Anyone else have problems with their 4 speed auto tranny?
Mine from my 2002 Sunfire is going bad (I believe).
I sometimes get kind of a shake and a rattle in it when it's in 3rd or 4th gear.
I let off the gas and it goes away and sometimes if I step it down it's fine, but other times it shakes again for a while.
I was told it's probably in need of a rebuild.
My car has 41000 miles (just a few miles out of warranty and about 8 months out)...grrrr
Can these trannies actually handle a motor build up?
I had an autotrans interceptor on it, but don't think I'll be putting it back on if I rebuild or put a different tranny in.
I've also got a 2800 stall Yank torque converter sitting waiting to go in, but don't think I'll do that now either.

I'm not exactly sure of the "shaking" you're talking about so I can't help you there.

Yes, the 4T40E can handle plenty of power, I plan to put well over 200 whp on a stock transmission when I'm done with my turbo setup.

I say take your car to a mechanic and find out what that noise is your talking about because it's possible that it's not your transmission but maybe something is just loose.

Good luck.



www.kronosperformance.com / 732-742-8837

My mechanic took it for a drive (is a friend of mine)...
He has me trying Sea Foam in it.
It's definately in the tranny, but he's hoping for me that it's just something sticking in there...
Gonna see how this goes for a bit and if it seems to clear it up we're going to change the fluid and filter.

craigo, is this rattle or shake like the one you feel on those unpaved roads, because that shake is what my brothers car is getting. It sounds exactly the same as your describing it. But it happens after the car shifts to second on slight throttle

this shake is the torque converter clutch solenoid acting up. Its something like your torque convertor is locking up slightly and slipping when its not suppose to. IF the sea foam doesnt fix it then it doesnt really cost much to replace the ttc solenoid. It will be around maybe 150 or so cdn for the solenoid. and....

some transimissions have to ttc rite near the pan, soo you may not have to take out the tranny for it. the mechanic just has to take out the pan. read up on that and goodluck,



2003 Cavalier 2dr. 5spd

Thanks for the info.
I'll check that out also.

BTW... is there a way to test that solenoid?
Would it show a code or something on a scanner?

yeah you can test the tcc solenoid. find someone with a tech 2. if the solenoid is going bad it might not show a code. the computer can't tell wether or not the solenoid is going bad. you might get a code for tcc if its not applying fully and slipping more than its suppose to. but gm doesn't really seem to care a whole lot about the trannys so the data is very limited. if the solenoid is bad you have to pull the side cover and its right there on the vavle body.

it sounds like it could almost be a sticky vavle. the valve bodies in the 4T40-Es aren't the best that way. there anodized aluminum valves in an aluminum valve body. if your not carefull when picking the vavles to make sure there free and put a small scratch in the them, they stick. i found that out the hard way and it sucks. then any steel floating around somehow manages to make it there and sticks all the vavles. in mine all but 4 vavles where stuck. i had to get a new vavle body cause all the vavles were scored or scrathed.

if you havn't changed your fluid for a while and theres some steel floating around that could be your problem. or maybe your filter is plugged and is starving the pump. unless you beat the piss out of it you shouldn't need a rebuild in only 41000 miles. but if your planning to put the 2800 stall converter (way cool. i want one but don't have the money) and your tranny needs to be taken out for some reason it wouldn't hurt to do it then. good luck and let us know what you find out.

nathan

[quote=NJHK (Sexual Chocolate)
Yes, the 4T40E can handle plenty of power, I plan to put well over 200 whp on a stock transmission when I'm done with my turbo setup.
.

correction adam they internals on the 4t40e give out just below 300whp plus you start to kill cv axles

woohoo, it seems that the SeaFoam is working on my transmission.
Will change the fluid and filter next.
What is the best fluid for this? Synthetic? I've heard of RedLine?
Also, anyone know the amount of fluid I'll need to fill it on the change?

I SATCHMOE YOU!!!! wrote:

correction adam they internals on the 4t40e give out just below 300whp plus you start to kill cv axles

Who has ever made 300whp on a 4t40e?


- 93 mph in the 1/8 mile
Member of J-Body Of Michigan.

What kind of sea foam did you use? Is there a special one for transmissions?

Yes, it was a special one for transmissions.

its call trans tune. its made by sea foam.

craigeo wrote:Also, anyone know the amount of fluid I'll need to fill it on the change?

I borrowed this from another thread maybe it can help 41- My GM transmission doesn't have a dipstick to check the level. just scroll til you get to 41 and check it out

I have a z24 with a 4t40e with the noise that was explained above (grinding noise). It comes and goes.

I think it is my TCC. Is this the plug that needs to be removed?

If so, this plug looks like it has more than just the connections to the TCC. Does it?

How long can i keep Sea Foam in my transmission with out changing the fluid?

Sorry, one more question. How far is it ok to drive with the plug disconnected?

that harness has everything for the tranny on it. it has TCC, shift solenoids, PSA (pressure switch assembly), pressure control solenoid, and input speed sensor. if you unplug that i don't think you can drive the car. but if you can it will be in fail safe which is i believe 3rd gear. so no matter how much gas you give it, it will always be in third gear. but be careful because the tourque converter will be slipping a ton and you can super heat your fluid and screw up more things. its like starting a manual off in third gear. the clutch slipps a ton till it grabs. so if you can drive it with it unplugged and thats the only possible way to get it where it has to go, baby it big time. it will set a whole bunch of codes if you start it with that unplugged. i think you can leave the seafoam in your tranny as long as you want. it shouldn't hurt anything.

I own A 97 with 276000 kms all original I have had the noise come and go but I was told it's the dif

Skilz10179 wrote:

I SATCHMOE YOU!!!! wrote:

correction adam they internals on the 4t40e give out just below 300whp plus you start to kill cv axles

Who has ever made 300whp on a 4t40e?

Wondering the same thing...lol



www.kronosperformance.com / 732-742-8837

Now that i think about it the car will make this noise as it increases in speed in 2nd gear. It will also make the noise when i slow down from a higher speed. I don't usually hear the noise at a higher speed.

So lets say that the TCC is bad. Would it cause more metal to float around in the transmission? Or would it cause any other problems?

The vehicle in question has 130,000 miles with the one and only Transmission fluid (known) change at 70,000K miles.

If there was a lot of metal in the tranny this would cause the TCC to malfunction? If so, then GM couldn't just hook up a Tech2 and see that the TCC is bad because it could be slipping because there is not enough fluid pressure because of a sticking valve....

Sound right?

I did try the Sea Foam, that didn't do chit.

I think in this case i will just get a fluid change and see if the p1887 error comes on again. If so, then i will have GM check the TCC. If its good then i think it would be the pump seal that is bad. I guess the 4t40e is known for this....

Let me know what you guys think about this...