1997 Lumina Accelerating Problem

[deedwir]

I have a 97 Lumina that will sputter and shake an lurch when it gets up in between 45-65 mph. If I step on the gas, it works through, until I get back to the normal speed limit, or stuck behind someone doing 50, it will start up again. I keep on accelerating to get it to stop, but then have to slow down so I don't rear end someone. Please help.

[kcg795]

When my dad first got his 97 Lumina, it would hesitate everytime he'd take off. But run fine once you got it going. It ended up being a bad fuel pump. Wish his Lumina had a tach because it sure screams when I hot rod it.

[logankelly]

I have the same problem on my 97 if it does not trip a code could be torque converter. They call it converter shutter. I have a appointment in a few days with gm dealer .He says he can scan the torque converter, tranny and engine while the car is acting up then he can pin point the problem even without a code. Saves a lot of guess work

[whitelumina]

Hi I have a 1997 Chevy Lumina V6 4.1L and I have the same problem. I think that it will be a lot better when I take it and get the transmission flushed.

[jeffcoslacker]

I'm leanin' toward torque convertor shudder on this too. Try using a lower gear range (i.e. "drive" instead of "OD" ) when it starts to occur. If the problem is shudder, the change in load/gear range should get it out of lockup threshold, and make it stop trying to do it, at least temporarily. You need to get it diagnosed, though. If let go, it can destroy yor convertor, and ultimately the tranny. Hard on driveline parts, too.

[tblake]

Are you telling me that driving in D and not in OD is bad for the tranny and torque converter? Just wondering. I didnt think there was any difference other than the fact that in D the car burns more fuel because of higher RPM's. I really dont know jack about trannys. Forgive my ignorance.

[cadgear]

Because you have higher RPM in Drive, you're less likely to enter lockup, wheras OD it'll go into lockup almost as soon as you plane out at whatever speed you were at. However, I'm sure the higher operating speeds couldn't be just great for anything in the powertrain.

[tblake]

yeah, true

[tblake]

so, would it be to my advantage to while just driving around town crusing at 30mph, + or - 5mph, to just have it in D so it doesnt enter lockup, and then when driving at speeds of 55-60mph, to click it into od? Would this be any easier on the car than to just say, leaveing it in OD all the time? Any ideas, I really know nothing about this topic, Thanks

[whitelumina]

What is LOCK UP? I am an idiot with mechanics. My car does the samething. My car will get up and go when passing someone. I will hit 80 in three seconds from 55. I was wanting to know that if i should drive it in OD on roads 10 miles long and D in town? thankx

[cadgear]

Lockup is when the torque converter..well, locks up. By nature, the torque converter does not take direct drive from the engine to the transmission, it uses a system similar to two fans. If you face the fans to each other, and turn one on, the airflow will turn the other. That's how a torque converter works, in a nutshell.

When you enter lockup, you establish a physical, direct link between the two fans, so they spin at the same speed without being dependant on the medium between them. Constant engaging and disengaging of lockup will tear up the converter, transmission, and that's not a cheap bill. You might as well drive around in Drive unless gas prices are strangling you.

Personally, I would rather spend a few dollars more on gas than a Torque Converter replacement down the road. But personally personal, I would get the TCC replaced asap, because that'll probably solve the lurch.

Its something you can do yourself if you are truely confident in not only mechanics, but also fairly competent in electronics as well. Its more than just swapping out the solenoid, because you have to take the side of the transmission case off, and according to the service manual on GM's service information, this is a lengthy process that involves much suspension and steering tinkering.

[whitelumina]

So you are saying that it would be better to drive in Drive instead of OD? I put plus gas in my car?

[cadgear]

As a temporary solution, yes. However, problems aren't solved by working around them. A problem is solved by working through it and fixing it.

So yes, you can drive arond in D instead of OD but it won't fix anything.

[jeffcoslacker]

Don't everybody get all freaked out! The OD's were designed to be run in the OD position primarily UNLESS operated in rolling, hilly environment at low throttle openings. (i.e. running through 40 mph rolling hills) That constant shifting in and out of OD obviously will ultimately wear parts faster, but is a nusiance more than anything. Throw in a lockup convertor going in and out of lockup threshold at the same time, and you've got a lot of unwanted activity going on. But they are engineered with algorithms that kind of "anticipate" the kind of driving that's happening at any given time, and will operate accordingly (delaying lockup until no-load cruising has been established again, etc) So, don't try to over-think it too much. The only time I ever take mine outta OD is when I go to the in-law's place. They got the aforementioned rolling hills, and if left in OD, she'll upshift in on every downhill, only to have to downshift out almost right away for the next hill. Better to just leave it in one range, keep the torque up for the next hill, and skip all that shifting in that situation. But your OD RPM is just a couple hundred lower than drive, so even if you were to run down the highway in drive, you couldn't really hurt anything, but you would use a lot more gas.

[jeffcoslacker]

P.S. I lied. There is one other situation where I often downshift manually to drive. That's when I'm running 80 or so, and see the State Trooper in the median up ahead. Drop down to drive, so I'm decellerating quickly without lighting the brake lights and making the front end dive, which just screams "Look at me!!! I'm speeding and I know it" LOL