Any Chevy technicians out there????

[400grl]

Hey - I was hoping out of 10000+ members maybe one or two of you guys would be Chevy techs!

I have a 1994 Z-71 4X4 with 150,000 miles on it (it's been very well cared for!)....my problem is, last week without any warning my tranny started skipping second gear (I have an automatic tranny with overdrive - a 4L60E to be exact.) Every other gear works perfectly.....there is no residue in the tranny fluid....no slipping, no hesitation...nothing except it acts like it doesn't even recognize there is a second gear.

We have been getting comments that the tranny is shot, but we are wondering if it could be something electrical that is messed up. I know it's got a lot of miles on it, but like I said - it's been very well cared for and driven correctly.

So - can anyone help me out? Thanks!!! ;)

[Bretmd94]

:ermm:

my friend has one that might be the same year. His tranny went out at 70k. But he also took it on the dunes all the time. Theres no grinding or not finding any gear? Or maybe jsut going to the next gear is the same thing as missing a gear for an auto. I really know nothing. :macho

[danney f]

When was the last time the trans fillter was changed? Most people don't know that it's needs to be changed every 10,000-12,000 miles. Just a thought.

[400grl]

It gets changed regularly - and it was just changed on Friday again......the filter was changed and the fluid was drained/flushed to see if there was any debris in the valves.....didn't help it any.

[TheRedRebel17]

Can you manually shift in 2nd gear?

[400grl]

No.....if I start it out manually in first gear and then shift into second, it just stays in first....then if I shift it into Overdrive from there, it will shift up into OD.....if I drive with it in D....and I'm stopped and then accelerate....it will rev itself up to the redline and when I left off just a tad on the accelerator it will shift into 3rd gear.....just totally skipping 2nd. Reverse is perfect.....all the other gears are perfect....wierd, huh??:confused:

[TheRedRebel17]

Originally posted by 400grl
No.....if I start it out manually in first gear and then shift into second, it just stays in first....then if I shift it into Overdrive from there, it will shift up into OD.....if I drive with it in D....and I'm stopped and then accelerate....it will rev itself up to the redline and when I left off just a tad on the accelerator it will shift into 3rd gear.....just totally skipping 2nd. Reverse is perfect.....all the other gears are perfect....wierd, huh??:confused:

So second gear is basically a false neutral? Never heard of that before:confused:

[400grl]

Well.....sort of....but the truck doesn't go into nuetral - it just stays in first gear when I manually shift it into second. Then, when it's shifted into D it skips up to 3rd when the rpms are high enough.....

[Guy400]

Corry, pull the shifter into "2" at a stop and then try to accelerate. This should start the vehicle in 2nd gear.

Just as a side note, are you sure it's the 4L60E transmission? I thought in '91 they were still using the 700R-4. The 4L60E is basically the same transmission except it's electronic. I know in the cars the switch wasn't made to the 4L60E until mid-90's. Both my Caprice 9C1 and LT1 Z28 were still using the 700R-4 until '93. Crawl underneath and take a peak at the tranny. I seem to remember having one plug with a green and black wiring coming from it. That controlled the electronic lock-up for the torque converter but shifting was still done via vacuum. If there's no vacuum lines to the trans and there's more than one set of wires coming from it than you probably do have the 4L60E. If it's still the 700R-4 it sounds like a problem with a valve sticking in the valve body. It's highly unlikely that a check ball isn't working correctly because there's relatively little that can go wrong with those. If it's a 4L60E than I'm not sure because honestly, I've never had a 4L60E apart before. With the addition of electronic shift control is addition complications when something does go wrong.

[400grl]

GUY400.......yeah - I have the 4L60E because my truck is a 94....(technically it's a 94 1/2).....so....d*mn those electrical things! :)

If the truck is stopped, and then shifted into 2nd gear and started from there, it still only starts in 1st gear.....just won't shift up into second no matter what......:grr:

[Guy400]

oops--for some reason I thought I read '1991'.

[400grl]

LOL!!! :D

[howboutchaw]

Did you take to a dealer to have it checked out?
I had a truck do similar things turned out to be a $12 pressure switch. It really hard to say what could be wrong without a main line pressure check. Did the service engine light come on. If it did that tell more then anything because it will store a trouble code.
I would not keep driving it.

[bad465]

I do alot of superchargers on escalades, h2's, denali's, etc and if it revs to the moon in what should be 2nd gear and finally drops off directly into 3rd your band is shot and it will shortly start affecting 4th as well if it isnt already. We have this happen alot with the added power of the superchargers.

[L.Vegas400]

sounds to me like its time for a rebuild. i hope mine lasts for quite a few more miles. 98 z71 with 162,000mi

[400grl]

Bad465...I think you may have hit the nail on the head.....there is no service/check engine light on....we checked the solenoids....they seem to be working fine....looks like the tranny is coming out to check the band. Dammit! I didn't want my boyfriend to have to do that.....yep - we will throw in a rebuild kit while it's out....preventive maintanance so to speak! We tossed around putting in a 383 stroker while we had it all out of commission, but I can't do all the $$ right now....bummer! That would be awesome!!! ;) She's staying stock for now......:) ;) You guys' input helped a lot - I'll keep you posted....who knows...with all they Chevy's around, maybe this thread can help out someone else, too.......you guys are the best!:)

[AtvMxRider]

Sorry to hear about your Truck Corry.

