[:@]Hi - I'm a newbie to this forum. I posted the lights portion to the new member forum earlier. My first MC was a '79. Ijust bought my second MC,a 2000SS with the 3800 V6.All the lights, interior and exterior, dash,flicker when I turn the car off. I hear a clicking behind the glovebox. Occasionally, the headlights remain on as well. I got up this morning and the battery was dead, so it must have randomly activated. Any clues? Fried switch? Controller? Also, Overdrive doesn't kick in. Thanks for any help.

 

Okay, this sounds like a BCM (Body Control Module)problem...But I'm not 100% sure...As far as the overdrive problem, how do you know it isn't kicking into overdrive? (this question is not meant to unsult you, but the more information we have, the better wecan help)Normally, (From what I understand the trans shop told me)the transmissions won't lock up until like 2100 rpms...My '99 will run about 2200 RPMs @ 75 mph on the highway and I took it to a trans shop and they said it was normal. If your trans is in fact NOT locking up, I would check the torque converter control solenoid....maybe the previous owner didn't want to replace it so they just unplugged it...you still have 4 gears, just no lock up. I have a '99 Z34 with the 3800 and 4T65E 4 speed with electronic overdrive.

 

Thanks for the BCM advice. I'll run that check. As for the O-drive, the previous owner had a trans shop guy ride along with a moniter. Said it was "calling" for o-drivebut it wasn't responding. Would repair it for $2500. We don't have tranny guys with decent reps here so I wanted to see if anyone else knew of this problem first before I swap it out.I'll check it out tonight and see if it goes to 4th. Where is the solenoid located? Thanks a milliion for your help.

 

Hey Ben,
no problem. Yeah about the BCM, like I said, I am not sure at all, but it won't hurt to check. The solenoid I believe is inside the tranny and you have to drop the pan to get to it. Here is some information I found on the net. Here is a link:

http://www.tripleedgeperformance.com...ssion_Info.php
No 4th Gear:
Again a common problem with this transmission until GM made an upgrade in later models. There is a clutch hub inside this trans for 4th gear and has a long hollow shaft with splines on one end, and lugs on the other end for 4th clutches to key into. The splines on the small end will turn razor sharp over time and eventually wear off. This is more common in the 3400 powered cars but does happen in all of them. Constant in and out of 4th gear and lockup in 4th gear puts stress on the splines with constant hammering back and forth from driveline load change puts a lot of stress on the splines. Later GM parts as well as the aftermarket both offer a 4th clutch hub with heat treated splines which eliminates the problem. Fortunately the transmission has to be taken half way apart to to get to this and is quite a chore to do in the vehicle though it can be done.

After further research, it doesn't sound like a Solenoid, but the Torque Converter Clutch, like mentions above. Just follow that link and it should help you. Keep us updated and let us know what happens!

 

I talked to a trans shop for you. 4th gear is overdrive. So, is it shifting into 1, 2, 3 and then staying in 3, or is it shifting in 1, 2, 3, 4(OD), and then nothing after that? If there is nothing after OD then you have a Torque Converter Control issue...If it isn't shifting into 4th (OD) then you have some other issue with the transmission itself.

 

My '01 SS LE lost 4th after I blew the tranny and had it rebuilt. One of the NEW solenoids put in went bad. Free fix, except for the inconvenience.
As for the flickering lights, my '01 also had to have a new BCM for that very reason.

 

Looks like 4th is out altogether. The new hubs for 4th gear are hardened so the splines don't wear out soit looks like that's the way I'll have to go. I got a steal on thisMC and had that figured on the high end of the rebuild, so I'm not out that bad. I just put in a new window switch on the driver's side and the lights quick flickering. I don't have the schematic and didn't figure that to be in the same loop soI'll keep my eyes on the BCM just in case. Thanks again for the assist!

 

Anytime, Ben! Please don't be a stranger to the forum. We talk about other things and not just problems too.