Oldsmobile Aurora Maintenance & Repair

Henry

Well I have been there and done that. With me the car would not get out of 2nd gear (and at 65mph dropping to 2nd gear feels like neutral). If the car is stuck in 2nd it means you lost two tranny sensors that have to be replaced. Just search this topic under second gear and all the postings (including mine) will come up. Its not an unusal problem for higher milage 1st generation aROARas.

mrdubya

omg, thank you soooooooooooo much. ive been up all night tweeking about having to spend about 2.5k (that i don't have!) on a tranny. so i should just go to a olds dealer and ask for "shift soleinoids"?

i saw this

 24211355 for the part number, sound right? then trans fluid again too?

lastly, last time i used synthetic, what do you guys recomend? that stuff was $$$ and i don't know if its worth it

i love you!!!!!

(not really, but you get the point!)

mrdubya

if youve done it, could you give me a brief write up please? after i take the pan and filter off....

also, so i alow enough time, how long do you think? what kind of $$?

thanks again

larryfl

..that mentioned a few weeks back you've noticed the power steering "catching" on your car? (i've been unable to post on these newsgroups since the first of Nov due to some technical problems)

I've had that problem for some time on mine and it finally got so bad - power steering abruptly cutting out and back in again while driving - that I had to take it in. New Steering rack. It wasn't as bad as I thought ($$). The independent shop that did it charged me $900 for a new rack, power steering hose installed and alignment.

larryfl

My '95 has had no problems at all with the starter yet (Furiously knocking wood), but I had been dreading the day that it might. I had heard the starter is positioned under the intake manifold in the "V" of the engine.

Good to know it's not as bad a job to get to as I had been told. Of course, I'm sure if I ever do have to replace it, the car shops will still try to tell me how horrible it is and milk me for all thay can.

gisom

Well my 95 classic has finally slipped the gears with 110k on it. I was on the expressway when the car revved up. Because of past notices from our fellow brothers, I had bought the kit to replace the solenoids and was just waiting when it was going to happen. I put my scanner on it and got the message of Shift 'a' solenoid problem, so I know it is the solenoids in the transmission pan. Will be dropping the pan today. It's 30 degrees in Chicago, but it is clear out.

mrdubya

whats going on! thats 3 this month! ill be skipping work to do it, hopefully the local olds/cadillac dealer has the part in stock

mrdubya

update:
I went to the local cadillac dealership, the parts are going to be $65, plus $32 for a new filter/gasket, then i need to pick up some fluid. all in all, probably $115 or so, no nearly as bad as i thought

question though, the parts screen said "valve kit for 1-2, 2-3 (also fits 3-4)" so it sounds like there giving me 2, when there's 3 in there. Im 99.99% sure, the bad one is the 3-4, because of what i said earlier where when i restarted it it would only go goofy when it tried to go into 4th. is there anyway to tell by looking at them? no idea what they even look like, parts comming tomorrow at 7am. or do i just have to guess and do the 2-3, 3-4? what do you guys recommend? (which ones did you do...)

any input would be helpful

thanks

rjs200240

a 1-2 and a 3-4 shift solenoid. The names are really not that descriptive. Basically, with two on/off solenoids, you can have 4 combinations, one corresponding to each forward gear. When one gets stuck, you only have 2 forward gears (which 2 depends on which solenoid is stuck, and in which position it gets stuck in).

Henry

Was it the steering column or the steering rack. My shop said just the column was the issue. The dealer said it was the rack. So I am in the midle here.

Henri

mrdubya

that makes sense, maybe when i see the parts it will make more sense

now its always in 2nd, even when i restart it. only way to drive i speed up quickly to 60 or so then coast down to 40, and keep doing it! not fun...eating gas like a motha too.

good thing they get the part tomorrow

mrdubya

im looking at my 95 GM made service manual (trying to find how to change the solenoids) and it has complete downshift carts for the 3.48 and 3.71 gears, w/ or without performance shifts....

for upshifts, at 10%, 25%, 50% it does delay shifts across the board (as we know) for 100% throttle, upshifts stay the same with or without.

same for downshifts, no difference at all

not sure if anyone cares, but i thought id share

mrdubya

ok guys, i cant seem to find anything on how to change the solenoids. maybe ill open it up tomorrow and it will be obvious, but i don't want to get stuck with it taken apart and not know what to do

i only have a 3.5 - 4 hour window to do it by myself. can someone who's done it, give a little write up of what to do after i take off the pan? that way i know what im getting into, so it might go a little quicker. does stuff have to be removed fist? any tips on mistakes to avoid?

