Shifting issue

RAUSTINESQ

MEMBER
1995 SATURN SL1
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
101,000 MILES

OK, so I originally had an issue with having to hold down the gas pedal to start the vehicle and then what I thought was idling issues after the engine warmed up. That was all solved by replacing the coolant temp sensor. In the process of figuring this out I replaced the IAC, PCV Valvle, and Throttle positioning sensor. Now the vehicle is extremely sluggish when trying to accelerate between 1000-2500RPM and then shifts up too soon. When trying to accelerate from a cruising speed it will not shift down unless you push the throttle wide open. Also, when I let off the gas to decelerate the RPMS drop to 1000, where as I would usually expect to see some moderate engine braking. No issues when giving the engine gas while in park. Is this a vaccum issue? Possibly a speed sensor issue? Or is it time to invest in a new transmission.

5 Replies

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,870 POSTS

Do you have any code's?Do you have a delay in reverse or bang into reverse?

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Friday, January 7th, 2011 AT 1:42 AM

RAUSTINESQ

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7 POSTS

No codes, and I was having the bang into reverse, it has since stopped after replacing the collant temp sensor. I assumed that idling from that was causing that to happen

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Friday, January 7th, 2011 AT 1:45 AM

SATURNTECH9

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30,870 POSTS

So have you checked for code's to know you don't have any?The bang into reverse can be caused by a high idle so that would make sense if you had a high idle you could have a bag into reverse. Most of the time the problem you get with those saturn S model transmission's is a pressure issue that doesn't require tear down or replacement to fix it.

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Friday, January 7th, 2011 AT 1:48 AM

RAUSTINESQ

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7 POSTS

Where would I even begin to look for that or fix that? And when you say pressure, do you mean vaccum pressure? Something I should let the experts handle or do myself? Also, do you know about how much something like this would cost?

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Friday, January 7th, 2011 AT 1:54 AM

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,870 POSTS

When I say pressure I mean the transmission line pressure inside the transmission. If it was a pressure issue you would replace the valve body which you can find for 200 or less. It is possible to do yourself if your handy with tool's. But first you would have to get a transmission line pressure gauge and test the pressure to see if the pressure is good or bad. If you take in to have it done it's going to cost a lot and most of the time they just want to rebuild your transmission instead of see what is really wrong with it. If you can find a honest shop that know's what there doing your looking at about 4 hour's labor with diagnoses if it's just a pressure regulator issue plus the valve body. When I had the valve body off I would also air check all the clutch piston's to make sure there holding with compressed air. It's not a job for someone that has never worked on a car in his life.