Irritating Transmission Problem

**VictorMID** · 05-07-2011

Hello everyone. My name is Victor and I'm a new member to the board. I have been searching the threads for a while now, but it's time I just ask for help.

I just bought my 97 gtp (120,000) about a month ago. When I bought the car, the guy told me that he had replaced the trans with a built trans with 10,000 from a guy who blew his engine up racing and didn't need the transmission anymore. I don't know how accurate his info is regarding the built and mileage.

When I bought it the trans did not shift bad, except for when i would rev to 3000-4000 rpm it would feel like it was in neutral. If I held the rpms steady it would shift. The trans also make a grinding noise upon start up but stopped after warming up.

I cleaned the maf and havn't had a code since. The trans started giving me problems and the car would stall and refuse to start after a while. I changed the crankshaft position sensor and stopped the stalling problem. I just changed the trans fluid and filter, but to no avail. I also cleaned the grounds.

The transmission has gradually gotten worse. At a cold start I get the same grinding that disappears. My car also is stuck in first for a while. It sounds like I also have whine from the transmission. Once it shifts it will continue through the gears but 1-2 and 2-3 will be harsh. 2-3 is worse. Now everytime I leave a light it has a hard time entering second. In D the revs will go up and then it will start slipping and if I rev it harder or take my foot off the gas the car will respond like N. I have to put it into 3 and rev till till the gear catches. Eventually I can get it to shift to second, then I can put the car back in D and drive normally. WOT and neer revline help it to shift to second as well. After driving for a while things start to work better, but usually not perfect.

Now the weird part. Sometimes (rarely) it randomly shifts perfectly. It will go right into second too. Unhooking the battery lead can also sometimes cause good shifting.

When I was filling the transmission with fluid I could hear air escaping somewhere else. I don't know if that is normal.

I can't tell you how much I would appreciate some help. Your forum has already been a great source of knowledge.

**VictorMID** · 05-08-2011

Today I noticed that when the car is shifting right, there is no whine. I also got a P0305 code (Misfire cyl 5).

**BillBoost37** · 05-09-2011

Get the car to shift oddly, then w/o turning it off, get the codes scanned. Many trans codes reset with ignition cycling.

Harsh shifting should show a P1811 Max Adapt Shift. This means the pressure jacks up to overcome another issue the PCM sees. Usually another code.

Where are you located?

**VictorMID** · 05-10-2011

I'm located in White Lake, MI. When I scanned for the misfire I never shut my car off, and I had experienced plenty of trans issues. I have even driven around with an obdII reader, scanning it every few minutes while driving. I just can't get a transmission code. I have noticed a new symptom too. When I am cruising or at a stop, when I shift from D to N my rpms drop and then go back up to idle. When moving and I do this it slows the car as if I'm braking, then disengages the gear.

**BillBoost37** · 05-10-2011

All those sound normal.

**VictorMID** · 05-12-2011

I've taken a look at all the wiring and nothing looks damaged. I have to drive around for over 30 minutes in first gear. It seems like the engine and trans must be completely warmed up for a while before it will shift. The longer I drive it the better it shifts and easier it is to go from 1-2 at a start.

**BillBoost37** · 05-12-2011

Have you taken a look at Tripleedgeperformance.com under common issues etc for anything that may match your symptoms?

**VictorMID** · 05-13-2011

I have looked at that site. I will try to walk you through my driving experience.

