Won't shift from 2nd to 3rd gear *solved (trans rebuild)

[okaussie]

It's me again with another problem.

Yesterday I was driving and the tranny would not shift into 3rd gear. Brought it home and checked the fluid level. It was fine and the color looked good. No foam, grit or anything out of the ordinary.

The SES light was also on. I don't have a code reader so I disconnected the battery to reset everything and this morning reconnected the battery and took it for a test drive. Same problem as yesterday. No SES Light.

Manually I can shift from 1st to 2nd but going to 3rd the tranny does not shift the engine speed increases but no increase in speed. I put it in OD and it shifts from 1st to 2nd without problems then when shifting into 3rd the engine goes to about 5000 rpms and the speed starts to slow down. If I manually put it back into 2nd gear there is no slippage the runs normal for that gear. I have seen no leaks under the transmission.

Sounds like I need to take it to a tranny shop. I think this time it is beyond me.

Any thoughts???


TIA

Bill

[HenryJ]

It is possible that you are in limp mode. The default is to go to second gear and get you home.
I think you may be right in that it is time for someone to have a look at it. You do need to read the code. It may set again or be pending. Usually the the "code of death" will set again very rapidly.
Our 4L60E has several weak points. It is very hard to speculate what exactly is wrong from here. I do suspect that a rebuild is in your future though from what you describe. My local shop will do one for $1200. That includes the better parts for strength. I think there are a couple good threads around here on the subject. BorderMan just did a swap IIRC?

[okaussie]

That is what I thought. My CC has about 140K miles on it and never had any tranny problems. However, the fluid has never been changed or the filter changed. I am thinking that this may contribute to this.

Will take it in on Monday to have it checked out. Will let you know what I find out

Thanks

Bill

[HenryJ]

My CC has about 140K miles on it and never had any tranny problems. However, the fluid has never been changed or the filter changed.

Ouch. You are right. That may have been a contributing factor. In hind sight a service or three during that time may have been a good idea.

We will be waiting for the diagnosis.

[okaussie]

How often are you suppose to flush and clean the tranny????

Out of all the vehicles I have had over the last 40 years of my driving career I have never done any tranny maintenance and have had no problems.

Why now???

TIA

Bill

[HenryJ]

Read the owners manual. If you don't have one there is an electronic version available still, I think.
If yours is light duty and only highway miles , every 50k miles would be acceptable. If it is city short trip driving then 30k is recommended.

I suspect that your other vehicles had similar recommendations too.

[okaussie]

Thanks,,,

I hope this turns out to be something simple and inexpensive.

My wife has Cancer and only one person working, so finances are tight.

Thanks

Bill

[HenryJ]

Better plan on it costing $1500-$2200.
I wish I was more optimistic, but that is what a rebuild costs today.

[okaussie]

I saw places on the web for $900-$1750 for a complete out of the box tranny. The problem would be I don't have the facilities to do a swap.

Good thing my tax refund will be here on Tuesday. And my wife's Disability check will be here on Wednesday. That should pay for it. Didn't want to spend it on that. Just means that my bills will have to wait another month.

Sucks, having to decide whether to pay the bills and have no transportation or get my truck fixed and let the bills set for a month and be late. That way, I can go to work and get more money to pay the bills.

What a screwed up mess

More news on Monday when I take it to the tranny shop

Bill

[okaussie]

Just got back from the Tranny shop. Turns out that 3-4 clutch is bad and need a rebuild. He said it was due to age and mileage. He is going to put in a rebuilt tranny with heavy duty everything , put in a tranny cooler , new seal to transfer case and balance and replace the u joints in the rear driveshaft.

Cost is around $1700 with a 3 yr 36k mile warranty. Said it will take a couple of days. He has to send out the rear driveshaft but already has the tranny in stock. All he has to do is beef it up.

More news as it becomes available

Bill

[HenryJ]

Keep us updated. Others will be in the same boat soon.

Sounds like you are in good hands and the price seems reasonable.

[04crewvt]

That's a good price if it include labor.

[F9K9]

It does sound like a fair price. Please make sure you follow all the conditions of their warranty. To many times I have mislaid receipts and have something come back and solidly bite me on the posterior.

[okaussie]

Still waiting on the call my truck is done. As far as the receipts go, I have kept every receipt to everything done to my CC. I have an envelope with all the receipts. So many , in fact, that I can no longer keep them in the glovebox.

I will give him a call in the AM to check on the status.

BTW that is labor included.

More news as it becomes available
Film at 11

Bill

[okaussie]

Called the tranny guy on Friday morning. He said he was just about done. Needed to install the tranny cooler and make sure no leaks and test drive it. Hopes it will be done.

