2002 Intrigue Transmission Decision

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derkach99

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Hello all,

I took my car into Mr Transmission today to have a free diagnostics done. After they hooked a computer up to it and drove it around I was told that the car senses long shifts and ups the hydraulic pressure which causes the rough shifting I sometimes notice. I was also told the they can drop the transmission and put it back on the car for $600 plus the cost to repair what is causing the problem. I asked if the PCM sensor could be the issue and I was told no because its a hydraulic pressure problem. Any opinions? I even took the car to GM to see if there was a software update (I have heard a software issue can cause tranny issues) and they discovered that the car was up to date.

The long and rough shifting isn't that bad at this point but from what I read it only gets worse but I would prefer to start while i'm ahead.

Thank you guys in advance.
 
Hi.

If you let them, or AAMCO, do an internal (tranny drop) text, it WILL cost over $1K to get the tranny to work for even 1 mile for you to drive it away. So, you WILL get a rebuilt tranny for ~$2.5K. Call it a Huge Mega scam if you want, but that's how ALL tranny places work.

IMHO, you have 2 good choices if you want to keep the car
1) Dealer and new tranny. If you think the car will last over 5 years, imho, any other option is foolish. A 100% new tranny for your car is CHEAP compared to what it should cost. That's how I went.

2) Go to a trusted local mechanic, and have them put in a rebuilt tranny by a Nation-wide supplier of rebuilt trannys, that also come with a Nation-wide warranty.
It will be cheaper, you wont have some "minimum wage moron" taking the tranny out, and putting the rebuilt tranny back in. The person that rebuilds trannys and places like that only rebuilds trannys. They have some "moron of the week/month/season" do all of the other work. And, they screw up a lot of things many times.
IMHO, that's MUCH better than _betting on_ the sucker that some local National tranny chain had throwing the tranny together _this_ week. The tranny built by the Nation-wide rebuilders get tested and are done by real professionals. Note, it's much different than the minimum wage suckers that rebuild alternators, starters, CV joints, etc. Or, many of the Nation-wide engine rebuilders that still compete on cost with many others, and therefore Very often cut corners!

Good Luck!
 
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i used snake oil and it worked for me and i am rough shift free for 3 years now.lucas transmission treatment,follow the directions,and then replace the fluid with synthetic.may not work for all but it may be dirt or buildup in the pressure cylinder walls that is cleared by the lucas.good luck.
 
This problem is generally the pressure control solenoid either going bad or hanging up. What was said above holds true. If you are going to get the PCS replaced, the shop will drain the fluid and open up the side cover (gotta drop the cradle down some to get to it) and recommend a rebuilt unit. There are videos on youtube to replace the solenoid, but this is really for the experienced mechanic.
 
Hello all,

I added some Lucas oil transmission fix and it made a noticeable difference. I only added about a quarter of the bottle because I think there is to much fluid in the transmission as it is. I can't read the tranny fluid dip stick, is this common with this transmission? The problem isn't that bad at the moment if a rebuilt transmission is recommended I might as well wait until the issue gets worse. I am thinking of getting a transmission flush to get the fluid level under control maybe it might help or I might just drain the fluid to an acceptable level if need be.
 
Don't flush the tranny. Just drain the fluid and refill with fresh fluid. You didn't mention the mileage. On older transmissions you don't want to flush it because it will remove any particulate matter that help the transmission continue to function well.
 
Hi, I replied quickly, before the weekend, so that you'd know that if they did a "diagnostic inspection" you would either spend the money for a rebuilt tranny, or get mega screwed.


Fwiw, Bill Carson has the advice *for your tranny problem* dead-on!!! :)

As Corky said, your tranny problem is a very well known problem with MANY GM trannys over MANY MANY years and models.
In other words, it's GM design "as usual".

A good local honest small tranny shop could do the work "cheap and fast". They don't even have to remove the tranny t do the fix. There are kits to fix the cr*p GM design (sleeve the bore).

So, imho, what Bill Carson did is the best advice for your tranny problem.

