2000 SL1 automatic transmission noises. Help!

I bought my 2000 Saturn SL1 about a year ago from the used car
division of a new car dealer (not a Saturn dealer). For the past 4 or
5 months it has been making noises, which I'm sure are coming from the
transmission. I'll try to be as detailed as possible here, as I hope
someone can help. The local Saturn dealer sure didn't help; they just
told me it was nothing.

The registration record showed (if I remember correctly) this vehicle
as having one owner before the dealer and myself, with no other
potentially detrimental entries in the record. Also, note that I
changed the transmission fluid and filter about 2 months ago (home
job, not a transmission flush). One thing I thought odd while
changing the fluid and filter was that the vehicle's manual (the
crappy one they give you when you buy the car) mentions a magnet to be
cleaned when the fluid is changed. I saw no such magnet, nor anything
that might have been removed to reveal a magnet. Perhaps my model's
magnet is inside somewhere, if it has one at all.

Remember, this is an automatic transmission. The first set of noises
I'll describe occur when shifting into 2nd gear from 1st, and when
shifting from 2nd into 3rd. Each noise is reliably accompanied by a
slight lurch forward. Note though that I do not always hear these
noises in the above conditions, though they may vary in loudness
enough to be heard at some times and not heard at others.

Shifting into 2nd from 1st, many times I hear a sound like an almost
dry meshing of gears. It also sounds as if these gears turn slightly
slower as the noise is being made. The sound lasts one second or
less. As mentioned above, this noise is accompanied by a slight lurch
forward.

Shifting from 2nd into 3rd there is a different sound. My impression
of this sound is that of a gear jerking away from another gear it was
meshed with. There is a similar almost dry mesh sound to the 2nd from
1st noise, but much shorter. Right after that, or maybe at the same
time, it sounds as if a piece of metal hits something else inside the
transmission (think of a submerged metal rod tapping the inside of the
case once). This too of course is accompanied by a slight lurch
forward.

More recently, a while after the above mentioned fluid change, another
noise has begun. This noise too is not something I hear all the time
when driving. I think it only happens after the transmission has
gotten above a certain temperature. When I've been driving and I come
to a stop, for instance at a stop light, as long as the transmission
is in gear (only in a forward gear, not reverse) and I either have my
foot on the brakes or if the parking brake is applied, I hear a
tapping sound coming from the direction of the transmission. This
sound is always a constant frequency (number of taps per minute). The
sound tapers off in loudness after I begin to accelerate and quickly
fades to nothing. I fear this noise is becoming louder, but I'm not
sure if it is.

I hope so much that one of you reading this will be able to help me.
I don't know anyone who can say for sure what might be wrong, and I'm
afraid to take it to a mechanic until I have a leg to stand on with
this (tired of getting pushed around at the shop when I don't know
what else to say but "ok fix it"). Anyway, thanks for reading this.
Even if you don't know what might be wrong, if anything, maybe you
know someone who would. I would be grateful if I could get an answer
in any way.

 

I can only speak to the magnet issue.

The magnet is a toroidal magnet (like a donut).

It's external diameter is 1 3/4 inches, the diameter of the hole is 7/8 of
an inch. It is 1/4 inch thick.

It is a ceramic magnet, and it is magnetized on its faces; one face is North
and the other is South.

They go around the threaded pipe that comes out of the transmission, and
they sit between the transmission and the filter.

The dealers tend to remove them when they replace the filter, and they don't
put them back in.

If you look around my local Saturn Dealer's garage, they're EVERYWHERE!

I asked them for some of them - they went back and came out with 6 of them
after about 2 minutes.

So, in short, if the dealer did the filter change, the dealer probably did
not replace the magnet.

If you want one, go to your local dealer - he'll probably give you one (two,
five, ten...) for free.

 

you didn't say how many miles are on the car. one of the
things the dealer can do is check to see if any codes are
stored. sounds like a torque convertor problem if at all
it could also be just the car. but there is a relay in the
transmission that could cause the torque converter to not
function properly and could make the sound you are
describing esp if it is a clicking.

