No forward gears or reverse

Tiny
MIKES SATURN
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 SATURN SL2
  • 1.9L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 103,000 MILES
Car was driving and shifting fine, parked it. Next morning went to move it and no reverse it would not engage and the shifter cable moves at the shifter and at the transmission plus no forward gears would engage rpm changes when you move shifter through the gears and increases in neutral as its supposed to.
Things I have done already is checked the electrical plug on top of transmission and all good, nothing burned and no fluid inside looked like new. Also, I checked with a ohm meter all five of the solenoids all between 4.8-5.2, checked them three times. Fluid level okay but fluid looked old barely pink color the car ran and shifted fine without any issues after the valve body and re-torquing episode a year ago. Except, one time the service engine soon light came on. The TCC lock-up code I do not remember the code number I just cleared the code with my actron code reader light never came on again. This happened about a month ago. Everything I have checked so far has checked out fine. Any suggestions on what to try? I am stumped. I am a mechanic and this does not seem logical from all gears working fine next day no gears fine. I am ready to do whatever necessary on my end if you can help me. Thanks, Mike


Less than a year vago replaced the valve body and re-torqued both input and output nuts.
Monday, February 19th, 2018 AT 2:29 PM

8 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Good evening.

From your description, I would check the filter and see if it is clogged.
If it is good, then you either have a bad torque converter or bad front pump not allowing pressure build up.

Roy
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Monday, February 19th, 2018 AT 2:42 PM
Tiny
MIKES SATURN
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New spin on filter. How do you test torque converter? I am not sure you can, can you?
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Monday, February 19th, 2018 AT 3:45 PM
Tiny
MIKES SATURN
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Is there a regulator for the line pressure?
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Monday, February 19th, 2018 AT 3:47 PM
Tiny
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You would need a set of gauges to hook up to check main line pressure. There are taps on the transmission for access to pressure tests.

There is a pressure valve in the valve body for main line and throttle pressure. The pressure comes from and starts at the front pump. No front pump operation, no pressure.

Roy
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Monday, February 19th, 2018 AT 3:51 PM
Tiny
MIKES SATURN
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  • 5 POSTS
Is that inside or outside of valve body? Do I have to separate it or not? Thanks.
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Monday, February 19th, 2018 AT 4:15 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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It is inside the valve body, if you are referring to the pressure and throttle valves.

Roy
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Monday, February 19th, 2018 AT 4:17 PM
Tiny
MIKES SATURN
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Now the car will not even crank over and battery is 12.5 volts it just keeps getting better, "joking ".
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Monday, February 19th, 2018 AT 4:19 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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When it rains, it pours. LOL

Roy
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Monday, February 19th, 2018 AT 4:21 PM

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