No power to wheels past 2000 rpm

I have been having that grinding noise that i thought was either a wheel hub or a cv joint, but now my transmission seems to be failing. When driving at about 2000 rpms the engine will continue to rev up but the car goes no faster than about 25 miles per hour. I did replace one of the hubs that i thought may have been the culprit, but no luck and now this situation has occurred. Any ideas on what this could be? I'm guessing a new transmission is needed.

Have you checked the transmission fluid level?

Not yet, I will do so in the morning, these symptoms "transmission" symptoms just came up on my way to work and back today.

When you check the fluid, smell and inspect the color. Fluid should be red, not brown or black, and shouldn't smell burnt.

AA wrote:

When you check the fluid, smell and inspect the color. Fluid should be red, not brown or black, and shouldn't smell burnt.

I have a 99 Grand AM SE and my Trans mission is doing the same thing but now its gotten to the point of not having any drive gear except revers. That was a brand spankin new trans i bought like six months ago so Idk what caused the fluid to burn of the clutches could the pcm be causing that? I have the 4T45E.

In both cases what can happen is (usually front) brakes dragging due to corrosion. They don't drag bad enough to stop car but do drag just enough to fool the lockup, the trans chatters in and out of lockup and burns up the torque converter. Eventually the TC "grenades" and deposits shrapnel in the trans and clutch pack, necessitating rebuild or replace.

When this happens the drag does not happen unless the car is driven a while and brakes hes up (the lockup releases when they cool off and line pressure bleeds down).

I haven't seen any form of strange wear on my brakes. I have had trouble with my e-brake though. The line becomes strangely loose when let off, but i don't think it would cause the brakes to drag.

The sticking brake idea only makes sense if you are gentle on the throttle. If you continue to depress the accelerator, the brakes cannot hold the car to 25 mph. This kind of behavior would imply the trans is slipping. Easy to tell the difference, and IMO this isn't a case if dragging brakes, unfortunately.

The transmission fluid was black and smelled burnt.

Was it full?

You can try dropping the pan and changing the fluid (I would). Also check for metal on the pan magnet. But it's likely damaged at this point.

it was just a little low. I added some fluid. It was changed about 3000 miles ago, so the trans must be in bad condition.

Yeah, that's bad news. Time for rebuild.

Is it best to get it rebuilt or is there an option of buying a new transmission? Does anyone make a 4t60-e? I wouldn't trust buying a used transmission.

No such thing as a "new" transmission as far as I know. When I checked with the Buick dealer - they quoted me $3600 for a rebuilt one. They said all their replacements are rebuilds. Same with ZZP and INTENSE. That made me reconsider having mine rebuilt. So far 105k miles on it after the rebuild (2¢ per mile). It may outlast the original.

I will have to look for a place in my town to rebuild it, otherwise it will need to be towed. What sort of prices should i consider for a rebuild?
Thanks for the help AA

RidzRiv wrote:

Is it best to get it rebuilt or is there an option of buying a new transmission? Does anyone make a 4t60-e? I wouldn't trust buying a used transmission.

I would buy a used transmission from a reputable junkyard, they have ways to tell if the junker has a good gearbox, including testing against specs for new.

As a rule, most shops charge $1000 just to pull and replace the transaxle. Some smaller local shops charge less. Imo, the bigger well-known shops like AAMCO command higher prices, and are more apt to honor their warranty. If you use a smaller shop, make sure you trust the mechanic. The less they charge, the more I'd be sure before using them - a referral from a friend or family member helps.

AAMCO is a big chain, but they all operate under slightly different rules. They charge a fair rate, and will make a decision based on the condition of your unit. If they feel it's worth rebuilding, they will. If not, they'll find a good rebuild and swap it in. When I used them, it was $2100 total including install, but they didn't get it right on the first try, and needed to remove it twice more because the valve body was causing problems. They ate that labor and the price of a new valve body because of their standard 12 mo 12k mile warranty. That's another $2k+ right there I didn't have to pay.

I'd be concerned about with smaller shops if there's a problem after they're done. Make sure there's a no-questions-asked, no-cost-to-you agreement in writing. If ANYTHING goes wrong within 12k miles, they fix it, period, at no charge.

A larger shop like AAMCO might not be willing to install a used trans from a salvage yard because of the warranty thing, so if you go that route, you'll probably be using a smaller shop. You'll get a great deal this way, as some good used transaxles are in the $600-800 range. Add another $800-1000 for install and you could be looking at $1500 for the whole job. Just make sure to ask the shop about their warranty and any fees in case something goes wrong.

While the trans is out, I would buy a set of front and rear motor/trans mounts and have them install. They should charge little or nothing for this if you provide the parts. The differential is separate from the trans, and does not need replaced unless your shop has a good reason. I have put 255k on my original diff - it's a very robust item!

Best of luck!

What AA says is sensible. A new transmission is not necessarily the best choice anyway. With a rebuilt transmission parts that are heavier duty can be used, for instance. Also, the cleanliness of the transmission is probably the most important thing. Rumor has it that a rebuilt 4T60/65 is almost certain to be cleaner than new. I understand that it's common to find some metal granules in the transmission pan. Not so with a rebuilt. They can be better than new. This also is why a used transmission can be a very good bet. One that has, for instance, a decal or mark from a reputable rebuilder, or that came in with service records can be a sweet deal all the advantages of a rebuilt at half the price so to speak.

In rebuilding a transmission it's usually a good idea to decide what the trans should be built for (longevity, towing,etc.) And choose components accordingly. The components (torque converter, valve body, fibers and steels) don't really drive your costs as much as the labor for R&R and the actual overhaul.