98 Regal, trans prob. maybe?

[hobieracer]

Not sure if I wrote of this before... In the past months my regal of many miles has made a harsh shift here and there... Some similar symtoms to those discussed under the century category. I have a 4T65-E, same as many, I have ready many accounts of the same symptoms, some people seem to ignore them, others have stories of multiple rebuilds/replacements. I spoke with a friend of mine who rebuilt transmissions for a Detroit area Gm dealer, he sayed "is going, they're expensive, and you don't want to own it when it goes." he sayed it could be a year could be a day but you better sell it. Anyhow I visited a trans shop today, who scanned it, found no evidence of the p1811 code or any others. Claimed my fluid was burnt (it is not bright red, but a pinkish tan color...same as every other high milage car or truck I've seen). Saw my trailer hitch and accused me of abuse. Though he found no evidence of slip codes, or long shift codes, or hot mode in the history, he had concluded it must be an internal problem. I don't want to sound like I'm in denial but I pretty much expected he would wanna pull it and rebuild it, thats what they do. So he proposed $350 to pull it and see whats wrong (no mention of re-installing it..LOL) he suspected excessive clutch wear, and after much badgering from me, admitted he would be suprised if I drove away without dropping something in the teens. Right now the problem is minor, the logic of the century site seems sound, I concede my clutches likely have wear, but am not sure I want to jump to the big $$ conclusion so easily. I would sooner sell the car and use my money to get something with fewer miles. I would still prefer to find more practical solutions to this intermittent problem, maybe a thicker fluid, a flush and filter change (maybe there is something cloging the filter causing low pressure or cavitation), maybe some additive would help.... Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated... (please no wives tales about putting diesel in it or whatever) Just things you've tried and know work. Thanks

[99GSX]

Try a Transmission cooler, or even a lower temp thermostat (180). This may help your problem as it did in my Grandfathers 00 Century, but it only helped. My 99 Regal GS started doing the same thing, which progressed very quickly, what started as a stutter while going up an incline has now diminshed to a definate Trans problem. He used the cooler, I went with the thermostat. I slowed my problem, but I could have maybe prevented it by doing it earlier, I have 200,000 miles on my regal, the century only has 74,000. Either way the auto trannies GM gives us are not to be trusted. And realize you should be doing your trans fluid and filter like every 30,000 miles as the owners manual calls for. 99GSX "1Kwik6"