Quote:
Originally Posted by 69camarox
does it shift fine around town but then you go on freeway get off and stop at a light and drive away and it shifts hard ?? if so shut it off and re start and it is ok again . scan it if it has code p1811 you need a valve replaced in the valve body i fix them all the time and usually charge around 500
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Sounds like the 4L60E that was in my '97 Safari.
Same deal, after hours long drive on the highway it would hard shift and feel like the trans would just grenade. Then shut it off for a bit and shifted fine after that.
Never as much as dropped a pan on an auto before but bought a rebuilt valve body with a "Sonnax" kit off ebay. I think I paid about $135.
Hard shift was gone but experienced a new shift problem. Discovered it was wallered out holes in the Separator Plate causing one or more of the check balls to get stuck on occasion.
After I fixed that with a repair kit (parts shop didn't have the Separator Plate in stock, so sold me a kit that was easy to use), the trans shifted great, no more hard shifts.
IIRC, I also replaced the shift solenoids just as insurance. But I was told they either work or don't. The intermittent hard shift issue was not the fault of the shift solenoids.
Trans shop will tend to ONLY offer to do a complete rebuild. They won't do what I did for fear that something else will break next week and you will come back convinced that they "should have known" and their repair warranty should be honored. So they only do a total rebuild or won't touch it.
All told, I think it cost me about $300 including trans oil and filter. The van was 13 years old and 175k miles.
I would have considered a low mile used tranny before paying for a rebuild. But was very happy with the outcome of my repair.
I posted about my repair numerous times on PY, you will probably find some of my posts from around 2009 or 2010 if you search "Sonnax".
If you can find someone like 69camarox to fix the valve body for $500, I'd bet your hard shift when hot will disappear.
But based on my experience, I would ask for the Separator Plate to be replaced at the same time.
As to value, I have an '04 Grand Prix GTP, supercharged 3.8, owned since new. Paint is shot, leather interior coming apart. But 150k miles runs and shifts great. I value it at $1200 on my financial statement. My wife thinks I'm nuts to keep it and insure it. Don't have much use for it but, hey, it's a Pontiac. I wouldn't pay $1200 for a 15 yo car with 150k miles and unknown history. Mine has had very little repair cost, did the front bearing hubs about 25k miles ago, that was probably most major repair but a fairly easy repair. A few window regulators, also easy D-I-Y repair. But it could blow up tomorrow despite the fact I drive it like it is the elderly car it is.
A much newer, much lower mile, late model for $10k would be a much better value. That is why poor people tend to get screwed. If you can't qualify to buy a $10k or more car, you will likely buy a $2k piece of junk that will nickel and dime you and leave you stranded often. Sad really.
If you aren't planning to keep it anyway, fixing it probably won' t add any value. But if you want to keep it, the valve body repair is probably all you really need especially if you know the history and you haven't abused it.