2000 Intrigue - TCC Stuck On

The wife's 2000 Intrigue (65,000 miles) threw a code and set the SES the other day. It also came very close to overheating on her way back home (90 minutes away, interstate travel). I pulled the codes and got "tranny overheat" and "TCC stuck on" ... so it sounds like I have a sticking TCC Solenoid.

I did a fluid swap yesterday ... have a friend at Jiffy Lube that hooked it up and did the swap via the cooling lines (not a power flush ... just exchanging old fluid for fresh) and I dropped in a bottle of LubeGuard red.

Symptoms: When first starting up and everything is cold, the transmission feels like it is slipping ... then *BAM* everything engages and you're good to go. It may do that one or two more times, but once it warms up, there are never any more problems.

So far, the fluid swap doesn't seem to have helped, so its looking more and more like I've got to tear the front apart to get to the side cover of the tranny to swap that TCC Solenoid.

Questions:

Is there anything else that could be causing the problem? The SES has not come back on since I cleared the code the first time.

Is there anything I should know about the transmission before I open it up?

Is there anything else I should service/replace while I'm in there? I know I'll replace the filter as long as I'm dropping the pan anyway. Anything else?

Any last words of wisdom before I potentially destroy the wife's transmission? :D

One thing - I'm not sure you realize this, but the TCC solenoid is under the trans side cover on the left side of the trans, not the lower pan where the filter is. Just a heads up.

Tranny overheat....thats one I hate to hear. Automatic transmissions are generally a reliable piece of equipment until the fluid overheats and burns. I once had a garbage bag from the highway stick to my aux. trans cooler on my truck. Eventually threw that same code, i drove it all of 5 minutes before I shut it down at a garage and the tranny was done. It slipped on take off and shifted hard after i replaced the old burnt fluid. I hope your luck isn't the same as mine was.

I've replaced that selenoid and a couple others while I had it apart.

I suggest you get a good service manual or a membership to Alldata.

This is a job for someone who is familiar with tearing cars apart.

BTW, I took my Intrigue to a popular trans. shop for a free road test and estimate - what a mistake. They drove it and pulled the pan and proceded to tell me that major damage was done to the tranny due to the debris in the pan, which was just your normal sludge. They estimated at least $1000 but probably more because they would have to PULL the tranny and take it apart.

As soon as I heard that I told them to put the pan back on and that I was leaving - that's when he said it probably wouldn't make it home, blah, blah, blah. I had to insist that I was leaving with the car.

The end result - for about $100 and a decent amount of labor I fixed the trans., and that was 2-3 years and 70,000 miles ago.

I've replaced that selenoid and a couple others while I had it apart.

I suggest you get a good service manual or a membership to Alldata.

This is a job for someone who is familiar with tearing cars apart.

BTW, I took my Intrigue to a popular trans. shop for a free road test and estimate - what a mistake. They drove it and pulled the pan and proceded to tell me that major damage was done to the tranny due to the debris in the pan, which was just your normal sludge. They estimated at least $1000 but probably more because they would have to PULL the tranny and take it apart.

As soon as I heard that I told them to put the pan back on and that I was leaving - that's when he said it probably wouldn't make it home, blah, blah, blah. I had to insist that I was leaving with the car.

The end result - for about $100 and a decent amount of labor I fixed the trans., and that was 2-3 years and 70,000 miles ago.


lol....drive it all of a minute "looks like she needs rebuilt" gotta love these quicky lube places. At least you got a fluid change with the pan off....

The end result - for about $100 and a decent amount of labor I fixed the trans., and that was 2-3 years and 70,000 miles ago.

Decent amount of labor: =all weekend and a cherry picker to hold the engine tranny up. + about a week looking at AllDataDIY or the Oldsmobile Service Manual + getting the parts.

Drive this car and manually shift it many times. 2-3-4. Change the tranny fluid and filter again and buy 2 lubeguards to get those shift solenoids moving. Make sure you measure the trannyfluid correctly + leave some room for the LubeGuard.

http://www.tripleedgeperformance.com/4T65E_Transmission_Info.php

Decent amount of labor: =all weekend and a cherry picker to hold the engine tranny up. + about a week looking at AllDataDIY or the Oldsmobile Service Manual + getting the parts.

Drive this car and manually shift it many times. 2-3-4. Change the tranny fluid and filter again and buy 2 lubeguards to get those shift solenoids moving. Make sure you measure the trannyfluid correctly + leave some room for the LubeGuard.

http://www.tripleedgeperformance.com/4T65E_Transmission_Info.php

Hopefully this procedure will work, as it would save alot of work. Unfortunately it didn't work for me. I drove it awhile after the fluid was changed the first time - changed driving habits, shifted manually occasionally - no help.