thanks

rjs200240

Man, that's a bit tight. I bet it would take me 3 hours just to change the fluid and filter. By the time I get the car jacked and everything out and cover the floor and such, to cleaning the pan and magnet and gasket surfaces, and then to wash myself up a bit before opening the door and starting the car to warm the fluid up to make sure it's filled enough, I'm sure 3 hours would have passed. Maybe you should wait for the weekend?

mrdubya

ive got school and work everyday this week, no other car and i can't keep driving it in 2nd, i don't think its bad, but definatly not good. 2 guys here said it took them 3 hours, got out of school a little early so it turns out i have about 4.5

didn't wanna go in blind! got my service manual, but it doesn't help to much here

ottoracefan

My climate control has been acting up for a couple months. At times it won't work at all - - no fan, no heat, nothing. At first it wouldn't work once in awhile, now it hardly ever works. But it's strange - - it will work one time you start the car but not the next, or it won't work when you start driving then suddenly start working sometime down the road. It never quits working while driving. I can mess with the controls all I want, but it won't cause it to start working.

I'm suspecting the HVAC programmer, a control box located on the firewall under the glovebox behind the PCM module. Has anyone had a similar problem?

Does anyone have a Classic they are parting out?

mrdubya, we're pulling for you on changing out those tranny solenoids in your limited time window!

mrdubya

does the computer have to be reset for it to go back to normal? i took it all apart, first thing i notice is a ball bearing sitting in pan.....

the solenoid is clearly broken, so i take all of it out, open up the casing that houses it (if you've done it you should know what im talking about. first thing that happens is 3 more little steel balls fall out. i know which half they came from, but staring and staring for a hour there seems to be NO possible place these could have come from. finally i give up, put it all together, fill with fluid etc etc. and start it

jerks into reverse, jerks into drive as i go through the gears. thinking maybe it has to adjust i go for a drive, still only second gear. (this is why i think maybe the computer has to be reset?) driving around a little it no longer jerks into reverse, but still drive.

anyone have some input?? merry christmas.....

and on top of it, its 15 past when im supposed to be at work, i call in and there pissed saying get a cab, blah blah then there like we will send someone to get you. im like, you don't get it, im covered in trans fluid got a huge mess and have to find some sort of alternate transportation for the future.

yeah, im a little upset

mrdubya

so how do i reset the computer, doesn't the negative cable have to stay unplugged for like 8 hours??????

Henry

D-E-A-L-E-R-S-H-I-P

Henry

Seriously, I let the dealer do it and I dont remember it costing that much.

mrdubya

the parts already been changed though

if reseting the computer doesn't help, then i won't try to fix it again, instead beg the parents for money to fix my car....:(

but does it take 8 hours to completly reset the computer? i obviously want to try this first.

blk97aurora

Mike,
I feel for you. Wish I could help with advice, but I haven't been there yet.

Everyone,
Within the next couple of weeks I plan to have the trans fluid and screens replaced; my '97 has 106,000 miles on it. The DIC shows transmission oil life at 100%. Has anyone seen anything less than 100%? I know there are differences of opinion as to whether or not to change fluid.

Since the cost of shift solenoids is not high, I'm thinking of replacing them as preventive maintenance at the same time the trans is opened to replace the screens.

blk97aurora

Does anyone know why shift solenoids fail? Do they just wear out? Contamination?

Mike asked about using synthetic trans fluid; I haven't see any replies. I'm planning to use Mobil 1 synthetic unless I find a good reason not to.

mrdubya

I had a krispy cream donought and for 20 seconds, everything was fine. problems, what problems? had a few more, but eventually, I ate them all, so now the problems are back. (don't wanna be fat again ethier).

well i guess i'll find out tomorrow if she's okay or not.

the part on my solenoid that failed was, its hard to explain but, its like a metal box with a plastic plunger sticking out, this goes into the valve assembly (or whatever it is, i don't know) the plastic part conncected to the metal "box" broke at its neck.

sense these are so comononly broken, why don't they have a metal core or somthing??? good question

i guess the way it works in 1st one of them is "on", in 2nd neither is on, in 3rd the other is on, and 4th both are on (by on, i think they push in on the valve stuff inside) so everytime you upshift/downshift they move, thats alot of action for a tiny little part

im not exactly sure how it all works, but taking it apart gives you a little understanding, not sure how else to explain it.

i kinda think somthing else broke to cause this to break, when i opened it up, there already was a tiny steel ball (not a broken metal piece, but a machined ball) and i don't really think those other 3 balls that fell out were supposed to be there, there was NOWHERE they could have came from

anyone who's cracked the thing open ever notice any ball bearings? i noticed 1 that was in a area that these couldn't have come out of, and that one only had a slit smaller than the ball so i could see it, most likely so it could stay lubed

