2003 Buick Park Av. Ultra up-shifts hard

[ellis479]

Hello,

I have a 2003 Buick Ultra with the 3.8 supercharged engine. I notice when I slow down for traffic, and then accelerate, that sometimes it seems the motor revs up but the transmission catches a split second later. I had the transmission cleaned and flushed last week. Is there anything else that I should check? Other than the above problem, the shifting is not too bad.
Maybe I just have a heavy foot!!! thanks ellis479

[HotZ28]

Hopefully, what you are experiencing is nothing more than 'torque converter' slip (stall). Most Ultra's have an 1800 rpm stall converter to allow the engine to get into the meat of the power band quicker, so therefore when you stab the gas, there is a slight delay while the engine revs before the car starts to accelerate. BTW, did you have the filter replaced?

[ellis479]

HotZ28,


Hello again, This could be the problem. I have had good luck in the past with the transmission flush. The last time I had a filter change was on my cadillac, which I thought the screen was a joke! Do you think the buick filter is that critical? I am not familiar with the configuration of the Ultra's transmission filter. The flush and conditioner is over a hundred dollars here, do you think It's worth changing the filter and replacing the fluids again?

Thanks ellis479

[HotZ28]

How many miles on this car? Routine maintenance (which includes trans filter change) is cheap compared to component replacement. I would not hesitate to change the filter if it has never been changed if the car has over 50K miles. The filter change is not that difficult and should not take a good technician more than 1/2 hr to replace. Of course, in addition to the labor, you will need about 7 1/2 qts of new fluid, which you can purchase at Wal-Mart. Your 4T65E trans should use Dexron VI, so be sure that is what is used. Many of the quick-lube shops will not use this due to the cost, they elect to use the supply from bulk tanks which is Dexron III and cheaper, but not recommended! Better safe than sorry, let a trusted mechanic, or trans shop do it right the first time. BTW, I spent many nights in Rogers, Bentonville & Bella Vista; nice part of AR!

Typical trans pan before cleaning:



Pan after cleaning:




Trans filter split apart; this one had 100K

[ellis479]

HotZ28

Hello, I did have this conditioned and flushed at the Bridgstone dealer. This does not mean they used the right transmission fluid. I bought this Buick about four months ago, it has 72K miles. I was not aware of the dextron VI type fluid. I think I will go ahead and have this service done, since I am not happy with the way it shifts. Yes, this is a nice part of the country. I live on Beaver lake, which I am sure you are familiar with. Thanks Again ellis479

[HotZ28]

Originally Posted by ellis479

Yes, this is a nice part of the country. I live on Beaver lake, which I am sure you are familiar with. Thanks Again ellis479

Yeah, I am familiar with Beaver Lake, did some fishing there & drove route 12 from Rogers to route 23 into Eureka Springs several times a week just to eat at my favorite BBQ place! I also recall an excellent semi-private restaurant in Rogers, by the name "Tail of the Trout" which we visited on a regular basis. Is it still there?

I managed some construction projects in Bentonville during the mid-80's and had the pleasure of eating breakfast with Sam Walton on several occasions, at a small restaurant near the court house square. Sam liked to sit around & talk with the locals about bird hunting, dogs & Wal-Mart. One morning, he told some folks at the table with me if they had bought 1K of Wal-Mart stock in 1975, it would be worth 1M in 1986! (Wal-Mart was only a 12.5B company back then) Sam also made the comment that he was going to build a Wal-Mart across the street from every K-Mart in the nation! The locals got a kick out of that, & one guy ask Sam if he had any idea how BIG K-Mart was. Sam said; no, and I don't really care how big they are, they can't compete with us, we sell American made goods! Sam really enjoyed greeting customers with a shopping cart at the local Bentonville store! Anyway, history is the rest of the story! Pic below is where it all began. BTW, good luck with the trans service!

[ellis479]

HotZ28,

I work in bentonville, did not have the pleasure of meeting Sam Walton. I have dined at the restaraunt on the square though, and the Tale of the Trout, don't think it is still open. Things have changed due to the rapid growth of the area. Question, what is dexton V1? My manual calls for dextron 111 fluid. I have four vehicles, maybe I'm missing out on something! Thanks ellis479

[HotZ28]

Originally Posted by ellis479

Question, what is dexton V1? My manual calls for dextron 111 fluid. I have four vehicles, maybe I'm missing out on something! Thanks ellis479

Dexron VI was originally labeled as a Group III full synthetic and a superior replacement for Dexron III. When first introduced, prices were not favorable between Dexron VI full synthetic and Dexron III, and then when Super-Tech came out with a Dexron VI blend, it made Dexron VI a more economical substitute for a replacement. Of course, the other option is Mobile-I which is a full synthetic fluid. The filter change is really what you want to accomplish, regardless of they type fluid used. Super-Tech Dexron VI should work well in your Ultra, since it is a direct replacement for Dexron III.

[ellis479]

Hot Z28,

Hello, I had the transmission filter changed and added the Super-Tech Dexron V1. The shifting seems smoother and more responsive than before. Thanks for the help. ellis479