hmm what to do, what to do.

[99alerogirl]

ok, problem with the 1st-2nd shift is getting a little worse. i've decided it's kinda like when you're driving a stick, and you leave your foot on the gas a little too long... you can hear the engine revving, but you're not going any faster until you actually put it in gear (because you're in neutral... duh). so it's shifting out of first at like 5000 RPM, but it doesn't shift. the RPM's fall very slowly down to about 4000 (while not accelerating, possibly even decelerating), then it's like the transmission "catches" 2nd gear when it falls down around 4000 after maybe 2 seconds. you can hear the engine kind of wait there a bit until it catches. it's almost like a transmission stall. do you think a tranny flush will fix this? i'm hoping so... i know it won't hurt it. do you think it could possibly be a problem with the PCM? I read an old post where that was an option.

[AleroB888]

Originally Posted by 99alerogirl

ok, problem with the 1st-2nd shift is getting a little worse. i've decided it's kinda like when you're driving a stick, and you leave your foot on the gas a little too long... you can hear the engine revving, but you're not going any faster until you actually put it in gear (because you're in neutral... duh). so it's shifting out of first at like 5000 RPM, but it doesn't shift. the RPM's fall very slowly down to about 4000 (while not accelerating, possibly even decelerating), then it's like the transmission "catches" 2nd gear when it falls down around 4000 after maybe 2 seconds. you can hear the engine kind of wait there a bit until it catches. it's almost like a transmission stall. do you think a tranny flush will fix this? i'm hoping so... i know it won't hurt it. do you think it could possibly be a problem with the PCM? I read an old post where that was an option.

The '99 trannys are pretty much like that stock. When I test drove mine at the dealership, it had about 33 K miles on it, and it shifted like you describe yours. I was concerned and test drove another '99 Alero on the lot and it did exactly the same thing.....

I have had a tranny flush 3 times in 4 years, and it's holding together so far under a lot of abuse, but the consensus is that there is a bit of risk involved if your car is very high mileage and never flushed before.

I switch to full line pressure for racing to get a firm shift, but would not leave it in that mode full time.

My '03 has much firmer shifts, upgrades were made in later years, plus it's only got 25 K miles on it.

If it seems to be changing, though, there could be a component problem like a bad TPS or the tranny itself, but I would let it go a bit longer, wait it out.

[99alerogirl]

so I went to pep boys to get a price, since they're the only place here open on Sunday. first of all it was overpriced, as always. second of all, the man asked me what year my car was... then he said flushing my transmission was only going to hurt it and possibly blow it. he said if it hasn't been done regularly it'll just be bad. my car only has 114900 miles on it, and I've only had it since 97k, so I don't even know if it's been done regularly.

does that make any sense that flushing it would HURT it? because that totally goes against my logic, but again, I know little about transmissions.

[cherrington17]

Flushing can. As it forces the fluid put, it can take out thicker parts that may be keeping it running well. It's possible

[99alerogirl]

alright... so how do you check the fluid in our cars (the 3400, obviously) since there's no dipstick? and if I weren't to flush the fluid then what am I supposed to do? just wait til my tranny blows? haha

[MixtapeMessiah]

just like on the 4t40e trannys theres a over flow bolt (dont know the correct term GM calls it) u take out, fill it up with fluid intil it comes out that hole..I know my 2.4 holds about 7-8 quarts so somewhere around there for the 3.4, put the bolt back in and there u go ur done