97 GST Automatic Transmision Problem

[redbaron1988]

Hey Guys,

So... I have an Automatic (my first problem... I know) GST so it has front wheel drive instead of AWD. I recently replaced the engine with one out of what I believe was a 96 because I had to drill the cam and tap it for the cam positopn censor. Anyway, before I popped a rod in the original motor, I had some mild transmision shifting problems... the car would not always shift into overdrive and small intermintant things like that. After replacing the engine and TCM, the car drove fine for about 10 miles and started acting very odd... Now when I start it, when I put it in drive, the car will not move at first... then if I keep giving it a little gas it slowly starts rolling and acting normal... That is until I come to the first stop where it acts like it does not disenguage the gearing and the car dies (just like if you come to a stop with a manual in first gear without your foot on the clutch) After that happens, I restart the car and sometimes it will start off in what feels like second gear and then it will go into third, but not overdrive. When it does not go into overdrive, sometimes I can put the car in neutral and turn it off and restart it and put it in drive and then it will drop into overdrive very hard but once its in overdrive, she runs like a dream. I know alot of you are going to want to tell me its the TCM, but I already replaced that and it did not fix the problem. What I'm trying to get at is...
1. Since the car ran fine at first after switching the TCM and the engine, can something have made my new TCM go bad?
2. Could it be a problem with the shift solinoid? Is there just one or one for every gear?
3. Is it maybe a bad tourge converter?
4. What exact tranny fluid is best for these cars
5. Could it be something as simple as the tranny filter or speed cencor.
6. Does this sound Mechanical ( I don't think so because whenever it is actually in any one of the gears, that gear works fine)

I'm at a loss and I don't have the money to have anything done to this car... its got to be done by me... so where do I start?

 

[Jeff99GS]

It could just be LOW fluid. Have you checked the level of the fluid while the car is HOT/Running and on level ground?

The type of fluid you want is called ATF+3 or ATF+4
Anything else is NO good for these transmissions.

It's a good idea to replace the trans filter and flush out the fluid. Some say it's NOT good to mess with them but that's an old urban legend IMO...Just change the filter and refill the fluid...or take it some where for a flush if you have the money.

 

[redbaron1988]

Thanks for the input... I did take the car to a tranny shop where I previously had a tranny rebuilt and had them check the fluid level to double check and make sure I was not doing it wrong and they told me it was fine on fluid level... I guess I'll try the filter and a flush next and see what result I get from that... any more input guys?