Thread: Subway's GT: Time to close my legs, it smells everywhere

So it has been exactly 1 year today since I got my car (well the title says the 25th, but I didn't drive it until the 26th). I thought I'd share how I've grown with the car. When I first got it, I knew nothing about Pontiac. I watched a couple videos of Grand Prix's on YouTube to see if it was a good car. I originally thought HUD's were for Bonneville's only. Long story short, I had no idea what I was getting myself into lol. The first thing I did when I got home form picking up the car was use some wipes on the dash to brighten it up a bit. The whole car was very clean. It lived in South Carolina for most of it's life, so hardly any body rust, and then he lady moved up north. I will make a list of everything that has been done since I first bought the car.

1. New battery
2. UIM replaced (could've done that myself, but at the time I didn't feel like I could)
3. I put the GT emblem not he grille
4. Removed the dealer badge and all the stickers in the windows
5. Removed the OnStar antenna (that was stuck on there good)
6. Removed the engine cover and insulator on the hood
7. Rear inlay
8. Polished the stock exhaust tips with a file lol

Now were in spring

9. Put the 17" Bullitts on
10. Coolant swapped for green
11. Car was hit in the parking lot (still in the process of "finalizing" the damage or at least making it look like it all lines up correctly

Now were in summer

12. Replaced the LIM gaskets (biggest project)
13. New lug nuts for the wheels
14. Strut tower brace installed
15. Changed the oil
16. Would go to the junkyard to get replacement pieces
17. 180* T-Stat
18. Valve cover gaskets all replaced
19. Probably missing other stuff

So in a nutshell, lots of things got done in 1 year. My parents bought the car for me, but I have to pay them back. Bought it for $2000, which is a good deal for having almost no body rust and sort of low miles. I've only payed $400 so far, been spending that money on mods and stuff lol. I didn't expect all these repairs needed to be done, but no car will go forever without having work done so I can't complain. And since mostly the whole top of the engine has new gaskets, this car will run until at least 300000 miles. Or until the tranny destroys itself lol. But I'm glad to be a part of this community!!!

Get a downpipe, flip the dog bones, high flow panel filter in it...and have Reptile tune the PCM.

The T-Stat is doing you no good without a tune.

And you might have an extra $300~ in the car...and it'll make it a whole new vehicle.

Originally Posted by blueguy

Get a downpipe, flip the dog bones, high flow panel filter in it...and have Reptile tune the PCM.

The T-Stat is doing you no good without a tune.

And you might have an extra $300~ in the car...and it'll make it a whole new vehicle.

How much is it to get a Reptile tune? And I need my car so sending in my PCM isn't gonna take 1 day I imagine. What is a high flow panel filter? I was planning on putting a DIY intake on later. And I can flip the dog bone mounts soon. But my trans will probably bite the dust soon TBH.

The tune will really help the trans out more than anything.

More than I can describe. Really makes the car feel worlds better.

And he has spares. So you send him your core after he sends you the tuned PCM. He does $15 core refunds after you send yours back.

How much is one of his PCM's?

I didn't think the n/a cars had as many trans issues as the s/c cars for obvious reasons.

Have you dropped the pan and thought about a shift kit to compliment a tune?

It's the same transmission, albeit the gear ratio and better diff in the blower cars. Contrary to what people say, stock N/A cars will grenade them, and some blower cars run stock transmissions with slicks cutting sub 1.9x 60's. It's a toss-up.

Originally Posted by SubwayGuy

How much is one of his PCM's?

I can't remember, we drink too much at his house.

I'd shoot him a PM.

Originally Posted by SallyBabe03

I didn't think the n/a cars had as many trans issues as the s/c cars for obvious reasons.

Have you dropped the pan and thought about a shift kit to compliment a tune?

No because I'm afraid that adding new fluid will hurt the trans more... It's not a risk I'm willing to take.

Originally Posted by blueguy

I can't remember, we drink too much at his house.