Henry

the way it was explained to me is that the solenoids dont actually fail of their own acord. In my case, it was a braket that came lose and was flug into the solenoids that caused them to fail. I was told by the mechanic that that is why the shift solenoid kit comes with a screen to protect the solenoids from being damaged in this manner again. You may only need to put in the screen as perventive maintenace instead of replacing the solenoids. Just something to think about.
Henri

mrdubya

LOL, guess what on the sheet that came with my kit it said should be intalled on all transmissions before such and such date because of malfuncton. ill check it tomorrow, to see exactly what it said

not sure of a screen, it did come with a tube screen that went inbetween the solenoids that i replaced, but that in no way interferes or protects the solenoids. but it also came with a little bar, and a bolt. no idea what that was for, probably what your talking about though. i only replaced what i took off, so obviously it didn't harm anything not putting it on, but thats probably what its for

gisom

Okay, I also did the solenoids Tuesday. When I scanned the car (95), the codes read 39 torque converter clutch error, 56 input speed circuit problem which I have had for at least 2 years, 86 Trans pressure control, and 94 Shift 'a' solenoid problem. Since we know about the solenoid problem, I replaced them first. I also had the four ball bearings fall out like you Mrdubyu. I couldn't figure out how to take the solenoids out, so I went to transmission shop and they told me a clip holds them in. Got them out and replaced. Package came with bar which I saw no use for. Mrdubya, if you look at plate you will see four little cup like holes for each of those ball bearings which are called check valves I think. I replaced small screen that came with package and put everything back. I took it for test drive on expressway and no luck. It still would not change to 3rd gear at 50. Since the other 3 problems are probably trans shop items, I am going to take it in. Such a mess with fluid falling from everywhere. Spent 8 hours on this without success. Also, that little memo that came with package said transmission built before 4/96 had to have these items put in. Mrdubya, I hoped you didn't throw out those ball bearings. That could be your jerking problem. You know those balls were there for a reason.

Greg

larryfl

The symptom(s):
For a long time - several months, maybe a year - every now and then the steering would be hard to turn for an instant, but so occasionally that I didn't worry about it. Also had a slow but regular power steering leak, having to fill up the reservoir every couple of months.

In the last two months, the leak got about twice as fast, but the power steering started cutting out more often, especially when I'd just begin to turn it (parking lot or heading into that curve at 50MPH) and then cut back in abruptly after about 2 seconds. Almost like a switch was being turned on and off. After nearly leaving the road twice I decided it needed to be fixed.

The shop said that some internal seals in the rack were giving way under pressure. Also was leaking fluid from each end.

Rack replaced, problem solved.

mrdubya

can you explain more on where the little balls came from?

let me know what the shop says, right now my cars warming up after being "reset", wishfull thinking, but maybe the gears will work.

if it doesn't work, i kinda got lucky, my step mom bought a 2004 cavileer, and they where just about to get rid of her old, 93 ssei which i may end up using for a little while

Henry

My how the Mighty have fallen.

hammen2

...his mom, going from an SSEi to a Cadavalier! Kind of like my wife, who wanted to trade her GTP in for a Vibe, until she drove one (can you say, lack of power?)...

--Robert

gisom

Mrdubya, you will have to take the plates apart again and if you look closely, you will see there is 4 indentions or circles where the balls fell out of. I scanned it again and got a 29 code which is third gear shift problem. I put in both solenoids, so I don't understand why it is not shifting into 3rd gear. I don't think resetting the computer is going to work, but keep your fingers crossed.

Greg

Henry

The answer my friend is blowing in the
  D E A L E R S H I P

mrdubya

hey, if you drove this ssei, you'd see why she got the cavy. the thing is J U N K. ive seen a few that looked good on the outside, this one has a broken windshield (cracked bad) broken left mirror, front ground effect is hanging down, supercharger makes a wicked rattle, exhaust rattles, seats are crap, the list goes on, oh and basically DR's for tires, takes forever to stop in the snow. even if it was in good condition the interior is so gawd awful ugly, especially the front quarter old style vent windows, the ones that used to open for smooking. i hate the car already, does have some nice torque though, esp for 164,000 hard miles.

no the computer didn't work, i don't get it either, i put the solenoids in too, and i was so frustrated with the steel balls i gave up, i know i shouldn't have, but i did. btw, top half or bottom for the balls?

thanks henry, never thought of that!! no ____ (word censoring is so sensitve here!) i have a appointment on friday to bring it in. if i wasn't a broke college kid i would have brought it there to begin with. YES i know it will end up costing me more, but its a chance i took and lost, its not the end of the world.

let me know what happens gisom

Henry

When I had the problem with the solenoids I took it to my mechanic. I also brought the service manual woth me. He looked at where the solenoids were and told me he was not opening the tranny. Told me to take it to the dealer. I thanked him for being honest.

