Lunging / RPM spike

[Cotasm]

Hi, all. I have been having a tough time with my tranny in my 2000 SS. If anyone else has had this problem, please share your experience and findings. I would be grateful.

Starting at about 40k miles (and just out of warranty ), I started seeing a slight surge in RPMs under light load... primarily in 4th gear. I'll jump forward in time and spare you other details. It's now 20k miles later and the surge has turned into a full blown 300 to 500 RPM spike with heavy lunging (don't know why it varies from day-to-day) which happens constantly under light load in 3rd and 4th gear (more so in 4th). If I throttle it good, it downshifts and the problem disappears. If I am at cruising speed, I'm okay. But, once I'm crusing and begin going uphill and have to give it a little gas, the needle on the tach starts bouncing up and down and the lunging begins. It has been so annoying that, to avoid it, I now gun it until I get to my cruising speed and then quickly back off the pedal.

Comments?

[montecarlossfan]

My problem with my 200 ss is that when getting on the highway it spike 3-500 when it hits the final gear and i think the torque converter locks up way too early in these cars

[Cotasm]

Yes... I would agree with you about the torque converter. I had suspected that as being my problem all along because my symptoms are the same as yours (and others that have reported the same problem). But, instead of my spike happening only during shift, it continues to repeat under the same throttle position... very odd!

[montecarlossfan]

ya i notice if i let off the gas when its bogged down and hit it again it will unlock and then lock up again , its so annoying

[hunterlooking]

my 97 monte is doing the same thing...it started after I got 182,000 miles on it though...we here at the dealership that I work at have been banking or heads trying to fix it.....Have found the problem yet...
I well let eveone know soon as we do though........

[kdolson]

Originally Posted by hunterlooking

my 97 monte is doing the same thing...it started after I got 182,000 miles on it though...we here at the dealership that I work at have been banking or heads trying to fix it.....Have found the problem yet...
I well let eveone know soon as we do though........

My wife has a 2001 ss that had the same problem. Problem at 37000 miles. Went to the dealer and found out it that the cat convertor was plugged. The service manager stated that this has been a common problem with this model. Had 2 others in at the same time. I know that the cat convertor is under warrenty as a emission problem to 80,000 miles. Cost $0 to have replaced.

kdolson

[Cotasm]

Cat converter was one of the first things I thought of... but I've confirmed that isn't the problem in this case. Thanks for the input though.