Had to work Friday afternoon and wasn't done yet. Then the snow storm started Friday night. What a time for the tranny to go out. Down to my wife's front wheel drive Sebring. Not like my 4WD CC.

Have to work nights this weekend. The tranny guy works on Sunday's so I will call him Sunday morning to see if I can pick it up.

It is hard to drive the wife's puddle jumper since I am 6'4". You have to pry me out of the thing.

At least in the CC I fit pretty comfortably.

More news as it becomes available

Film at 11

Bill

[okaussie]

Called this morning. Found out he was charging the battery and had to replace the neutral safety switch. Everything else is done.

Then he called this afternoon and stated he was having problems with the switch and wants me to call him tomorrow for an update. Meanwhile the snow is turning into ice at night and I am working nights and still using the wife's puddle jumper. Sure miss my CC

Can't wait to get it back and see how she runs.

More news as it becomes available

Film at 11

Bill

[okaussie]

Got my CC back today around noon. Here is the story:

The seal between the tranny and transfer case went bad causing the shift of tranny fluid from the tranny to the transfer case creating a fluid deficit in the tranny whereby burning up the 3/4 clutch.

Here is what they did:

Replace the tranny $1200
Added extra wide bands $30
Installed shift kit $150
Installed RED clutches/seals/pistions $90
Replaced Rear Main Seal $40
Replaced Neutral Safety Switch $35
Replaced Transfer Case Switch (they broke it and it had tranny fluid in it) Free
Installed Tranny Cooler $100

For a total of $1645 including labor with a 3 yr 36K mile warranty.

It took a week for all of this but I think it will be worth. It will now shift anywhere anytime automatic or manual. The transfer case switch might not have been broken by them which may have caused my earlier thread regarding no being in 4wd when it thinks it is. But in my case the Transfer case switch was in such a place that I was unable to see it due to things surrounding the switch and being on the top of the case . We will see. I will probably check it out the next time I am off. Sure hope the 4WD still works since I reset the TCCM in my last thread.

I would like to recommend this facility for its quality of work and keeping me informed of their progress.

The Transmission Garage in OKC specializes in the 4l60E transmission.
He has a website too: www.transmissiongarage.com

Hope this helps with the other CC owners out there.

He did tell me that mine was only the 2nd CC he has ever worked on. The other was from Minnesota and the owner moved here and had problems.

He was really impressed with the look and style of the CC.

Bill

[F9K9]

Thanks for the update and please keep us posted on the 4wd situation.

[roadrunner]

If there was indeed fluid in the vacuum lines at the switch on the t-case you might be well advised to investigate further to head off possible problems with other vacuum operated system components such as the heater controls etc. Just a precautionary word of advice.

[okaussie]

Got my CC back on Monday. Works like a champ.

It did throw a SES light. Found several cracks in the vaccuum lines in the engine compartment by the ABS next to the driver's side fender panel. Replaced the affected hoses and the SES light reset. No more error lights.

the thing shifts into and out of 4WD just like it is suppose to. Think that my previous thread regarding the 4WD problem was related to the vaccuum leak.

Everything is fine now and shifts like it is suppose too.

Bill

[fallvitals]

Awesome. Amd I correct in reading they did all the work,,,, and it was $1600? That sounds like a hella deal... im a do-it-yourselfer,,, (to be posting here obviously) but for the cost to have one rebuilt... if they threw that number at me, id let them do it.

Did they give your any details on the 'heavy duty' stuff they put in it? Im interested in that, i dont see my tranny going for many years still, but when it does, assuming I still own this truck, (I plan too unless I need a bigger truck) I would be interested in talking about that with whoever rebuilds mine.

[okaussie]

The $1645 included everything listed in a previous post including labor with a 3yr 36k mile warranty. He even ran the code to find the vaccuum leak for me.

That is all he does is work on this tranny.

I am still getting use to the way it shifts. It is stiff when shifting.

Bill

[adrenalnjunky]

I had one rebuilt with HD clutches, Beast shell and similar upgrades in the $1600 range. That's my 2nd trans replacement. That's why I sprung for the upgraded internals this time.

I figure it's now time for the torque converter to go . At least I can do that one myself.

[okaussie]

I have had mine back for about three weeks now. No problems at all.

I am having to get used to the way it shifts and the PRNDL. It feels like when I am Drive but the indicator shows 3rd gear, so I just shift it into drive. That is strictly an operator problem. It shifts very sharp now and like the way it feels.

when I replaced the cracked vaccuum hoses the SES light has yet to come on again and the 4WD systems works like it is suppose to.

All in all I am very happy with the way things turned out. The $1645 was well spent with all the work and parts that was done to it.

Bill