Note, I keep saying "your tranny problem".
Not every tranny problem is the same. :)

If someone has "water intoxication", then giving them a drink of water is foolish and likely deadly.
If someone is dying of thirst, giving them a Diuretic is likely foolish and deadly.
So, just because someone is sick from improper water intake, you do not treat them the same. :)
The same is true for mechanic issues. :)


So, why, imho, Bill Carson did the right thing:
A full fluid change and using synthetic will help the piston/solenoid slide easier.
Using the "Tranny mechanic in a bottle" will swell (increase) the rubber seals. So, that means that the piston rubber seals will expand and not leak as much.
The synthetic fluid is slipperier, allowing the rubber and piston to slide easier.
The old tranny fluid has dirt, oil, water, and particles in it. All of those things in the old tranny fluid make the rubber piston not slide as easily in the bore, and/or allow more fluid to bypass the rubber.

So, like how a "medicine men" would use "special magical plants" that would help a person that has a headache, we learn that it's "aspirin-like" chemicals in the plant, and it is not "magic". :)
The same is how people like Bill can use these "magic" "mechanic in a can" things, and have good results.

Fwiw, as I've mentioned before, most "mechanic in a can" stuff does more harm than good. And, the stuff for head gaskets, makes the whole block, and cooling system junk.


Good Luck!
 
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My apologies my intrigue has about 210,000kms on it.

Thank you for your advise and I am glad to hear that Lucas oil transmission product is a good thing to do. My transmission does not leak if just has some long shifts and some rough shifts but nothing as bad as some horror stories i have heard but I am concerned that it could lead to that. When should I resort to taking the car to a local transmission shop? When the issue gets worse after I get the fluid drained and the tranny fix put in?


One thing I dont understand is why when GM upgraded it's transmission in 1997 to whats in my intrigue, and it used in a ton of GM vehicles in the late 1990s to early 2000s, that they would upgrade the old tranny system to something that doesn't function as a tranny should especially since the new transmission is suppose to have smother shifting. If you remember me from the Cutlass Supreme forums, I have a 1994 Cutlass 4Dr sedan that I want to restore some day, and it has that older version of the transmission and it is rock solid in my opinion. It has 310,000kms on it and the only tranny issues I have had is recently I had a bad transmission leak in one of the lines. The transmission only shifted hard sometimes and that was because of low fluid due to the leak but when the issue was fixed and the fluid topped up it was like new. I am still shocked that despite the age of the car if almost functions like new! Got to love that 3.1L especially after the metal gasket upgrade, I am told that it make that engine good for life! :P Anyway sorry for talking about the Cutty on here, I wish I could afford insurance on her along side my intrigue. Both of these cars are amazing in my opinion, very dependable.


One more question, When I get the fluid drained and new dexron 4 put in, should I have the filter changed as well?
 
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derkach99 said:
I am glad to hear that Lucas oil transmission product is a good thing to do.
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To be clear :-), it's "good" because GM has another poor design, and that otherwise "ricer waste of money cr*p" happens to help the piston/valve with the design flaw.
Otherwise, in most cases, the tranny "fixer" stuff just ruins the seals and makes the tranny fail even faster.

Good Read: (imho, pretty accurate.)
Transmission Repair in a Bottle
http://autorepair.answers.com/mechanical/transmission-repair-in-a-bottle




derkach99 said:
My transmission does not leak if just has some long shifts and some rough shifts but nothing as bad as some horror stories i have heard but I am concerned that it could lead to that. When should I resort to taking the car to a local transmission shop? When the issue gets worse after I get the fluid drained and the tranny fix put in?
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If you can take it to a shop with ~~5K miles after it starts shifting hard again, then wait until it starts shifting hard again.
Heck, it might last another 5+ years/50K+ miles. Especially, if you do a fluid change, use good synthetic fluid, use a new filter.



derkach99 said:
One more question, When I get the fluid drained and new dexron 4 put in, should I have the filter changed as well?
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Imho, the filter change is more important OEM Dexron 4.
Again, you want 100% synthetic to allow the piston and the rubber seal to move freely in the bore.

If neither you, nor someone else, has put any additional fluid in the tranny, then it has Dextron III. In that case, you should use:

Mobil1 Synthetic ATF Dexron/Mercon Automatic Transmission Fluid (1 Quart)

http://www.amazon.com/Mobil-112980-Synthetic-Automatic-Transmission/dp/B009IE2R0U
Mobil 1 112980 Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid - 1 Quart (Pack of 6)

https://mobiloil.com/en/automatic-transmission-fluid/synthetic-atf




If you, or someone else, put in Dextron-IV fluid, then Mobil-1-112980 doesn't meet the Dextron-IV spec. I don't know what it would mean, since the majority of the fluid is OEM Dextron-III.

