4T65E problems

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__CHI__

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My buddy has a 97 buick park ave ultra with the supercharged 3.8 and it won't move. If you put it in gear you can feel it shift but it won't move. Doesnt matter if it's in 1st or drive,pedal to the floor and all it still wont budge. Trans never slipped while shifting and only shifted hard a few times when it was a little above operating temp. I'm stumped boys,any of yall had this problem before? Could it just be something simple like being low on fluid or a solenoid? Thanks guys
 

94burbk1500

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Does that use a vacuum modulator? I'm seeing trans issues with my wife's Corsica shifting strangely (only when she drives, lol), I'll be diving into it this weekend most likely. I found a collapsed vacuum line and I'm hoping that's her problem. I'm fairly certain it has the same trans as the park ave, just different ratios.
 

__CHI__

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Does that use a vacuum modulator? I'm seeing trans issues with my wife's Corsica shifting strangely (only when she drives, lol), I'll be diving into it this weekend most likely. I found a collapsed vacuum line and I'm hoping that's her problem. I'm fairly certain it has the same trans as the park ave, just different ratios.
I'm pretty sure its the same thing,and I've never even thought to look for a collapsed line lol. Thank you,I'll give it a gander when i get to his house. Hopefully its the same trans,if not i guess he gets to borrow my spare one on a 3.8 in the garage lol
 

94burbk1500

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I'm going to change out the vacuum lines and make sure the fluid it topped off, then let her try to break it. If that doesn't work I'm going to swap the filter and likely the shift solenoids. I'll let you know where it takes me. I honestly don't know if hers (1995) or yours even use the vacuum modulator, I know earlier models did.
 

94burbk1500

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Two things, my wife's car has the 4T60E, similar but not as beefy as your trans. And the 4T60E does use a vacuum modulator, and the one on my wife's car is bad, not sure if the 4T65E has one, but I assume so. If you look up what one looks like, you should be able to identify it on the driver's side of the engine compartment, towards the top of the transmission, facing towards the front end. It is brass and has a single vacuum line coming from it. If you pull the vacuum line and there is trans fluid in it, the diaphragm in the modulator is bad. It is a really simple fix if that is your issue. Just let the car cool down, remove the vacuum line, pull the single bolt holding the retaining bracket in, and it just pulls out.
 

__CHI__

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I wish my buddies car wouldve been that simple lol the tranny fluid was gross so we just pulled it. We're eventually going to tear into it and check it out but for now its got my spare in it. My dudes thinking about just demoing it and scrapping or selling the old trans. I think its the gasket inside the tranny being pinched,or the pressure control solenoid. I'll find out after derby season lol
 
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