95 SL2 tranny problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike Grossberg
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Mike Grossberg

Hi!!

New poster here -- sorry if this is already talked to death..

For the past 6 months or so my automatic tranny has been giving me problems.

It shifts HARD into gear, it sometimes also delays and delays and delays
shifting then BAM!! Both forward and reverse. The reverse is a lot less BAM,
but it still does it. ALso sometimes the jerk is soo bad the 'traction'
light flickers.

This is my first automatic tranny, if this was a manual I would say that my
clutch cable needs readjusting, I would also check the pressure plate for
oil, grease, etc.

About a 2 years ago the engine was rebuilt (the timing gear/ chain slipped 4
teeth and when the pistons were coming up the valves were opening - OUCH!!!)
Thankfully I didn't need too much work -- but it was $3,000. And NO I don't
know how that happened - I was driving it at the time and it just started to
make a racket like marbles in an empty engine.

About a year later the Bam! started up. It was rare and just frightening.
Now it is always. Sometimes I can lessen the shock by taking my foot off the
pedal and sorta let the engine 'coast' into gear.

This happens in both up shift and down shifting...

Otherwise the engine runs like a top. I have been driving it back and forth
from eastern Long Island, NY to Newark, NJ every other weekend.

The chiltons is no help, and I wouldn't know where to look for the computer
codes....

OH! a lot of times after it has shifted into gear (BAM) the 'check engine
light' comes on - stays on for about 5-10 min then goes off.

Where should I start looking for the problem....

Katheryne
 
Upper valve body. If you're not comfortable inside the trans case don't do
it yourself. Should run less than $500 to have done.
Larry
 
I've been through this on a 95 SW2 (85k mi.) and apparently it's a
fairly common problem. The conensus here is it's either the Valve Body
or the Input Shaft Nut. I gambled and bought a valve body for >$400 -
not a bad job, but I wasted my $. Saturn fixed the problem by
replacing the nut for $282. I now have this problem on a 96 SL2 (114k
mi.) - to be cont'd. . . .
 
Mike Grossberg said:
For the past 6 months or so my automatic tranny has been giving me problems.
Click to expand...

You need a new tranny, or a rebuild. By this time, major dammage has
almost certainly been done.
It shifts HARD into gear, it sometimes also delays and delays and delays
shifting then BAM!! Both forward and reverse. The reverse is a lot less BAM,
but it still does it. ALso sometimes the jerk is soo bad the 'traction'
light flickers.
Click to expand...

Pressure issue. The CPU commands the solinoids to 100% duty cycle,
resulting in hard shifts. This seems to be semi common on some vintage
Saturns.
This is my first automatic tranny, if this was a manual I would say that my
clutch cable needs readjusting, I would also check the pressure plate for
oil, grease, etc.
Click to expand...

If you're competent inside transmissions, I'd get a second, identical
saturn tranny, rebuild it, then swap units.
About a 2 years ago the engine was rebuilt (the timing gear/ chain slipped 4
teeth and when the pistons were coming up the valves were opening - OUCH!!!)
Thankfully I didn't need too much work -- but it was $3,000. And NO I don't
know how that happened - I was driving it at the time and it just started to
make a racket like marbles in an empty engine.
Click to expand...

Wow. Weird. Generally, a 3k oil change interval, they'll last forever.
About a year later the Bam! started up. It was rare and just frightening.
Now it is always. Sometimes I can lessen the shock by taking my foot off the
pedal and sorta let the engine 'coast' into gear.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'd say it's roasted by now :(
Where should I start looking for the problem....
Click to expand...

At this point? Rebuild of the tranny. Always always, in the future -
and for anyone else here - get transmission issues handled as fast as
you can. Some types of problems can go from a minor adjustment to
wasting the transmission in just a few hundred miles.

If you're good with cars, get a book and rebuild it yourself. Clean
clean clean clean and setting clearences to the tight side of the scale
is key. otherwise, start looking for a tranny shop :(

Sorry, I know you didn't want to hear this, but it sounds like the
dammage is already done :(
 
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