Any transmission smart guys here?

I have a 02 Saturn SL1 with 130,000 on it. Auto transmission shifts funky from 3rd to 4th and 4th to 5th. Revs will spin up a few hundred RPMs them clunk into the next gear. This used to be infrequent but now it does it all the time. I refuse to drive it to work as I am sure it's gonna take a huge shit on me then I'll be stuck. The trans shop I took it to said they found nothing wrong, then I took it to my regular shop and they said maybe electrical so they replaced the spark plugs and wires. They said they will continue to troubleshoot if I want them to but I thought I'd ask here.

V

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Originally Posted by vossman

I have a 02 Saturn SL1 with 130,000 on it. Auto transmission shifts funky from 3rd to 4th and 4th to 5th. Revs will spin up a few hundred RPMs them clunk into the next gear. This used to be infrequent but now it does it all the time. I refuse to drive it to work as I am sure it's gonna take a huge shit on me then I'll be stuck. The trans shop I took it to said they found nothing wrong, then I took it to my regular shop and they said maybe electrical so they replaced the spark plugs and wires. They said they will continue to troubleshoot if I want them to but I thought I'd ask here.

V

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Spark plugs and wires? [facepalm]
Your torque converter could be going out, your valve body could be having problems, your solenoids could be taking a shit, but its not your plugs and wires. It sounds like a solenoid problem to me but i do not know much about your transmission. I hope someone here can help you more.

Last service date, with converter flush? If you don't know, or remember it's 60K over due. The shop that changed your plugs and wires, should be taken off your repair shop list.

Did the trans shop do a pressure test? There was an issue years back with seal leakage between 1st / 2nd and reverse. 2002 saturns were known for valve body issues. Unfortunately the cost to repair is as much, or more than the book on your 02.

A number of auto trans have two internal wet clutch packs or bands, one for 1st/2nd and one for 3rd/4th and reverse. Does your car have any issues in reverse that are similar to the 3rd/4th issues? If it does I would think internal tranny repair/replace issues.

It's more than likely only a 4 speed by the way.

any DTC's, maybe a P1811?

No codes, no engine light.
I changed the fluid and filter today and I think it got worse. I will limp it to a shop tomorrow and see what they say. The car is worth about $1k so anything more than an adjustment will probably mean it gets sold for scrap. Not sure what else I could do with it.

Look like this:
http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.6080...7&rs=1&pid=1.7

If so I know whats wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4prqDn7QS8I

Nice. Great movie.

Sounds like your line pressures are commanded up probably due to high slip speeds, your filter was clogged / really dirty and installing a new filter allowed more line pressure. If that's the case you're looking at overhaul /SRTA. What did the fluid look like? Real dirty and burnt?

https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/...38317591_n.jpg

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Originally Posted by JMBD2112

Sounds like your line pressures are commanded up probably due to high slip speeds, your filter was clogged / really dirty and installing a new filter allowed more line pressure. If that's the case you're looking at overhaul /SRTA. What did the fluid look like? Real dirty and burnt?

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It was pretty dirty, barely could see it was red. No big metal shavings, the magnet was clean. It ran OK yesterday on a 20 mile drive. Trying to get the level right, I drove it and then would add a bit of fluid. It started running really bad after I added about 12oz of fluid trying to get it into the OK zone on the stick. Crap shifts everytime, felt like the car was hit from behind each time it shifted.
I took those 12 ounces out this AM and it runs better now, like it did beofre I added the extra fluid. The level looks low though. There's fluid all over the stick while its idling. When its off the level is in the OK zone. Its driveable now but certainly not to be trusted.

You have a $1000 car with at least a $2500 tranny issue. The only cost effective "Fix" I can think of is a gallon of gas and a match. At least that way you would be entertained by its death by inferno.

Its time to walk away from that money pit and get a different set of wheels.

Does it do it cold and hot or only hot? Not going to look too deep but if fine when cold and then goes to crap one of the solenoids has taken a crap or a bad valve body. Some of that era have 3-4 of them. The good thing is they are cheap, the bad is they can be a MF'r to get to.

It did it bad yesterday when it was hot, today it was fine. I drove 30 miles after i took out the fluid so I let it get hot. On the test drive today upshifts were fine, downshifts still pretty bad.
I will take it to the trans place this week and then figure out how to get the most out of it. Thanks for the info gents.

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Originally Posted by CHA-LEE

Its time to walk away from that money pit and get a different set of wheels.

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Any chance you wanna trade it for some shooting lessons? [ROFL1]

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Originally Posted by CHA-LEE

You have a $1000 car with at least a $2500 tranny issue. The only cost effective "Fix" I can think of is a gallon of gas and a match. At least that way you would be entertained by its death by inferno.

Its time to walk away from that money pit and get a different set of wheels.

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Ah the old, Jewish Lightning clause.