3pt1lumina Posted December 16, 2009 Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 Okay... my 97 Lumina 3100 4T60E with 162k has been doing what I'm about to describe below for the last 20k or so. It does maybe once every 6 months, but in the last 3 weeks it's this twice and it's been while I've been pulling out into traffic and I am becoming concerned. In drive, at operating temperature, the car will "slip" out of gear from about 5-10mph and the engine will rev. It usually happens to me in parking lots or driving from side street to side street (let's face it, I always am doing a rolling stop). I have to stop the car, put it in park then back into drive, and it will act perfectly fine for months. Aside from my TCC engaging issue (which is at operating temperature) and that doesn't happen all that often either just on super long trips, I have no transmission problems. Where do I begin to diagnose this? Thanks for anything in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgethis Posted December 16, 2009 Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 What color is the fluid, I know if its starting to look a burnt orange its time to get it changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3pt1lumina Posted December 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 I have not changed the fluid, but it still is the proper color and does not smell burnt. I just don't want to change the fluid, have the transmission fail and then have to drop money (that I don't have at the moment) on one. I don't know if the transmission is going to fail when I change the fluid, but I have heard wives tales of changing fluid that hasn't been changed in a long time and then having an issue. I'd rather have a bigger issue when I have the money to fix it vs. now so I'm going to wait to change the fluid until tax time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89SupremeCutty Posted December 19, 2009 Report Share Posted December 19, 2009 I have not changed the fluid, but it still is the proper color and does not smell burnt. I just don't want to change the fluid, have the transmission fail and then have to drop money (that I don't have at the moment) on one. I don't know if the transmission is going to fail when I change the fluid, but I have heard wives tales of changing fluid that hasn't been changed in a long time and then having an issue. I'd rather have a bigger issue when I have the money to fix it vs. now so I'm going to wait to change the fluid until tax time. i believe ken has said it a billion times: if it fails when you change the fluid, it was going to fail anyways. does it only do it with the rolling stops or does it do it when you make a complete stop? if it's doing it when your doing the rolling stops between 5mph and 10mph, the tranny is going from 2nd to 1st gear at about 8mph i believe and thats probly when it's slipping. i found out a long time ago on my lumina ('98 with about the same mileage) that it won't downshift till it's below 10mph, which pisses me off. it might just be trying to shift into first as your hitting the gas to take off. have you tried to manually shift the trans? like when slowing to a stop, downshift it manually to 1st then, when taking off shifting when the trans would normally shift? im not sure if that would make a difference or not. if you make a complete stop and it slips like that when you take off i would say it's on it's way out. either way, a slipping tranny means it's going to fail sometime down the road. i would say if nothing else, try some lucas trans stuff as a temp fix. but other than that i think that you're looking at a rebuild or replacement down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL Posted December 19, 2009 Report Share Posted December 19, 2009 I have not changed the fluid, but it still is the proper color and does not smell burnt. I just don't want to change the fluid, have the transmission fail and then have to drop money (that I don't have at the moment) on one. I don't know if the transmission is going to fail when I change the fluid, but I have heard wives tales of changing fluid that hasn't been changed in a long time and then having an issue. I'd rather have a bigger issue when I have the money to fix it vs. now so I'm going to wait to change the fluid until tax time. Changing the fluid will do nothing but help a tranny... Flushing it however is what can cause issues... I would suggest doing a fluid and filter change... As a clogged filter can cause your symptoms... I would also suggest using the Lucas mentioned in the above post... I have seen it do things I never thought I would see... My buddies 01 GA had a tranny the slipped horribly as in he would wait about 5 seconds for the 1-2 shift to actually happen (5 seconds of free revving before second actually kicked in)... He did a fluid and filter change and added Lucas and the slip was gone and it shifted so smooth you didnt even know it was shifting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3pt1lumina Posted December 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2009 Thanks, guys. Once I know I can cover the cost of a used tranny I will change this fluid first that way if it fails I can just go get a used one and throw it in. What 4T60E transmissions are compatible to my 97? I don't want to get one from a 95 or something and then go to put it in and have an epic fail because I didn't do my homework. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89SupremeCutty Posted December 20, 2009 Report Share Posted December 20, 2009 i'd say go with '96 and up cause of the ecm. but thats just me. someone else might say it don't matter. i'd also get one from a lumina or century. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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