[sharpshooter]

I had a 1995 z71 and it had a 700r4.I thought the electronic trans didn't come out until 1996 with the vortec 350.I hope you can get your problem solved cheaply.

[rowlrag]

400girl, with having replaced to many of the 4l60 e tranny, that GM used in trucks even 4.3 s-10's camaro, vans astro vans, in other words they used it in about everything rear wheel drive. I won't get technical. With that many miles on it, I don't recommend waisting anymore time with it. DO NOT have it rebuilt, been down that rode before, call GM and price a reman, Around $1300 bucks plus labor with 3yr 36,000 or it maybe 50,000 now. Also if you've never had a fuel pump get one NOW, GM ONLY, the life expectancie of a pump is 100,000, some crap at 60,000 some last 250,000 have it replaced so your not walkin.

[rowlrag]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by sharpshooter
I had a 1995 z71 and it had a 700r4.I thought the electronic trans didn't come out until 1996 with the vortec 350.I hope you can get your problem solved cheaply. [/QUOTE
Late 93 the 4l60e came out which basically is a 700r4. The (e) means electronic, if yours was a 700 with cruise it would have three cables going to the throttle body, 1-gas cable 2-cruise cable 3- tranny detent cable or TV cable.

[cdalejef]

I would listen to what rowlrag says......he knows his chit!;)

Originally posted by Jeff@QuadShop
I would listen to what rowlrag says......he knows his chit!;)

I"m gonna have to agree with poppa fro on this one...:)

Capt. Poopypants knows his cheby's...:D

[Pappy]

rowlrag.....head wrench:bandit:

that mofo has many a gold star stuck on his tool box;)

[rowlrag]

Originally posted by Pappy
rowlrag.....head wrench:bandit:

that mofo has many a gold star stuck on his tool box;)
I want gold teeth like P. Duddy, and an 89 250r dogbone,sir.:D

[Pappy]

dammit she gets her question answered and i gotta pay:grr:

1 89 dog bone shipping out:p

[400grl]

oOOooo..more good info! Only I can't spend much right now...unless I start selling my toys, which I am not willing to do right now! :) So.....it looks like I will have to try to make replacing the band and internal parts with new ones for now....and see how long it lasts me. If I get to a point where I can get a new/reman GM tranny, then I will do it......

Hahahahaha on the fuel pump!!! I have been through so many of those things! Well...actually, only 3, but it seems like a lot! And fuel filters....and a new alternator...my radiator just crapped out a couple of months ago, so I got a really nice double row one now.....well...just about everything on that truck has been replaced, except for the engine. So far so good on my 350! :)

Fortunately between my dad and my boyfriend, I have never had to pay for labor - and I get my parts pretty cheap. Only way I could ever keep this truck. I can see why people go ahead and pay $450 a month for a payment on a car/truck....especially if it's under warranty! :)

Rowlag, I may be PMing you if we run into trouble!!! Rico, Jerry, maybe I'll just pm you guys for the fun of it !!! :)

Thanks again!!!

[Doibugu2]

I thought you worked at a Porsche dealer? Maybe I'm wrong. Why not drive one of them.

As pretty as u are, you need your self a sugar daddy. (to bad you won't find one on this site, were all losers);)

[Bean]

my Chebby is down to, we think it is the fuel pump

i would either start looking for a rebuilt/new GM tranny, because that saves you the expense of fixing it later, trannys ussally dont last 300k

[cdalejef]

Originally posted by 400grl
my boyfriend

:eek: SAY IT AIN'T SO!!!:( :( :(

[400grl]

hahahahaha - I DO work at a Porsche dealer!!! And if I had the money I'd be pulling my toys around with a Turbo Cayenne....but...well....it's just that whole money thing!!! ;)

There are LOTS of sugar daddies that come in here.......I just like my own hardworking bluecollar technician a lot better..... ;)

LOL JEff!!! :D ;)

[jlhughes750]

400grl: what do u do at the dealership? good luck with your problem, sounds like a valve body problem. rebuilds suck get a SERTA, GM trans its worth it..

i'm closing in on 100K with mine too. 98 Z71 ext. cab350 vortec

I work at a Chevy garage and i see them come and go all the time, so i keep tabs on what problems they have and when(mileage)... i towed my 18x8x8 enclosed trailer for over a season with it probably 20 races or so. no problems at all. we hoped in my buddys 99 tahoe and headed out for a ride last winter, he had 40K on it, we went 40-50 up the Tpike and the tranny started slipping going through one of the tunnels. by the time we got of the interstate it was junk..... he was towing in OD and said he had always towed in OD.. BONEHEAD!!!!

