So I'm guessing a 3.1 is L36? (that's what his 98 has in it...)

 

Thank you for the replies!!!

My dad bought this car new in 1998, and I got it from him in 2003. It has always had regular oil changes. I have never hot rodded or abused this car in any way. I'm gentle on the car. I am the 'grandpa' you don't want to get behind at a stop light.

The only repairs that I've had to make on this car were the intake manifold gasket and an alternator.

I am surprised that I've lost coolant sometime recently. I check it on a regular basis, and checked it again when I pulled the tranny dip stick. The antifreeze was low, and it stinks to high heaven. It smells abnormal to me. I washed my hands 4 times and could still smell the stink of the antifreeze on my hand.

My mechanic says that the tranny cooler is not leaking into the radiator.

The tranny fluid is brown, but does NOT smell burnt.

Thank you again!!!! Please keep the posts coming!!!

 

I forgot to mention that the car is NOT overheating nor does it appear to have overheating tendencies.

 

I do have a question:

Somewhere on this forum was a post by a GM tech.

In that post, he said that there are two tubes running through the transmission. These tubes can be seen when the tranny pan and gasket is pulled.

In that post, he suggested tapping those tubes back in with a hammer, and then zip tying them.

I can't find the post now.

Does this apply to the tranny in my MC?

What do you zip tie the tubes to?

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND HELP!!!!!!!!!!!! IT IS APPRECIATED!!!!!

(And yes, I still feel sick about losing my Monte).

 

Update:

I kept driving the car some, but not a ton, until I started having hard shifting one day in all gears.

I let the car sit for quite a while, not sure what to do with it. I was afraid that I would be dumping money into a car that was headed to the scrap yard.

I took it to my mechanic, and he was a bit stumped too.

We decided to replace the camshaft sensor at a cost of $35 plus labor. He was swamped with work, and I was in no hurry to hear "You've got a trashed tranny." I let the car sit for a good while so he could get to it.

I went to pick up the car today, and it shifts fine after replacing the cam shaft sensor.

Sure, I only have about 40 miles on it since then, and those miles are basically split into two different days of driving.

Time will tell, and I'll try to update after I get some decent miles on it.

Thank you so much!!!!!

 

sometimes with the CEL and a major sensor failure the car will be in limp mode and command harder shifts. the 4t60e can not command higher shift pressure as it is vac controlled on that car but harder shifting does happen with limp mode.

 

Thanks, z34.

The CEL has been on forever, but the car never went into limp mode.

I wonder if the camshaft sensor was sending too many signals, or at least signals at the wrong time, causing it to shift prematurely.

Of course, I'm just guessing, but thankful to have my MC back and running again. It felt great to drive her!