Not sure what to tell you but you should look for a small
trans shop with ASE certified techs and call the BBB to
check on the reputation of the shop. Transmission are
one area were alot of fraud deception and bs can fall into
place if you get a questionable shop. Be wary rebuilds
on a vehicle of today could easily reach 1500 dollars and
you could still have the problem. But I would look into
the relay issue for the torque convertor then maybe the
front body valve pump in the tranny a constant place for
failure.

The magnet is there to collect small metal shavings etc
I do mean small. You can get one from the dealer free as
the other person mentioned or at most parts stores for
2 bucks. It will not cause any of the problems you have
described but is more insurance to keep those fine metal
pieces out of your trans.

Not sure if this jelps.

Tim

PS: you can goto alt.trucks.ford and there is a guy who
post in there under the name transurgeon and he may be
able to answer your question. Just make sure you put
OT in the subject line.

 

Duh-oh. Of course I left out an important detail. I bought the car
at about 40,000 miles. It currently has about 52,000 miles.

As to codes, would something that would store a code also activate a
dummy light, ie... Check Engine, etcetera.

One last thing about the tapping/clicking. More recently, as in the
past week or two, I have noticed a the whole car vibrating slightly
when I'm hearing the tapping/clicking. Think of a slightly off
balance tire vibration, but only when the car is stopped in a forward
gear, and affecting the whole vehicle.

And as to the magnet, I was aware of it's function but thanks (Kirk
Kohnen) for the more detailed info. Now that I know where it is
supposed to be, do you think it would be safe to remove the filter to
check if the magnet is there? This transmission is the type with the
engine-oil-like filter mounted on the upper side of the case. It
would seem to me the transmission fluid would drain downwards from
there leaving the filter relatively dry, but I would want to be sure
before I tried removing it independant of draining the fluid.

 

I would have a shop look at the torque convertor for
sure also the clutch pak in the auto transmission functions
like a clutch in a manual just does the job automatically
but if worn down or about to fail could cause the very
problem your describing. Esp because you are stating
that this happens when stopped.

Kinda off the area of transmission have you noticed any
sluggishness in acceleration or fuel comsumption. A Bad
injector or one getting ready to fail could cause a rough
idle while at low rpm as could a throttle position sensor.
And as you accelerate it will not be present.

Yes some codes can be stored without the light coming
on. But anything with injectors or the tps will throw the
light once they fail. What happens is the computer will
throw a light once it has several occurances of the same
code. Say misfire after 5 times. and it can on some cars
reset after it doesn't detect the condition for an extended
period of time.

No it shouldn't affect anything to take the filter off and
look. It should have a drain back valve in it and that will
keep most fluid in it. you will get some fluid loss but not
very much just check the fluid and top it off it needed.

Also if you do take it off and say it does spill on the CV
joint boot wipe it off asap as it can cause damage and
thats another ballgame altogether.

Hope this helps.

Tim

 

After changing ATF and the filter, my 01 SC1 has had exactly the same
problem as described by Esteric: A constant tapping sound coming from
the transmission when the car comes to a complete stop. It only
happens if engin is warm and the gear is in a forward position. I am
wondering if it is something to do with the ATF that I replaced with.
Any help will be appreciated.

 

If you would please say here what type of ATF and filter you used. I
would, but I don't remember exactly what I used. It has been some
time since I changed them. What I do remember is that I used the
recommended type of ATF (though not "Saturn" ATF), and the only filter
the local Autozone had. Also, how many miles are on your Saturn, and
in what conditions do you usually drive in. The majority of the miles
on my car since the 40k mark have been delivering pizza: lots of stop
and go in south-east Texas weather. Not the best for a car, I know.

Just curious, has your transmission exhibited any of the other noises
I have mentioned?

 

My transmission exhibits no other noises except that tapping sound. My
car currently has about 50k miles on it. I drive this car to work with
round trip about 15 miles. But we do have long distance travels in the
summer. We live in Illinoise where the temperature can go very low in
the winter which is also not good for a car.

I used quaker state dexron III atf and the oem filter. I may replace
the atf with saturn atf just want to see if this can solve the
problem.