92 LeSabre wont go into gear

skipbooo777 · #1 04-10-2008, 11:48 AM

Hi all. I have a 92 Lesabre that has 106,000 miles on it. I bought the car last year and it was fine until summer time when the harmonic balancer went on it. I got that fixed then a few months later it didnt want to go into gear when i wanted to move the car. I would have to drop it into 1st gear then rev the engine then put it back into park then rev the engine again then finally into drive. Someone told me to put TransX in it and it would solve the problem. Well I did that and it worked for a few months then it started acting up again. Well the other day I was driving to work and i heard a rubbing noise didnt really think much of it till i was driving home from work when the rpms would go really high and the car would jolt while taking off from a red light or stop sign. When i pulled into my driveway and went to straighten the car out she didnt want to move in reverse or drive. I checked the tranny fluid and it was low so i put some in it and let it idle for a while. When i went out later to see if she would move she did but only while the engine was cold. As soon as it heated up it didnt want to move at all. Could it be the filter or the tranny itself. I have heard many different things to do to try and fix it without having to drop a tranny into it. I know the car is not worth a new tranny. Please help me. Any suggestions would be great!!!

maxwedge · #2 04-10-2008, 12:24 PM

Welcome to AF, the trans will need an overhaul.

skipbooo777 · #3 04-10-2008, 01:59 PM

How much of an over haul are we talking about here? I dont have alot of money and is it worth doing.

HotZ28 · #4 04-10-2008, 02:52 PM

Not but one type of overhaul here, the whole thing! Price range between $1500.00 to $3000.00, depending on the shop. (More than the value of the car)! R&R labor runs about $600.00 & if you could find a used one in a JY for 300-400 you could have a used one installed @ $1000.00 total.

skipbooo777 · #5 04-10-2008, 04:17 PM

well of course that is way to much to spend on this car. now im upset.

i guess i should start looking for another car. thanks guys

skipbooo777 · #6 04-12-2008, 02:21 PM

ok i went to move the car yesterday and she moved perfectly. are you sure that it might not need a flush

spinne1 · #7 04-12-2008, 08:14 PM

A flush will kill it for sure. A fluid and filter change would be fine, but a flush? Don't do it. It will simply clog some key areas will sludge/ground metal and ensure the end of that transmission's life.

As a side note, having just rebuilt my wife's 92 Lesabre transmission I can tell you a few things:

The 92 version of the 4t60E is significantly inferior to newer versions. 1994-95 saw a big internal change that helped durability. Then in 96 they redesigned some more and improved it even more. The good news is that you can take one of these newer versions and use it with your 92 if you have the same gear ratio in the newer tranny, and if you use the wiring harness from your 92 tranny and swap it out with the one in the newer tranny. The one I rebuilt for my wife's 92 is from a 94 Lesabre and has her 92 wiring harness along with a Transgo Shift Kit installed as well (it really helps!)

That said, unless you plan to spend a long time and a good deal of money on tools it is not worth doing yourself. Just get a different car! You can probably sell yours for $500 with a bad tranny.

skipbooo777 · #8 04-14-2008, 01:02 PM

ok so i got the filter and the fluids changed. the car moved about 20 feet then stopped moving. the front tires are locked up and when the tow truck driver went to pull it up on the truck and the car would not move. even in neutral. can it be the transmission still or the linkage. im about ready to pull my hair out and car.

spinne1 · #9 04-14-2008, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skipbooo777

ok so i got the filter and the fluids changed. the car moved about 20 feet then stopped moving. the front tires are locked up and when the tow truck driver went to pull it up on the truck and the car would not move. even in neutral. can it be the transmission still or the linkage. im about ready to pull my hair out and car.

I have to wonder whether it really is in neutral. Get someone to slowly shift while you look at the linkage connection to the transmission. See if it clearly jumps from one position to the next. Perhaps neutral will not be where you expect. Try moving the car in various positions. I've never heard of a tranny that would lock your wheels in neutral.

But as a side note, the odds are good that your days with this tranny working are over.

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