I'd shoot him a PM.

His user name is just Reptile or something else?

That's fine. I personally can't see an issue. Unless you have an issue which then fresh fluid and filter wouldn't matter because it's shot anyways. But a trans-go or intense (my fav) shift kit, fresh fluid and filter never hurt any trans I've done

Originally Posted by SallyBabe03

That's fine. I personally can't see an issue. Unless you have an issue which then fresh fluid and filter wouldn't matter because it's shot anyways. But a trans-go or intense (my fav) shift kit, fresh fluid and filter never hurt any trans I've done

Want to do it for me and if you break it, you buy it ?

I don't drive it so I can't break it

Originally Posted by SallyBabe03

That's fine. I personally can't see an issue. Unless you have an issue which then fresh fluid and filter wouldn't matter because it's shot anyways. But a trans-go or intense (my fav) shift kit, fresh fluid and filter never hurt any trans I've done

ive gone threw 2 trans in my n/a 3800, both times i tried to put new fluid/filter in to see if it would help, it made it much worse.

Originally Posted by Grimsin

ive gone threw 2 trans in my n/a 3800, both times i tried to put new fluid/filter in to see if it would help, it made it much worse.

Oddly I never just did a fluid/filter on any of the many many trans failures I had. I guess it's easy to know that i there's metal in the pan or you hear the reluctor flailing off the one last screw holding it that you can pull the trans before doing just a fluid/filter. LOL

Originally Posted by Grimsin

ive gone threw 2 trans in my n/a 3800, both times i tried to put new fluid/filter in to see if it would help, it made it much worse.

This is exactly why I'm weary of changing the fluid.

Let me explain trans fluid to you.

It's a detergent based oil, much like your engine oil. It is intended to be changed about every 30K miles, much like your engine oil except less frequently. Within that 30K time frame the filter does it's job and the oil gets dirty etc, much like your engine oil except on a different frequency.

Do you change your engine oil? Because that's all a transmission service is doing.


There is a lot of myth about people doing a transmission service (pan drop and filter change) and it killing the trans. Reality is that they had an issue and thought, maybe it's time to perform the overdue service. Unfortunately..that was not the case, the trans had an issue and doing a fluid change didn't help it and the dirty fluid may have masked the issue a bit. I openly tell people if they are having transmission issues to save and replace/rebuild. instead of doing the service. Most of the time, the trans is on borrowed time.

Originally Posted by BillBoost37

Let me explain trans fluid to you.

It's a detergent based oil, much like your engine oil. It is intended to be changed about every 30K miles, much like your engine oil except less frequently. Within that 30K time frame the filter does it's job and the oil gets dirty etc, much like your engine oil except on a different frequency.

Do you change your engine oil? Because that's all a transmission service is doing.


There is a lot of myth about people doing a transmission service (pan drop and filter change) and it killing the trans. Reality is that they had an issue and thought, maybe it's time to perform the overdue service. Unfortunately..that was not the case, the trans had an issue and doing a fluid change didn't help it and the dirty fluid may have masked the issue a bit. I openly tell people if they are having transmission issues to save and replace/rebuild. instead of doing the service. Most of the time, the trans is on borrowed time.

So basically you're saying to not touch the transmission and just save for a new one? I think it's internal damage because the car will slip going into second at around 4kRPM WHEN WARM, but going into third, I had it at almost 5kRPM, and it shifted perfectly normal.....

I'd still drain some out, fill it back up with dex3, clean the pan and magnet, put a new filter in it, and then add a bottle of stop slip.

Seemed to work on my old GT.

Originally Posted by blueguy

I'd still drain some out, fill it back up with dex3, clean the pan and magnet, put a new filter in it, and then add a bottle of stop slip.

Seemed to work on my old GT.

I already added a whole bottle of stop slip in there. Nothing changed.

Well, I'd just set it on fire then.

Was it low on fluid when you did that? Because...you CAN overfill a transmission, too.