From a stopped position in D I let off the brake and start rolling forward. No problem taking off. If I give it easy throttle the car will accelerate up through the rpms. During it's ascent through the rpms gear will slip then completely disengage. (This would be replicated by someone gradually pushing in a clutch pedal on a manual trans.) At this point the rpms will rise and fall like in neutral. I then have to switch it to 3. It revs like neutral until you reach the point where the rpms would be if I was in first. At the point I can continue to raise the rpms up to the rev limiter without slipping or disengaging. The car still won't shift even If I take it to the rev limiter.
If I give it more throttle from takeoff in D. My rpms rise all the way up to the limiter without shifting, but also without slipping or disengaging. Since I know it is not going in second gear I let of the gas. When I do this it responds like neutral again. I can rev it with no engagement. At this point I put it in 3. To drive I have to keep it in 3 and rev the car when mph get lower to accelerate. Let off the gas, coast, rev high, and repeat. After a while I'll try to get it into second.
The most success I have had getting it into second is from a stop while in D. I accelerate hard or WOT and sometimes it will shift before limiter. Sometimes a few bounces off the limiter will shift it. Some times It is when I let off the throttle at high rpm. When It finally shifts It will quickly shift to third because I am going 50. When I ease back on the gas It goes into overdrive. Nothing weird once i'm in second. I can give it WOT and drop in gears, and go back up just fine.
At the next light I will take off and and the rpms will start to rise again at about 4000 rpms if it hasn't shifted I can usually get it to by letting off the gas. Sometimes, it seems like longer lights, I have to rev hard but it will shift before limiter.
The longer I drive it the better it shifts. I drive for my job so yesterday after a few hours of constant city driving it was shifting almost perfectly. My hard shifts also go away the longer I drive.

It seems like it is starved for pressure maybe. When It slips I can hear a whine. Once in second or higher all whining ceases and the is no slipping. Only first gear has a problem.

**VictorMID** · 05-16-2011

Could this be a VSS. I also heard something a bout "limp mode". Any way this could be the problem. Sometimes I think I see my HUD mph suddenly change like it starts dropping mph than works right, but I have only seen this out of the corner of my eye and I can't say for certain.

**VictorMID** · 05-18-2011

Just took the car to a shop today and they told me there was no trans codes or any electronic failures. They told me the trans needed a rebuild.

**BillBoost37** · 05-19-2011

Could be.

MAF and TPS can cause similar issues. But it does sound like you probably need a rebuild or different tranmission.

**Trannyman95** · 05-19-2011

Hi Victor,

If you have access to an actual scan tool or a shop that has one and can watch live transmission data that is your first step to see what is going on. It honestly sounds like it is rebuild time and definately pressure related problems, but it is always good to check before digging in too far and then still having the same problems. On a scan tool you need to watch what the "Current Gear" is that is commanded by the pcm. If it is only commanding 1st gear then it wont shift and there is a reason for it. A number of engine sensors effect transmission performance. A bad TPS sensor will cause irratic shift timing but would generally be a pretty linear problem and all shifts would happen late, not just the 1-2 shift. I have seen plenty of transmissions with a partially blown channel plate gasket that will cause pressure loss and part throttle slippage in various ranges and this is an internal problem. A pressure guage on the transmission will also verify that at least it can make enough pressure that is being commanded at a given time but I realize this is not something many people have and most shops dont use them.

**BillBoost37** · 05-20-2011

Originally Posted by Trannyman95

I realize this is not something many people have and most shops dont use them.

thanks for making me feel like the odd man out for having a gauge set.

**VictorMID** · 05-23-2011

I'm going to get a transmission from a 98 Buick Regal in the morning. Will I have any ECU problems with the year difference, should I buy the ECU from the Buick? Or will I be ok? I really don't think there will be a difference but I would rather not be surprised.

**BillBoost37** · 05-24-2011

As long as it's a GS (supercharged) you'll be fine. It's plug and play.

**VictorMID** · 05-25-2011

I finished swapping the transmissions today. Thank you Bill for your trans removal wright-up, it was a lot of help. Everything seems good. Any ideas on what I should do with the old one. I can get my $50 core charge, but I thought I would check to see if I had any other options.

**dagger** · 05-26-2011

Bill will he have the issue with the trans cooler lines? Didn't we have to put regal lines in with my trans?

**BillBoost37** · 05-26-2011

No Mike..he's all set. In 97 his lines screwed in at the transmission. In your 00 the lines click in. The 98 trans he bought needed screw in lines, so he's probably already got them hooked up.

Wanna hear funny Mike.. I am putting one of my Bonnie transmissions into the Regal when I build it. And...yep.. click vs threaded is gonna come up again.