Group,I need help with my daughters car. The transmission only slips when the car is at normal temp. When the car is cold the car shifts like a dream with no signs of trouble. Does anyone have any thoughts? Do I need a valve body or do you think that I might need to just replace the transmission?Edited by: sw2cam

Most likely need a valvebody replacement. When you get it fixed. Replace the fluid and filter every 8000 miles and instally an auxillary transmission cooler. You transmission will love you for it.

Thank you Low Saturn !!

Is the valve Body easy or am I in for some real fun ?

Is it also one of those jobs where I will have to take the transmission out anyway?

Any help is great !

Once again, Thank you !

Its not too difficult. As long as you follow the procedures in the service manual.

And the transmission can stay in place.

Just a quick question, I am haveing quite the time trying to find a used valve body. Since the transmission seems to work fine when it is cold do you think it might be just a couple of solenoids?

Used one probably is not the way to go. By slip want to make sure you are sure it is slipping.If they do slip which is very rare they will burn the clutches pretty fast. What gears are slipping? More often than not if a valve body is bad it is the pressure control portion that is sticking and will cause a delay into reverse. The other posibility is the nut on the input shaft has loosened and will slip going into 2nd. Keep in mind if you have not driven an s-series saturn they do not shift as others do. they use a lot of TCC which many beleive is a slip. They are made up completely different than most autos very similar to a manual trans in layout. ie. an input and output shaft meshed together

Thank you Original007 !!

what happens is that I can drive the car for a couple of miles with no sign of trouble then it just seems to fall out of gear and try to change gears and the transmission only seems to grab in lower gears.

When the transmission is cold it drives great and you would never know there was an issue.

I'm Stumped !

No reason to be stumped. Its an extremely common problem. You can try tightening the input shaft nut, but that usually helps to solve reverse slam issues.

Your issue sounds to be a valve body issue. It works better cold because the tolerences are tighter. Things expand the hotter they get. Heat along with dirty tranny fluid are bad for these transmission.

I would also suggest against getting a used transmission. Chances are you will either have similar problem soon, but more likely when you install the used tranny your problems will be worse.

A fully rebuilt valvebody would be the way to go.

Thank you Low saturn.

The car does not seem to have the reverse slam ( Yet )

I have explored a rebuilt valvebody and I was able to find one from Trandstar ( I found their name in another thread ) for $ 357.00 That seems a little high to me...Well...$ 600.00 from the dealer...Any other ideas?

Many Thanks !Edited by: BostomSound

I've read that others on another forum have used the Trandstar valvebody with good results.