Still, in that case, I'd suggest using:
http://www.amazon.com/Valvoline-DEXRON-VI-Full-Synthetic-Automatic-Transmission/dp/B002ZSKBU4

Valvoline VV370 DEXRON-VI Full-Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid - 1 Quart

http://www.valvoline.com/our-products/automatic-transmission-products/dexron-vi-atf


Fwiw, when I did my engine replace, I also took out the tranny, and did a fluid and filter change. I got at least 2 filters and gaskets. One came with the gasket folded and "squished/bent by the filter bouncing around" in the box. F***** that! You'd be lucky if that gasket didn't leak.
From a quick look on the web, it seems that the Fram filter and gasket kit comes in a box that is just big enough for the filter. And, the AC Delco Pro gaskets come on cardboard with the gasket flat and the filter in the middle held on by shrink wrap. That's also what I "seem" to remember.







derkach99 said:
Anyway sorry for talking about the Cutty on here, I wish I could afford insurance on her along side my intrigue. Both of these cars are amazing in my opinion, very dependable.
Click to expand...
This board and these forums get very little traffic. And, imho, most of the traffic is a first time post, by someone who doesn't even give a ****** if they have typos, write hard to read and understand sentences, and don't even have common courtesy to say give a single "thanks".
And, considering my user name, I'm never going to complain about Cutlass talk. :)


Good Luck!
 
Thank you I am sure you will be hearing from me quite a bit lol. So what I have decided to do it get the tranny fluid drained, new filter and have transmission fix added in with dexron IV fluid and see where that gets me. Wish me luck!
 
Well i got the transmission fluid changed today. It got the tranny fluid drained and a new filter put in with synthetic dexron VI fluid ($190 CAD) with transmission fix and I can already notice an improvement. Thank you guys for your assistance.
 
derkach99 said:
Well i got the transmission fluid changed today. It got the tranny fluid drained and a new filter put in with synthetic dexron VI fluid ($190 CAD) with transmission fix and I can already notice an improvement. Thank you guys for your assistance.
Click to expand...

I'm glad that the fluid change helped!


The fluid should be changed after ~100K miles anyway.
The synthetic fluid lubricates better, reduces friction, foams less, dissipates heat better, etc. The new filter allows for full fluid pressure, and clean fluid.


The tranny mechanic in a bottle helps to swell the seal, so that if better conforms to the poorly machined, poorly toleranced, and overly wearing bore (simple design problem to fix. But that costs money, and GM rather screw their customers).

Note: You may need to add 1/2 bottle to a full bottle after the fluid change.
But, don't do it unless the tranny starts to hang again! :)
Even a full bottle isn't too much for properly filled tranny. If the fluid is a little over the line, that's fine.
Too much over the line, and the fluid starts to foam. When that happens, there's less pressure (fluid filled with air), and the fluid "wears" quicker.


Good Luck!
 
I'm kinda late on this thread, 226K miles on the original tranny - don't do anything unusual, just drain and fill it every 3 years or so.

Mine has the usual Intrigue quirks, hard shifing once in a while on hot days, and the 4th gear has dropped out.

I've been going by the "as long as it works good enough, wring all the remaining use from it" frame of mind. The rough shifts will sort themselves out after several miles. I'm familiar enough with the car to ease off the power before shift points. I just use the car for local trips, put about 5000 miles a year on it now - so it's not worth a rebuild just to get the 4th gear back.
 
I am noticing that there is more shuttering now, however I still notice when the tranny is cool or warm it works near perfect. I am going to give it a bit more time before I add the second bottle.
 
derkach99 said:
Well i got the transmission fluid changed today. It got the tranny fluid drained and a new filter put in with synthetic dexron VI fluid ($190 CAD) with transmission fix and I can already notice an improvement. Thank you guys for your assistance.
Click to expand...
Really late to the party here, but how many litres of fluid drained out when you dropped the pan? Just wondering how much new fluid to buy before changing it on my 2002 Intrigue.
 
It's about a 5 litre job so maybe get two jugs or 5L and a couple of 1L's? I can't remember exactly, but be sure to check the tranny dipstick after you shift through all the gears and while the engine is running. I made the mistake of checking while it was off, and I thought I overfilled it! 😅 It slipped and shifted rough until I realized my mistake after a test drive.
 
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