SPONSORED LINKS

2002 Saturn SL1 02 Saturn SL1 no 4th gear

Tiny
SATREN2002
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 SATURN SL1
  • 1.9L
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 157,000 MILES
I have an 02 sl1. When I purchased it the car had the reverse slam, hard shifts and no 4th gear. I changed the pressure control solenoid and that fixed the hard shifts. I know I need to replace the valve body for the rev. Slam. I have removed the valve body and air checked the clutches and 4th does not hold pressure. I am assuming the 4th piston is blown. Also, what would cause this? I do get the p0734 and p0732 codes. I checked a trans. In the salvage yard with only 94000 miles and it to does not hold pressure in 4th gear port. Is this a common problem? Thanks
SPONSORED LINKS
Saturday, August 2nd, 2014 AT 7:16 PM

14 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Waiting for your reply answered the question on the other question you asked it on. Please reply on this question you asked.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Saturday, August 2nd, 2014 AT 8:27 PM
Tiny
SATREN2002
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
I could not see anything move. When I checked each hole nothing moved but when I took the blow gun off hole they would blow pressure back. 4th would not hold any pressure. I can hear air just flowing through.
SPONSORED LINKS
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Saturday, August 2nd, 2014 AT 10:28 PM
Tiny
SATREN2002
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
The previous owner bought the car in Oct. 2013 and it already had the hard shifting and rev. Slam. He drove it like this until he lost 4th. Then I purchased it about a month ago.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Saturday, August 2nd, 2014 AT 10:32 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Nothing moved when you blew air into the ports but when you move the rubber tipped off the port air blew back at you?That makes no sense I have done a lot of air checks and if they clutch packs didnt move at all when removing the air nozzle the air never blows back at you. Also if nothing moves you shouldn't have any gears while your driving. Something sounds really weird from what your saying.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Sunday, August 3rd, 2014 AT 8:06 AM
Tiny
SATREN2002
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Can you tell me exactly how to do the pressure test? I removed the valve body and blew air down each port. I really could not tell if clutches moved. I just know that I put pressure in each port and when I removed the nozzle it would blow back out a little bit except for 4th. It sounded like it was going straight through. The car was off and in park.
SPONSORED LINKS
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Sunday, August 3rd, 2014 AT 8:38 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Here you go.
Images (Click to make bigger)
Thumb
Thumb
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, August 4th, 2014 AT 8:58 PM
Tiny
SATREN2002
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
When I did it before this thread, I just put about 40psi to each port and then let off. Each held pressure except 4th which sounded like it was blowing straight through. What could be the problem?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, August 7th, 2014 AT 12:14 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Do you have transmission fluid splater coming out of the fourth gear clutch pack itself when trying to air it up?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, August 7th, 2014 AT 12:17 PM
Tiny
SATREN2002
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
I'm not sure. Wasn't looking at the clutch pack. I was just testing to see if it held pressure. Is there a diagram of the route the air flows till it gets to the pack?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Sunday, August 10th, 2014 AT 8:51 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Your going to have to do the test again and see where its leaking at. For 4th gear I have only seen it come out of the clutch pack which would mean a bad clutch piston. So do the test again and let me know what you find.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Sunday, August 10th, 2014 AT 9:03 AM
Tiny
SATREN2002
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Ok, I haven't been able to do the test again because I have been having to drive the car. But if did not hold pressure isn't that a sure sign that it is the valve piston? Also when I checked it before I also blew air through the shaft where the tube goes to rule out the o-rings on the tubes. When I did that it did not hold pressure either. Now it wont even shift out of 1st. So here is my new question. If I have the trans rebuilt and service regularly should it last or is it just a bad design? And also is there any other trans that I can put in its place? I do know one thing, no more auto saturns for me! Thanks a lot for your help
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, August 21st, 2014 AT 8:22 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
I have a 1999 sl2 with over 253,000 miles on it have only rebuilt the valvebody and tighten the input shaft nut. I have never been inside the transmission and it shifts great. There not a bad designed transmission they just have there weak spots like everything has. As far as a different transmission that car only uses that transmission and that transmission wont work in any other car. If you change the transmission fluid and filter every 30,000 miles and put a sonnex upgraded valve body it should last a long time.
SPONSORED LINKS
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, August 21st, 2014 AT 8:54 PM
Tiny
SATREN2002
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Ok, that was what I was hoping. But is still have questions of why this 4th gear piston went out so easily. I mean my car only has 157000 miles on it and the one in the salvage yard only has 94000 and its 4th gear port did not hold pressure either.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, August 22nd, 2014 AT 9:36 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
I have worked for saturn for over 16yrs and can tell its not common for a piston to fail especially 4th I have replaced more 2nds then second place would be 3rd gear. Most of the repairs I have done have been in car meaning not removing the transmission and taking it apart.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, August 22nd, 2014 AT 12:49 PM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Related Transmission Valve Body Replace/Remove Content

VIEW MORE

Sponsored links