Hey guys, ASE cert. tech, not a noob. Bring on the techno jargon.

Wifey has a 2000 Monte 3.4l 4T60-E 149,000 all stock, never treated very well from previous owner. Trans started giving some problem never really looked at it because she tends to exaggerate when it comes to her car but when she told me it wouldn't come out of first gear, she caught my attention. No check engine light, borrowed a chevy code reader and trans is throwing no problems, no limp mode or anything like that. When you fire up the car and take off down the road (shifter in drive) it will get to around 4k and hit a "neutral" mode (car will not accel). If you drop down into third it will allow you to take first all the way to rev limit at roughly 45-52mph depending on road incline. Now if I continue to force it down the road still selected in third it will eventually shift directly into third and it's like the problem never existed. When I say eventually I mean it could be the end of the driveway or 10 miles down the road or it could be never at all (hit destination before it will shift). After it shifts the first time, if I come to a stop light it will continue to run through all 4 gears, acts like nothings wrong it will let me manually select, downshift, etc. If I put it into park, not even shutting it off, there's a 50/50 chance it will start it's bullsh*t again. Thought it might be temp. related but seems to do it weather it's hot or cold (outside temp or trans temp). Filter and fluid have been changed, valve body dropped and inspected for faults or sticking ball, none of the above have seemed to help or demean the problem. Is there something electrical I'm missing that could be causing this problem? Just wanted to get some opinion before I go buy a low mileage junkyard trans or something of the sort. Any and all help is hugely appreciated guys!!!!

 

im not a certified mechanic but it could be something as simple as a sensor or a valve going bad. but no matter where you take it they are gonna tell you that you need a trans or a rebuild. you could get a used trans for a few hundred and if u can put it on yourself u'll be saving some money.

 

I sent your message to my mechanic, we could get a response in a day or so. Thanks for your patience. Will get his reply back to you.

 

Zippy much appreciated.

 

Okay I copied and pasted my mechanics answer. Hope you understand it. Glad to have tried to help you, thats what this forum tends to be, family.....

Greg: If this was in my shop the first thing I would check is the data stream, specifically the commanded gear pid, acutual gear pid, tft pid, iss pid, vss pid and rpm pid. There is a good chance the trans may be loosing a sensor or a hydraulic problem. If the car is commanding 2nd and not shifting the tcm should set P0730 (incorrect gear ratio) so a lack of tcm codes would raise my eyebrow. Depending on the data stream is what I would do next, but it would defently include a line pressure check before the transmission was replaced. The shift solenoid stratagey is both 1-2 and 2-3 solenoids are on in first, to select second the 1-2 turns off and 2-3 stays on, third 1-2 off 2-3 off, fourth 1-2 on 2-3 off. If the valve body was pulled, I would also include a air pressure check of the bands and clutches.

Matt Snell
Paul's Automotive and 4x4 inc.
48 E 9400 S
Sandy, Ut. 84070
801-255-7472

 

That's awesome man. I greatly appreciate the help from you and advice from him. Went around checking other systems related to trans and found that an ABS sensor lead wire is snapped on the body. Dash bulb is out for abs and I never specifically checked the codes. So I'll start with the $25 replacement wire and then run the checks from your mechanic through. Again, greatly appreciated.

 

Happy to have helped, now you have to pay it forward by giving advice to another forum member.... LOL, but I'm sure you know things that will be of help to the members here...