A man gots to know his limitations. <---( Not directed at you )
 
Henri

mrdubya

there right on the bottom though, you can see them as soon as you drop the pan

thats the only reason i did it, its not way up there or anything

Henry

It was good to try. I know I am better in the courtroom then the shoproom, so I would not even try. I do think I could do more of the repairs myself that I pay someone to do for me. BUt I dont have the time or the inclination. Besides, I can't sue myself when something goes wrong with the repair. (wink)

mrdubya

just got back from the dealer, they call right away. "to change the valve body blah blah blah......12 hours in just labor"......"guessing around $1400....", umm sir, i had the valve body out in a hour.....pause....."the one on the side??" no, it was the SHIFT solenoid that was broken, the lower valve body (yes i told them this when i was there i guess the transmission guy wasn't there at the moment)

now there going to be calling me back, 12 hours! ha! not sure what to think, maybe it was a honest mistake, they havn't opened it up yet they want to make sure ill pay up before they do any work (understandable)

mrdubya

since when is dealer time $100 a hour? i thought it was $60, they said 1200 in labor, 200 in gaskets and such probably. maybe i shouldn't be going to school to become a electrician, i should have taken the ASEP program!

gisom

Well monday is supposed to be near 50 in Chicago. I am going to try again to drop pan and look at the whole process of solenoids. I am avoiding expressways until it is fixed, since I can't go past 50.

Greg

mrdubya

dealer just called, they said they got the balls back in, put it all together.....................still won't shift

i hope it doesn't get to expensive! my poor baby

ffreys

My '95 Aurora was doing the no-shift out of second thing,I took it to my TRUSTED transmission shop and $550 later I have a wonderfully smooth shifting car again.They did tell me that I also have a code 37? Intake manifold temperature sensor is what I think they said.Would this cause the car to after starting it up first thing in the morning and driving about 3-5 miles for the ses to come on, run rough,and to stall when I come to a stop? If I shut it off completely and wait about 2 or 3 minutes it starts right up ,ses is gone and it never happens again all day. Thanks for any help.

Henry

mrdubya

i brought it to the local cadillac dealership
they were saying $340 to put the check va
lves in, new gaskets etc. they put it all together, no luck, they'll have it over the weekend i guess.

the sad thing is its a cadillac dealership! they've had 1 car transmission for like 10 years, except the catera. the transmission specialist should know how to fix it.

the ssei is junk, but that things got some torque. spins the tires on dry pavement like nothing. im not abusing it or anything, its most likely going to the junk yard after im done with it anyway. its got decent top end, not quit as much as the aurora, but the car doesn't rev very high, so it shifts to soon. but it gets squirly when you punch it from 10 or so. the torque steer sucks real bad. when the aurora takes off at that speed it doesn't have any torque steer, most likely because of the perfectly equal half shafts that the 4t60hd doesn't have.

gisom

You probably need an intake air temperature sensor located on the air breather. This causes the car to run rough. Costs about $20.

Greg

95mushroom

for 1200, why not get a 4t80 from a salvage cadillac (you could easily get a 2001+ w/under 30k miles) and drop it in yourself? It couldn't be THAT much work??? Or even have your local man do it.

ffreys

well I looked at the sensor and found a small piece of styrofoam stuck in the little plastic cage where the sensor is...think that might have been my problem?

mike98c

I read a while back on a certain Caddy board that I probably am not allowed to mention here that a plastic bracket and plunger were changed to metal after the first few years of production because of the failure rate in the tranny.

gisom

Shift solenoids - I found out that bracket and bolt that came with the kit is used to hold the new filter in place. You place the bracket over the filter to keep it from slipping out and the longer bolt is to compensate for that bracket. I am going to redo the job Tuesday to double check those ball bearings and put that bracket on, now I feel really confident about the gears shifting this time. Will keep you posted.

Greg

mrdubya

are you talking about the filter that slides in between the two solenoids? it wasn't there to begin with, so how could this make the car not shift? how did you find this out? SO, the smaller part of the L butts up to the square part of the cylinder filter making it so the filter can't slide out? not sure how this does anything, the stock filter slide in and out, only hitting the solenoid stopped it, but this part weighs like 20 grams, so its not like it would do any damage

tell more, if you can

ive got the L shaped bar still, i should stop by the dealer tommorrow since they havn't figured out whats going on?