Help My Grand Am!!!

[irocgirl]

I am having some problems with my 1995 gramd am SE. It has a 3.1 and its an automatic. Sometimes when I shift my car into drive or reverse, it wont go. But, if i let it warm up for a while first, then it usually will shift in. We have changed the tranny fluid and now it still is looking good. It also runs roughly some times and the RPM's sometimes will surge. We replaced the EGR, but it didnt help. Wondering if the tranny problem is caused by the ECM???

[Knifeblade]

did ya replace the filter at the fluid change?

[irocgirl]

Yes, when we changed the tranny fluid the filter was changed also. Do you know a good way to figure out if the computer is causing the tranny to act the way it is??

[Knifeblade]

If, IF, IF the ECM is the hassle, it should have sent a code that your dealer or a shop can read.

Have you checked the vacuum modulator? A bad modulator will show several of the symptoms you describe. However, the surge and rough idle, is an engine, not tranny problem.

Vac. modulator is found on the transaxle, has a hose running to it, check for tight connects, and leaks in the hose itself.

[jimbeam7]

Sounds like the tranny is going bad to me. Was the fluid dark and burned? Moreover, was there a lot of metal in the fluid when you changed it?
Make sure there isn't to much fluid in there either. (check it when the engine is warm running and in park for accurate reads)
I'd take it to a transmission specialist if it keeps giving you problems.
I went through much of the same scenario with my car. It was really sluggish and shifted like @ss, so I threw in a new filter and fluid with no avail. I had a rebuilt tranny put in and all was well again.

[Steindawg94]

Have the sensors in the transmission examined/replaced. It may be something quite simple.