. I didn't really think too much about it so I just put it back in park for a minute and tried again and it worked no problem. Well, I go to work, run a few errands, still working fine. Yesterday I went to go to the gas station and it wouldn't move anywhere. I sat there for a few just trying to move the shifter back and forth from P to D then to R to see if it would engage gears. It sounded like it caught gear a few times so I'd hit the gas, nothing. So I sat in park for about 3 minutes and tried to go again and viola! Acts like nothing is wrong!

What in the hell is going on!?!?! My trans isn't slipping, I checked the fluid, I don't know what to do! I just recently replaced the cooling system connector because it was leaking antifreeze like no other only to find the weep hole on the water pump is dripping! I purchased a new water pump but haven't replaced it yet. (I can't do it myself! My Dad or his mechanic friends help me out.) I am wondering if the water pump has anything to do with not going into gears? Can anyone help a girl out?

 

Hey, welcome to the forum. Something like that sounds like the trans going out. And also HOLEY HIGH MIlAGE! Haha. But their are a few questions that can help narrow it down. How long have you had the car? Have you had the transmission serviced and the filter changed? Has the transmission been rebuilt? These cars have a weak transmission and it could be a number of things. Take the car to a transmission shop and have it scanned for codes. Also are thier any other symptoms such as hard shift? Unfortunatly no, I can't think of any reason a water pump would effect the transmission.

 

Hi Melissa:
Welcome to the forum.


Have you ever done or had a fluid filter change done on the transmission?
If not... I would highly recommend having that done. I would also recommend(unless you know a transmission person) To have them(trans shop) scan the transmission for codes. It just maybe possible a solenoid may have intermitten issues. Which can also be changed at the time you have the fluid and filter changed.. (The solenoid is in the transmission)... That maybe the cause of your problem. I hope this helps.


I'm sure someone else will chime in with more tips,ideas.
Pls post some pics of your Monte, Come join us and say hello in our daily Blog.
Thanks for joining the MCF Family!

 

Sorry cutie, sounds like your tranny is slipping. is it cold outside? and also, a tranny doesnt need any prior notice to it, this is your notice lol.

 

Tranny throws out codes before completely poofing? You learn something new everyday..lol

 

Could be something simple like the transmission linkage, since sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

However the transmission is a notorious weak point, and you could be hitting some bad luck with all of the clutches inside.

 

As a matter of fact,
I get my fluid filter changed yearly on My Monte.... The last time I had it done..Infact they did scan the trans and that's when they found a faulty solenoid ... So during the process of the fluid filter change they changed the solenoid... I guess that's the point of having it scanned.


Melissa:
I too have had in the past the intermitten no engagement of gears ..which was one of the other reasons I had the fluid filter change ... Its been a non issue ever since.

 

David likes to have his fully flushed, while some members like to have just the fluid/filter changed, basically drop the pan of the trans. Im not sure which one works the best as ive done neither on none of my cars, I usually leave the tranny alone until it goes out. However I think your tranny is slipping, which sometimes happens if its really cold outside. Try pushing it from P - Gear 1, then in park again and reving it. If my tranny slipped a lil, I always did this and it always came back to me.

 

Haha David (me) suggests a full flush if your under 150k miles. Or if its been done in the last 75k miles. Otherwise just do two filter changes 6 months apart with a fluid refill. David (stumpmi) ascribes to the yearly filter change, also a good idea. Too bad we don't have an external trans filter like my saturn did.

 

Honestly, sounds like a failing trans. But, as Chibi said, there is a chance it's something like a cable linkage problem (not likely, but not impossible).

You may want to have the linkage checked and if that doesn't fruit anything, I would take it to a transmission shop for further diagnosis.

BTW - Welcome to the forum and that is some impressive mileage!!