Should I get a 2nd opinion?

[cougar214]

O'k, I had a tranny guy come to my house yesterday to check out my car. We took it for a drive around the neighborhood and he informs me there is nothing wrong with my tranny. He says it's an older model car and this is how they are supposed to shift.

To sum it up for you guys, my car shifts into second around 2500 rpm's, hovers around 2000 rpm's till I reach 30 mph and the rpm's drop to 1500. Then the rpm's will rise again to around 2000 rpm's till I reach 45 mph and she shifts to 4th gear and the rpm's drop to about 1250.

From time to time I will get the p0741 code for the ttc lock-up and when I've been driving for a few hours she will shift really hard into gears. Almost banging into gear. In the morning when she is cold, and especially now in the winter, she doesn't want to shift into 4th gear till I drive about 2 miles and everything warms up.

This guy says he's been doing trannies for 20 years. I asked him about the morning situation and he says that could be due to my main seals going out on me. I have an oil leak due to what I think is my lower intake manifold gasket going bad on me. He says a loss of compression in the motor could mess with the tranny.

So what do you guys think? Did I get an idiot to look at my tranny or what? I agree old cars shift funny but these symptoms can't be just an old tranny acting right. Could I have some other issue at play here like an out of whack tranny module?

[cougar214]

krivasauto could you be more specific? When you say a temp sensor, do you mean the not shifting into 4th when she's cold? or all the shifting period? Or do you think all the problematic shifting is the valve body?

[danielsatur]

Yes - But get a ATF flushed + filter!

[cougar214]

O'k, well that is some good info to know. Thanks krivasauto. What I'm going to do is rebuild my accumulator assembly in the pan. If that helps but only a little I will call around and check into the cost of having my valve body rebuilt. Should it cost any more than $800 bucks?

[panzer dragoon]

The GM Tech2 scanner can scan your tranny for codes and performance if you want.

These valves gum up when people don't change out the tranny fluid. =Change tranny fluid and get the crap off of the tranny pan (mud). +New filter.

Add lubeguard or whatever else to help to loosen those valves that are now sticking because it is colder (less clearance due to cold). Manual shift 2/3/4

An Intrigue is worth $2-3k now tops. =Not worth doing 1/2/3k in tranny work.

-poor engine performance will amplify itself in the tranny. Example: A bad MAF/CKP/CPS/air filter/etc can and will effect you tranny and shift points.

[cougar214]

Panzer, I understand what everyone says when they say "it's not worth it", but for me it is worth it. I played with the idea of getting a new car but I have decided I want to keep my car, I like my car. So for me, it would be worth it.

I have changed out any parts that have gone bad and have given the car a full tune up. The only thing I need to do now is change the rubber bushings in both my front motor mounts and get an oil leak fixed. I have been told the oil leak is from my lower intake manifold gasket going bad.

But I had someone else tell me it sounds more like a head gasket going out because I do get the mild poof of bluish smoke in the morning when she is warming up but then it goes away so I don't know. I do know there is a small amount of sludge in my rad which I flushed out last year but it has come back.

Not sure if this is calcium buildup or not but I know this could be a symptom of a head gasket going out. I will have to have it checked. Just so you know, as far as the oil leak, I have a small pool of oil that never goes away sitting on top of my intake(3800 engine)just behind the alternator. I don't think this is due to a valve cover gasket as they sit on an angle and gravity would pull the oil down, not sit on my intake.

[panzer dragoon]

http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/2143636937.html
-that is a $600 overheating car with new tires. $2-3k is more typical.

Fuel will be 4-5$ a gallon soon. My Dad's Intrigue LX5 gets 33mpg highway and is >200,000 miles.

My LX5 has 130k and runs like a top. I have bought the 1999 Service Manual set (3800+LX5 info) My Intrigue will last another 10yrs plus or until it is parted out to my dad's.

I can't find a better engine than the LX5 with the torque, revs, smoothness and longitivity.

The 3800 is a boat anchor, but will last just as long if not longer that the LX5. 3800 is better for towing though, but with the weak OD 4T65E gear (prone to breakage) you need to still keep the loads light.

[cougar214]

Yeah, I went through all those posts. I used the sea foam in mine but it did nothing. After 2 weeks the sea foam came out clean. I have yet to have it scanned. Everyone in my neck of the woods wants to keep my car for 4 hours giving it a full run of tests. I can't afford to be without my car. Mostly cause I have no one to pick me up and bring me back to my car.

I'm trying to work something out though to get it scanned. I'm also working on getting the motor mounts replaced as people say that really messes with your tranny shift times.