'96 SE, tranny chugging??

Hey all!

Ok My 96 SE...where to start lol!. Last week while attempting to wash my engine I started getting an SES light afterwards. I knew that I had gotten something wet, but it'll dry out right? Yeah like 2 friggin days later the light finally went off, but immediately following that every time I'd drive up a hill with a larger than 20% grade it started chugging...thats the best word I can use to describe it. I'm just cruising along you know not punching her into a lower gear, not hauling ass or anyhting, it seems to me like when she's trying to normally downshift but can't go all the way into gear for some reason. Now when this first started happening I figured maybe my tranny filter was clogged, so I dropped the pan replaced gasket, filter and fluid and that seemed to help for a couple of days...until this morning. Now the chugging is back.
Now when the car starts doing this it wont quit on it's own until either A. I punch the gas, B. The hill levels off or C. I let off the gas and coast. So to my untrained eye it feels like when the transmission is under a decent load is when this happens. Normal driving around town on fairly level surfaces this doesnt happen. I've been posting on ClubGP about this once already and it seems to elude the people there, so please is there anybody here that can tell me things to check??
Having two kids doesnt allow me the funds to take it into a shop and unless it requires dropping the transaxle I can do it, just need some guidance.

THANKS!!

Dont know the cause but it could be your lock-up converter. While "chugging" leave your foot on the gas and gently tap the brake pedal. If the RPM's go up and the chugging stops, the problem is the lock up converter engaging/disengaging. It is a common problem with many causes. Could be anything from fuel filter, bad spark wires, bad coil packs, vacuum leaks ect.

First place to start is to have that code checked out.

Well actually the SES went out the same day the chugging started. I will try hitting the pedal w/o removing gas first though and see what happens. I was searching thru older posts and found a guy with almost the exact same problem (although his was affecting all forward gears), found out it was a faulty Pressure Control Solenoid...

have a 93 3.4 DOHC with it sounds like exact same problem mines at shop now, when i get an answer back ill pass it on, mech said its probably a problem in the engine and due to the converter lockup at cruising speeds you really notice the problem than at other times, ill get back to you later

yeah I tried the brake pedal trick while still keeping on the gas...didnt nothing. It made no difference, what does that mean now?

Thanks Hightshue

got it back today ended up being a faulty injecter on the number one cylender and two of my wires were bad. no more miss and the overdrive cruising problem is gone now. actually has more power now no more sluggish take offs.

Well mine's still doing it...yesterday I replced the vacumm modulator on a whim...no good. I've heard the chilton books dont get too involved with our trannies. Can anyone tell me if the 4t60e has a control solenoid? And where it might be??

OMG - I have the same problem! When I took it into the dealership - they couldn't make the car do it again. (Isn't that what usually happens?!) I've also found that if I manually shift it into another gear it stops chugging. But this is quite embarrassing if you have someone in the car with you. The SES light goes off & on all the time.

When I took my car in to find out the SES code, the guy told me my O2 sensor needed to be changed. My dad just changed both of them (cause I didn't want to pay the dealership over $400), so the O2 sensor is not the problem. No code was given in regards to the chugging. I've had the transmission fluid changed. I might take it into AAMCO & see if it might be the selenoid??

Besides this problem & the CD player error I keep getting - this has been a great car and I don't want to trade it in.

99 Pontiac Grand Prix SE
Miles: 78,000
Engine: 3.8

Angie

Angie, save yourself some money and change plugs and wires before you do anything else. Wires can often cause a misfire and since you said the SES light goes on and off all the time that may be your problem. Since the O2 sensors are new it is possible you are getting a false reading due to excessive fuel in the system as a result of a misfire. The plug and wire change should help that. If changing them does not correct the problem then take it to AAMCO and have them check the transmission.

Thanks! I'll try that. I'm so glad I found this website...I kept trying to explain to mechanics what it was doing, but of course the car wouldn't do it when they were driving it.

I'll let you know what happens.

Angie

Did you have the car scanned to see why the SES light is coming on? There are many things that could have gotten wet, or gunk dislodged from the cleaning could be mucking up your crank position sensor. Take your car somewhere and have it scanned (Advance Auto and Auto-Zone will scan for free at most locations) then post the findings here, we should be able to point you in the right direction.