4L60 no likey towing in OD!!!!! the constant shifting up and down to maintain speed will burn them right up. If u have one of these trucks, tow in Drive only, gas is cheaper than tranny's... and go out and get an aftermarket oil cooler for on the tranny, its easy to do. If u have a Z71 u already have a larger oil cooler for the tranny, but still put another one on, its worth it...


later, J

[Adam202]

would you belive its got 200,000+ miles? my dad takes good care of it ;) http://adam202.freeservers.com/images/pict0027.jpg

[400grl]

Cool! More great info!!!

I am the warranty admin/accountant person here at Porsche....which, if you knew me at all you would think it was funny! I hate numbers!!! I'd honestly rather be in the shop getting my hands all dirty.........but.....I can't take time off work to go to school, so this is what I do! :)

Yeah - at 150,000 miles (and I tow about every weekend) this tranny has definately done it's time. I never tow in OD!!! I learned that from my dad!

Ooooo...and my radiator came with a nice new oil cooler...so we are all good there! :)

I can't wait till Jason gets the tranny apart - I want to see what it looks like in there......I know my way around manual trannies OK, but these autos confuse the crap out of me! :)

[400grl]

Cool!!! Wish I could show you guys mine!!! I just don't have the pic on the web!

[cdalejef]

Originally posted by 400grl
Cool!!! Wish I could show you guys mine!!! I just don't have the pic on the web! You can just mail it to me!:p J/K

[Doibugu2]

Originally posted by jlhughes750
..... he was towing in OD and said he had always towed in OD.. BONEHEAD!!!!



Is this true for any vechile? We should never tow in overdrive? What about when your cruising along pretty good and its flat? Should you still not tow in O/D


What about in a 5 spd car or truck?

I've never heard this before.

[jlhughes750]

whoa, slow down there turbo!!!!:eek2:

who's mailing what????????

400grl- wow your job sucks!!!!!!hahaha i did that for a lil while after the person bailed that did it.. Too much paper for me, just so everyone knows, dealerships do not pay for warranty work. The War. administrator or service consultant needs to code all claims with a bunch of #'s. Then file the RO hardcopy, and send the papers to GM(or Porsche) then (this could be a month later) someone might call asking questions about the repair and basically to critique everything u did, and if your lucky you'll get paid for the repair u made over a month ago. We have a large dealership so we have seperate personel for accounting and warranty... hey its cool to hear women that know whats up. My wife knows keys and controls thats it. My best friends wife(a good friend of my wife) she changes the oil herself in her suburban, used to race atv's, loads and unloades jet ski's, works on there boat, pressure washes and stains there deck.. I love my wife dearly but i still like hearing about women that get things done!!!!!!! kick arse!!!!!;)

later, J

[jlhughes750]

hey dooby#2, (doibugu2)

this applys mainly to auto vehicles. read the owners manual, i think it'll say the same thing... Everyone else at my dealer says the same thing. I shift up into OD on the downhills and sometimes when its flat. Any damage done to an auto trans is done while shifting. Shifting in and out of OD ads excessive wear to the tranny, its always made sense to me.

later, J

[400grl]

LOL!!! Yeah - my job would suck more, but I have a cushy corner office that is all windows right next to a GT3 on the front of the service drive....so...that's pretty nice!

:D

And yeah - from what i understand the friction/heat in the tranny internals caused by a lot of shifting is what does the damage to an auto tranny - so if you tow in Drive, this eliminates much of the shifting that would normally occur if you were trying to tow in OD......

[MOFO]

Originally posted by 400grl
LOL!!! Yeah - my job would suck more, but I have a cushy corner office that is all windows right next to a GT3 on the front of the service drive....so...that's pretty nice!

:D







drool! The only thing that makes my mouth water more than a GT3 is a GT2..... I would do very bad things to get behind the wheel of one of those... :eek:

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by 400grl

Rico, Jerry, maybe I'll just pm you guys for the fun of it !!! :)

Thanks again!!!


I'm still waiting.......:devil:

[4punksdad]

see drbowtie @ cannondaleriders.com

[Bean]

my friend totalled his 700 r tranny muddin in OD, now he has a rebuilt 350 tranny, so he dont got no OD no more, BTW, if you have bigger than stock tires on your truck, driving on flat ground in OD will trash your tourqe converter, it ***** with the stall converter and then breaks stuff

[rowlrag]

Originally posted by 400grl
hahahahaha - I DO work at a Porsche dealer!!! And if I had the money I'd be pulling my toys around with a Turbo Cayenne....but...well....it's just that whole money thing!!! ;)

There are LOTS of sugar daddies that come in here.......I just like my own hardworking bluecollar technician a lot better..... ;)

LOL JEff!!! :D ;)
Will you marry ME please, I'm a sugar daddy:D

[400grl]

Update!!!

Tranny is apart and a piece of some kind of broken linkage got caught in the #2 holding clutch - just holding it wide open! This is why I had no second gear.....will inspect further to see what exactly broke off. Fortunately, my clutches are in really good condition and so far so is everything else.....the piece got stuck right away and there isn't any carnage in there anywhere! Woohoo! This makes me one happy chick! :)

Will update again later! ;)