F-Body Europe

Just was reading all the info you gave Jr on his tranny. I hope that some of that will be useful in getting me out of the doghouse with the wife. I was driving back from dropping off some slicks to Hawk. Well I was cruzing about 110 - 115 when it seemed like it lost overdrive. I pulled over at one of those piss-platz thingies, and let it cool off a bit. Well when I was pulling out I remembered that I didn't check for any leaks under the car. When I put it in reverse to go back the 10 ft to check, it wouldn't engage. It also seemed like there was no 1st gear. I assume that the R & the 1 are one the same clutch pack. I am going home in a few and checking the disconect the battery thing. I hope that works. If there is any help you could give my way, it would be most appreciated.

Sleeping with the dog...
RT1

WTF I am glad I stuck with the 6 speed.

You aren't helping!

RT1

I hope that I can get you out of the doghouse. Is there any trouble codes stored? If so what is it? You may need to check with your hobby shop to see if they have a scan tool for transmissions. First and reverse are the same clutch pack. But it just seams that I would not just go out because of the speeds you were driving. I will look tomorrow in the service manuals and see what it says about your problem. Don't worry dude we will figure out your problem. If we do need to rebuild, the kit is about $150.00.
Not to bad if that fixes your prob.

The not helping thing was directed to Hawk, who just has jokes at this point.

I went and took the battery off, and it still won't do the reverse thing. It gives a learch when I put it in 1st though, so that might be working. I will be taking it to the craft shop tomorrow, just want to put it on the lift and see what I can see. No leaking. I am going to have to ask the prior owner if the trans dip-stick was always twisted like it is, maybe that is a bad thing. It isn't like in a bow-knot but has about 5 or 6 twists in it.

Thanks for all your help. I just hope I can get the wifes' car fixed soon. I love my dog and all, but she snores more than my wife.

RT1

Rob I know the doghouse myself I hope it is nothing and if you need help I will try to give you a hand but it will be july before I get leave

Thanks man, I know you mean well. She said that once I get her Z fixed I can't drive it anymore. I gotta get with Tony and get my car back, SOON! I am gettin' the shakes.

RT1

i ended up having to get a factory rebuilt tranny. but I have no problems whatsoever now.

Sven, how much you throw down on a rebuilt tranny? I hope it don't come down to that, but I just need to know how much to expect to put on the Visa.

Hotrod, it seems that our craft shop doesn't have one of those scan tools. They suggested Opel, ha. I have delt with them before on this subject. They like to 'remove and replace' instead of the rebuild thing. I guess they don't trust the workmanship, or maybe they were trying to save me some $. Anyway, I didn't get a chance to get it on the lift today. Did you find anything out today?

RT1

Well that dosen't help me any. So you have one of those quality craft shops. Where are you located? I just might have to take a trip out to see you.

I am at Giebelstadt AAF, near just south of Wurzberg. It's an alright craft shop, lots of lifts and bays. I guess they are just a little lacking in the tool department. I will check around some and get back with you. I could prolly drive it to where you are... as long as I don't have to back up.

RT1

okay guys......get ready- get ready-- brace yourself----brace yourself--- INCLUDING LABOR--TWO GRAND!!!

...OOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCHHHHHH!!!!!!!

....ooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuccccccccchhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

now hear me out, please.

it was done by an authorized GM representative at an (yes) opel dealership (yes) in amberg, just south of vilseck. he says he does these repairs on a weekly basis but he has to order the tranny from the states. He ( Mr. Beilmier) says that over here in Europe the tranny is much subject to the high horsepower and sustained high speeds than over in the states and around 50-75 thousand miles or so the tranny begins to end its useful life. Now before you guys start saying that I am on straight crack -- and i am smoking some really wacky stuff i have learned from personal experience that when something goes wrong, it is usually more than one problem. even if it is one problem, you can be sure that soon some other part or item will reach the end of it's useful life.
many parts are designed to have a certain life span, depending on the use, or abuse it receives.Putting a band aid over an open wound does not do any good to the micro scopic compound fracture that the bone has received underneath.

this was done in the fall of last year and i have had no problems whatsoever. and some of you guys that where in bitburg last weekend saw my car in action.

and mr. beilmier has not had any of those customers come back with any tranny trouble, whatsoever.

you guys all ready know what i am talking about.

