Transmission Issue/ Coincidence???

Hello all, (I know you hate it when a newbie starts a brand new thread... BUT)
I've got this issue with my 2001 SL2...

Every time I've taken my car in for any maintenance including routine oil changes, the mechanic would mention that I should keep an eye on my coolant levels. I was told that the Saturns of my year had an issue with the detection light and that was why my light was always on... didn't really worry about it until I had my car in for brake maintenance about a month ago... mechanic fixed rear cylinder (or whatever) and again made a point to tell me that my coolant was low when I brought the car in. The rotors had been machined as well, but still the brakes weren't acting right about 1-2 weeks later, take the car back in, and the rotors are replaced. BUT... coolant is low already, so mechanic suggests looking into this, initially mechanic was worried that the engine would need to be replaced, but turns out it was just a valve (or something, I know I don't know crap)... the valve isn't too expensive, but labor is about 4 hours, so things got reasonably expensive. Finally my car is fixed! I pick it up, drive about 20 miles back to work, park it for 4 hours, take it to the store (in the rain), come back out and notice immediately upon driving that it feels like i've hit something significant... it goes away, come upon a red light and then begin moving again and SLAM it does it again upon shifting out of 1st gear (it is an automatic) I immediately pull over test my theory that it's the transmission by a simple loop, end up reversing and feel even more of a slam. I realize that something is majorly wrong and get it towed back to the shop after closing. Mechanic meets us there and opens the hood and looks at while in the garage. The whole engine is rocking forward upon shifting into reverse (making the slamming) and mechanic then suggests that maybe the bottom engine mount was not securely fastened upon fixing the coolant problem, and that they'll get it up on the lift and fix it up no prob. 2 days later they still don't know what is wrong, and me being ever so slightly paranoid, I am terrified that this is a transmission problem... but did it just happen because my car is a POS Saturn with 80,000 miles or is it not so coincidental and the mechanic caused a much more significant problem and is now looking for a way out of fixing it???

Please help, any suggestions might make me feel better right now. Thanks and sorry for the long post.

alrighty...so let me get this straight. You have been getting a LOW COOLANT light yet you did NOT check the coolant level?

Now was this coolant light coming on before or after the "valve job"?

And also once you got the car back from the mechanic for the "valve job" it slams into reverse and foward gears?

I have a feeling you got ripped off. 4 hours for a valve job...HIGHLY unlikely even for a Saturn mechanic. The only way to reach the valves is for the top of the motor to come off (head). To get that off you need to take the Side of the motor off (timing chain cover and chain). Then you need to fix the valve. then put it back together. ALSO if your had a burnt valve you would have seen major smoke and would have had a HORRIBLE running car. Redoing a valve is more work than replacing the ENTIRE motor.

As to your "coolant problem" more than likely you either had a loose hose clamp, radiator crack, or at the very worst a bad headgasket. If coolant is found in the oil than its a head gasket issue. however with 80k on the car i doubt thats it.

What you have NOW is reverse slam. There are a few remedies for it.
1)
"NOTE: This proceedure "can" often cure a delayed engagement or reverse (reverse slam) in Saturn (http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23670#) autotransaxles PROVIDED you have not waited "too long"

DO NOT MAKE UP YOUR "OWN VERSION" follow the instructions exactly...

The "works nearly everytime" cure for the reverse "slam"

1. Change the transaxle fluid and filter (use "conventional" not synthetic fluid)
2. Add your choice of automatic transmission fluid additive (transmedic, Lucas etc...personal choice, Prolong auto transmission additive)
3. Start the car (http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23670#) firmly set the parking brake, chock the wheels and or back it up against a firm immovable object (A brick wall works well)
4. Put the car in REVERSE and LEAVE IT THERE, RUNNING, IN REVERSE, for about 20-30 mins at idle.

What this does is use the clean transaxle fluid and additive to flush out the reverse passage in the valve body by simulating driving in reverse for about 10 miles. IT WILL NOT HARM THE TRANSAXLE OR ENGINE IN ANY WAY. After completing this proceedure, (99 times out of 100) your reverse slam will vanish for at least several months and maybe forever (actually usually forever is a better description) Maintain the transaxle correctly from that point forward. If it initially does not work for long, you can REPEAT the proceedure without changing the clean fluid and sometimes net good results BUT if after 2 tries things have not improved you are probably looking at valve body replacement. YOU MUST CHANGE THE FLUID FIRST! Doing this with "dirty" fluid still in the transaxle may actually make it WORSE. Also "normal" transmissiopn "flushes" WILL NOT cure this problem, as they don't feed enough "warm" clean fluid through the valve body for long enough."
-Wolfman-

2) Input shaft nut is loose. It needs to be tightened to 111ft/lbs
3) A new valve body is needed.

80k on a saturn is a BABY. If treated right by the right people they can last WELL over 200k. I would suggest you find another mechanic as for a "valve job" or any other job that would be effected by the coolant BESIDES removal fo the entire engine....the lower engine mount does NOT need nor should it be touched at all.

Thanks for your response... upon letting my much smarter boyfriend look at what I said, he told me that I didn't properly discuss the coolant problem. It was actually the intake valve (where the antifreeze leak was traced to) that mechanic replaced and other options for this problem were assessed including the head gasket which was found not to be the problem.

Currently the car is on the lift at the mechanic's shop, and no diagnosis as of yet...

I was mostly wondering if anyone thought it was possible that the previous work done could have led to this current transmission problem. (The mechanic did indicate that the transmission mount had been loosened in order to replace the intake valve, and that admission at least gives me some hope as their integrity.)

Again thanks for your suggestions...

It was actually the intake valve (where the antifreeze leak was traced to) that mechanic replaced and other options for this problem were assessed including the head gasket which was found not to be the problem.


Intake valve cuasing an antifreeze leak? Never heard of it before. But moving on whats done is done.

Currently the car is on the lift at the mechanic's shop, and no diagnosis as of yet...

I was mostly wondering if anyone thought it was possible that the previous work done could have led to this current transmission problem. (The mechanic did indicate that the transmission mount had been loosened in order to replace the intake valve, and that admission at least gives me some hope as their integrity.)

If they know what they were doing, then the transmission should NOT have been touched at all. The TOP engine motor mount is the mount that needed to be removed to access the valve. Thats it tho. There are two transmision mounts however they are on the OPPOSITE side of the engine bay and have NOTHING to do with the valves. Have them make sure they put the Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor back on the head with the connector. You may also want to reaplace it with a brass tipped one as the stock resin one cracks sending false data to the PCM. New ones are brass tipped and will not crack. The car uses the sensor for transmission functions among other things.

If that doesnt help then try Wolfmans remedy i posted before. Then move on to the input shaft nut, and then finally get the soleniods checked and/or replace the valve body in the transmission. A new valve body can be expensive however. So hopefully it wont get to that point.