I added Lucas trans conditioner - no help.

Changed oil and filter and added more conditioner, again no help. I finally gave up and printed the info from Alldata so I didn't have to be running to the comp. all the time.

Didn't need a cherry picker as I fabricated my own engine/tranny support.

When I had it apart I removed the selenoids and tested them with the procedure mentioned in Alldata. Couldn't get the TCC selenoid to work, but the others did. Took them to the GM dealer and replaced them all since I had the thing apart.

I would have never pulled that tranny apart w/o trying other options - not my idea of fun. On the other hand I hate being ripped off and I'm glad I did the work myself.

BTW, after putting it all back together and adding fluid, I'll admit I had my fingers crossed during that first test drive!

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e277/liquid100percent/93214766.gif
you are lucky I still have this picture (dad's turn to pay the alldataDIY yearly fee) and the procedure is on this forum somewhere.

decent is the key word here: what is decent to some is obscene to others.
#334 There are master solenoid kits for $90 if you want to replace more than the one.

Didn't need a cherry picker as I fabricated my own engine/tranny support. -Add another weekend for that.

Needed to use the CherryPicker (engine support) on a 2000 Saturn L200 just to replace a belt and I believe the coolant pump had to be changed also. = This is a common "tool" for these FWD cars.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=690698&highlight=solenoid

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=607272&highlight=solenoid

Although an engine support bar can be a handy and useful tool, I would think that you could also support the engine/trans with a second jack, too, especially if doing the job at home on jackstands.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e277/liquid100percent/93214766.gif
you are lucky I still have this picture (dad's turn to pay the alldataDIY yearly fee) and the procedure is on this forum somewhere.

decent is the key word here: what is decent to some is obscene to others.
#334 There are master solenoid kits for $90 if you want to replace more than the one.

-Add another weekend for that.

Needed to use the CherryPicker (engine support) on a 2000 Saturn L200 just to replace a belt and I believe the coolant pump had to be changed also. = This is a common "tool" for these FWD cars.

I guess some people are better at improvising and solving simple problems than others. Any shade tree mechanic worth his salt can figure out SAFE ways to use the tools at his disposal without running out and buying a tool that he may only use once.

If it takes you a weekend to fab a simple support you'd be better off taking the car to a dealer and selling your tools.

To rncotton : Hope it works out with whatever you decide to do with your car.

Thanks for all the info .. and yes, I know it requires pulling the side cover. (actually mentioned that in my original post)

Well, after 3 days of driving it twice a day for short trips ... symptoms remained the same. When cold, it slips. Fresh fluid and Lubeguard didn't solve it. So the car has been parked until I get parts. Glad we have the 2nd car for the wife to drive and I get a company car.

I've got a friend who races and he's letting me bring it over and borrow his shop (lift, air tools, engine hoist, etc ...) Another buddy is parts manager at a Saturn dealership so he's letting me buy the parts pretty cheap.

So I've got my solenoid, side cover gasket, and filter coming in tomorrow. I ordered the manual on the tranny, which should be here this week. I guess I'll be driving over to the shop and putting it on the lift. We'll see what all has to come out to gain access to the side cover.

I'll try to get enough photos to put together an online tutorial and walkthrough for those who may need to do this in the future.

Decent amount of labor: =all weekend and a cherry picker to hold the engine tranny up. + about a week looking at AllDataDIY or the Oldsmobile Service Manual + getting the parts.

Drive this car and manually shift it many times. 2-3-4. Change the tranny fluid and filter again and buy 2 lubeguards to get those shift solenoids moving. Make sure you measure the trannyfluid correctly + leave some room for the LubeGuard.

http://www.tripleedgeperformance.com/4T65E_Transmission_Info.php

good advice.

I guess some people are better at improvising and solving simple problems than others. Any shade tree mechanic worth his salt can figure out SAFE ways to use the tools at his disposal without running out and buying a tool that he may only use once.

If it takes you a weekend to fab a simple support you'd be better off taking the car to a dealer and selling your tools.


Harbor Freight Engine picker $99 on sale (~$140) + $30 balance bar/chains + an hour or two to put the engine lift together

Going to the metal yard and buying box section (or maybe L) steel, cutting it on a table saw with a metal cutting blade and measuring. Then you need to weld in some attachments to mount to the engine, shock towers = this engine brace holds the whole engine and tranny up. You may want to design in some adjustability to use it for other cars also.

=it ain't like you are grinding up an old tool-steel screwdriver and then rehardening it. (5 minutes tops)

Replacing these tranny solenoids is alot of work. -Almost to the point that you may want to just rebuild the tranny while you are at it. That's why I pay the $10 for LubeGuard and replace the tranny fluid and filter = I am lazy!!