Sven, stop beating yourself up over it. Two grand don't sound all that bad. I have noticed that the Opel does just want to replace stuff. I mean they wanted to replace my engine after I blew a head gasket. 6500 DM for a V6 didn't sound like as good of deal as you got. Maybe I will have to go to Vilsek, if it is totally f^$%ered. Thanks for the 411 though.

RT1

thanks a lot rt1. I don't feel so bad anymore.

That's fine with me. If you want to go over there and replace the tranny, fine with me. I was just trying to help.
I'm the type of person that will try to figure out what went wrong and repair it. The good ole A.F. sent me to schoolfor these transmissions. Try to do some simple trouble shooting first before you go off spending all that hard earned money.
First - Check fused power supply circuit to transmission solenoid(failure may cause other components to fail as well such as A/C clutch, EGR, EVAP, or ABS systems. It may kick a light on).
Second - Is the MIL(Malfunction Indicator Light) on? If it is on all the time then there are DTC(Trouble Codes) being detected. You will need a scanner to pull the codes. You can not ground the two wires together like the old days.
Thrid - Pull the 20 pin connector. Hold the pin so that the alignment nitch is to the right. The top 4 are right to left starting with A, B, C, D. Next row down all the way to the right is pin E. Third row down, right to left starting with L, M, N, P, R, S. And finally the last row right to left starting with T, U.
Pin Function
A 1-2 shift solenoid(low)
B 2-3 shift solenoid(low)
C pressure control solenoid(high)
D pressure control solenoid(low)
E both shift solenoids, TCC(torque converter
clutch) solenoid,and 3-2 control solenoid(high)
L Transmission fluid temperature(high)
M Transmission fluid temperature(low)
N Range signal "A"
P Range signal "C"
R Range signal "B"
S 3-2 control solenoid(low)
T TCC solenoid(low)
U Tcc PWM solenoid
Now you are going to need an Ohm meter to test your solenoids.
Solenoid Ohms
pressure control solenoid 3-7
TCC PWM solenoid 10-15
TCC solenoid 21-33
1-2 & 2-3 shift solenoids 19-31
3-2 control solenoid 20-32
I hope that all this info dosen't freak you out. I hope that this helps.
Later dude

Wow. That is alot of 411. I might need help with this one. Are you busy this weekend?

I was talking about going to Vilsek to get a better deal at the Opel. Just in case I need to replace it. Am I to understand you rebuild these things? Or is it like the Army... train you to trouble shoot it, then send it back to the company to fix it?

RT1

Well this weekend I am going to holland for a car show. Going to show off my car. It might not go fast as we all saw this past weekend, but it sure looks good going down the track. Yes I do rebuild them-also turbo 350's, 400's and 700R4's. The Air Force sent me to the advanced transmission class a few years ago, but never put the knowledge to use for the A.F.. So I put it to good use as trying to help out friends and such. Over here in this area the local shop rather replace them rather than rebuild. Myself and another friend are the only people that rebuild American automatic transmissions here in this area. Do you have 1st gear? You stated you do not have reverse. What other conditions are happening? A/C not working, ABS light on, etc?

Well I took her to the craft shop last night, with the wife, who was giving me dirty looks the entire time. Well on the ride there... no first, no reverse, no abs light, haven't tried the A/C. Tres, the previous owner, came by to check up on it, and fiddled around with it. There was some, not alot, of fluid in what he called the kick-down, a round thingie just before the drive shaft. The car starts out, goes to just about red line, it seems like it will never shift, then goes into 3rd. There was a little squeek also when it changed gears.

I also heard that the craft shop in Schweinfurt has the scan tool. Do you think that I could drive it, or should I have it towed.

RT1

hey, you handsome gentlemen, Mr. Bielmier can be reached at his shop phone 09621-678-138 or at the amberg opel/chevy/GM dealer phone 09621-6780. They also speak english.

hey guys if you want to fix it yourself that's great. and if i knew you guys before, of course i would have checked you out. if i could have fixed it myself, i would. and while i am definitely not ignorant of the subject, and while i can find looking at scematics and diagrams quite stimulating, "turning wrenches" is not my forte.

and i just wanted it fixed.

And I got it fixed.