1995 pontiac transport problems

[mwhite05]

ok i have some problems with this van , it takes forever to get moving have to wait like 20 minutes b4 it will move, driving down the road it will slip out of gear as if its in neutral, and even at a stop sign or stop light it will kick out of gear too.. i changed the oil and the filter and the tranny fluid and filter all seemed fine with no shavings of metal or clogging or of the sorts just oloked burnt if u know what i mean. i dont know alot about these trannys just know what this one is doing now so can some one help me out here?

[LMP]

SPecify engine type so I could post correct transmission type trouble shooting guide. It looks like pressure does not built up, and there are a lot of seals and o-rings around...any difference if you use 1st or 2nd lever position? Is it the same in reverse?

[mwhite05]

oh im sorry its a 3800 and transmission is a 4t60e i think

[mwhite05]

and most of the time if we start off in 1st or 2nd it gets up to speed like it is almost normal but still hessitates or spits and spudders

[LMP]

Originally Posted by mwhite05

and most of the time if we start off in 1st or 2nd it gets up to speed like it is almost normal but still hessitates or spits and spudders

Well...if starting in 1st or 2nd DOES make a difference, it would seem the holding clutch has a problem.....but this is not a common occurrence...
WHen starting on D or OD, the 1/2 clutch does not apply and the holding one way clutch takes the toll instead.
www.avigex.ca/xport/transmissionranges.jpg If you start in 1 or 2, the 1/2 band applies and does the job of the holding clutch...and in adition provides engine braking , which is not the case in D or OD when it falls back to 2 or 1....
SO this would be a mechanical problem needing complete overhaul of the transmission....but I would not go with that diagnostic unless much more cues were available. For instance, once you speed is up and transmisison is in 3 or 4, it (the holding clutch) would not make any difference and all would work normally....so if it keeps making tricks even once you are up to speed in 3 or 4, then it is something else.....ALso, time would not make a difference so 20 minutes later, it would not work any better....
I'm still thinking of some failed seal....
FOr "delayed engagement", they say:
- cooler checkball not seating
- reverse servo seal damaged
- forward servo seals damaged
- input and 3rd clutch seals damaged

now..I guess the duration of the "delay" must be proportional to the damage....not too sure why it would be better after 20 minutes....would the heat help the seal?...I sent an e-mail to "Trannyman52" ....he uses to give good advise on that topic...but did not hear of him lately....

NOw...what exactly are the "spits and spudders" ? Are we talking of the engine here?....

[mwhite05]

The time frame of 15-20 minutes doesnt make it better just thats usually how long it takes us to get it to move in rev or 1st or any gear but usually rev or 1st,
when going up in speed it like spudders ( like the rpms go up a lil like they should and back down again with foot on accelerator) and hesitates between 1st and sec and 2nd and 3rd ,and yes when the speed is up at like 50 mph everything seems fine. now this evening wel went to the store and was in store like 30 minutes and came back out and van wouldnt go any wheres at all. but my wife would pump the brake and engage/disengage the E-brake a cpl times and then the van would go, almost the brake has somethingto do with it? as long as we put it in 1st and not d or od

[mwhite05]

ok so i talked to a mechanic and explained what was happening and he said it was the pump going bad and it would be more to repair or overhaul this one than to get a diff tranny? well shoot im not made of money and surly dont 800 to fork out for another one! so guess im SOL

[LMP]

Well..just in case:
www.avigex.ca/xport/4t60pumpassembly.jpg
www.avigex.ca/xport/4t60fig14.jpg
www.avigex.ca/xport/4T60photo.jpg
www.avigex.ca/xport/4T60cutaway.jpg
I just do not know to what extent it is possible to work the transmission "in situ"...but pump is the first item on top, right under the cover: one servo has been changed by a forum member : it means removing the end cover, then the left shaft...this thread was a few months ago...will look for it.
However, I doubt the pump itself failed, I still favor (?!?) the seals : of course pump is one unit, while seals are everywhere..... by the way, did the problem occur suddenly or progressively and then in what time span?

[mwhite05]

well honestly i bout it like this but it runs better now than it did 2 months ago. it had alot of aggressive driving from previous owner( used as taxi cab LOL). and they said it started luggin down shiftin rough for a cpl months and then what its doing now

[LMP]

Just for what it is worth: make sure the TCC plug is connected and not corroded (. in fact it controls TCC plus A and B solenoids which are needed for 1st and 2nd and 4th): no solenoid could mean it starts in 3rd....but I'm not sure if there is an hydraulic redundancy on that...anyway.
www.avigex.ca/xport/tccloc.jpg shown disconnected...

[mwhite05]

Originally Posted by LMP

Just for what it is worth: make sure the TCC plug is connected and not corroded (. in fact it controls TCC plus A and B solenoids which are needed for 1st and 2nd and 4th): no solenoid could mean it starts in 3rd....but I'm not sure if there is an hydraulic redundancy on that...anyway.
www.avigex.ca/xport/tccloc.jpg shown disconnected...

where is the TCC located?

duh me found it and the TCC plug looked fine with no corrosion., unplugged it and plugged back in.

[mwhite05]

ok i know imjust full of questions, i just never owned a trans sport b4.. but now b4 i had mentioned that it took a while for us to get the van to move , well now my wife had tryed something new and it seems to work, : start the van, let it idle for just a few minutes and punp the brake about 5-6 times and then put it in reverse and give it a little gas just a lil over a 1000 and she will kick right in gear and go in and gear after that, well to start off in 1st then 2nd and do on, but if we start in D or OD it acts like its stuck in 3rd or something? any suggestions?

[LMP]

Originally Posted by mwhite05

...well to start off in 1st then 2nd and do on, but if we start in D or OD it acts like its stuck in 3rd or something? any suggestions?

I have no clear idea about linking the brake pedal input to this problem ... may be some vacuum modulator in the transmission could react to this (because brake booster activation causes rapid vacuum changes) ...but I'm not sure . ABout "stuck in 3rd" , notice I had signified that possibility in previous post in relation to inoperative A and B solenoids....may be just a coincidence....maybe not...
I think a transmission code scan might reveal something...is the Check ENgine light ON?...in fact, several codes do not even light up the CEL and in the USA, I'm told Autozone will scan the codes for free.....that could help....

[mwhite05]

yes the check engine is on , usually comes on after i push the accelerator up to or around 2000 rpms to get it to connect in gear. i will check the nearest autozone in my area for problem codes thanks