Transmission Shops

[Chadgervais]

So I need a shift kit. Simple as that. My car shifts normally 97% of the time, bangs into gear every so often especially when hot and driven hard. It throws the p1811 max adapt long shift code. From almost everything Ive read, the fix is a shift kit and bottle of Lucas stop slip.

I am not about to take my trans apart, I dont have the knowledge, tools, or skill, and this is my DD and I am unable to trade in or get a different car so Im not about to turn it into a science experiment.

I called around to a few transmission shops in town to ask one simple direct question: "Could you quote me a price to install a shift kit in a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix?" Everywhere I call wants to get into symptoms, "does it shift?" "how many miles?" "have you maintained it?" "what exactly is it doing?" etc. I explained exactly what it was doing, just as in the first sentence of this post. All of them have said "well, we need to get it in for diagnostics to find out if there is a code and what exactly is wrong with it, gonna be (40-70 bucks) to diagnose it." I reiterated that I just want a quote for a shift kit and they again tell me they need to diagnose to see what the problem is.

So seriously, if I have a sore throat, a runny nose, a headache and sinus pressure, what am I going to do? Go pay a doctor 200 bucks for him to tell me I have a cold? Or am I going to go to Walgreens and buy a box of Alka-Seltzer? I know what the problem is, i dont need it told to me, I just need to freaking fix it. When I walk up to the counter at Walgreens with a box of Alka-Seltzer, are they going to ask me my symptoms or are they just going to ring it up and tell me how much to pay?

Why does it need to be this hard to get a simple service done?

 

[02NavyBlue]

Probably because it's not a common thing to have done in a shop, and they're just going to tell you need a rebuild. Lots of people on these forums have put in shift kits, even some average DIY'ers like me. If it's knowledge you need, there are 3 good posts that show it in pretty good detail. I have done it myself and may make a write-up more detailed than all 3 of these.
Shift kit install, very detailed (56K go watch a movie) - LS1TECH
Trans Go Shift Kit Installed - First Impressions - LS1TECH
4T65E Do-It-Yourself Shift Kit: Instructions and Install Guide

The tools/supplies needed are:
Trans fluid, Shift kit, filter to do a service while you are there, drip pan(>6 quarts), towels, ratchet, a 10mm, and 8mm socket.

If you still think you're not up to it, I'd keep calling different shops and explain that you know what you want done, and that you want a price.

I put a shift kit in my trans to fix that exact problem, as so many others have as well. It definitely is helping. But If I drive for a long time , the shifts still get slower, but not as slow as they used to. A trans cooler will be the final fix.

 

[Chadgervais]

Probably because it's not a common thing to have done in a shop,

A couple of them have radio ads saying they do shift kits. Thanks for the advice though. Oddly enough, usually it goes 1811 when its hot, but there have been a couple times my scangauge has read less than 180* and its done it. It definitely has firmer shifts when its cold (less than 100*)

 

[02NavyBlue]

A couple of them have radio ads saying they do shift kits. Thanks for the advice though. Oddly enough, usually it goes 1811 when its hot, but there have been a couple times my scangauge has read less than 180* and its done it. It definitely has firmer shifts when its cold (less than 100*)

Same here. On a cold morning it would shift almost instantly, to when hot, taking a half second in between shifts. I haven't gotten it to 200° since, but I've gotten close and it's not as bad as it was. I don't think it would throw a code anymore(Max adapt), but I want it to run cooler and perform better.

How's it look to you on difficulty?

 

[Anthony Smith]

If you called my shop and said that I would give you a price to put the 1/2 of the shift kit in that you can do from the lower pan. Also I would tell you that at 220k+ miles a shift kit isn't going to bandaid whatever is worn out or burned up for long and that it should just be rebuilt and upgraded if you want it to shift firm and not have anymore problems.

 

[Chadgervais]

How's it look to you on difficulty?

More than I'm comfortable doing on my only car. Not to mention, I don't have a driveway, on street parking here. I would rather have it done by a shop, even though it would cost me more.

And to Anthony: This trans is/was well maintained. The fluid/filter was changed most recently at 175k by the old owner, he kept all the records. I believe this transmission has much more to give me, just needs those springs to be replaced.

 

[02NavyBlue]

The actual cause is know to be a bad pressure control solenoid. It gets worse as it heats up by slowing the shifts. You can replace the springs to help make the shifts faster, or you can install a cooler to keep the temps down and prevent it from happening.

Or you can open the trans up and replace the PCS, which is the hardest route but probably most recommended.

 

[coolone]

Lol... I missed the 233k then had a good chuckle! You say you don't have the knowledge, tools or skill to do the job, then label it as a simple thing to do!?!? More enjoyment, but you're right, it is a simple job, but probably not what you need.

My opinion is your tranny is showing signs of wear... Yeah, sure, it may have been well maintained, but the proof is in the pudding! You'll do something you think will help resolve your issue, only to discover in another 5 or 10k it masked the real problem. Then you'll be pissed at the time and $ spent, wasted, that could've been better spent.

Now, if it was YOUR tranny for the entire 233k and you said it was well maintained, then I'd say, ok, go for it. Bottom line is you have no idea how the car was driven. Between filter, fluid, shift kit, I'd put that $100+ towards a new rebuild : ) or consider it 1/2 the shipping of a TEP tranny... Lol

But that's just me... And Anthony hit the nail on the head, the shift kit you're thinking of is the simple one that'll just quicken the hard shifts.

Good luck!

 

[Chadgervais]

You say you don't have the knowledge, tools or skill to do the job, then label it as a simple thing to do!?!?

Simple to a transmission expert that advertises this as one of their primary services. And simple enough that given the make model year and trans type, no shop should have a problem quoting a price.

 

[coolone]

It is simple... Too simple to bother with if my primary business is FIXING tranny's. I couldn't charge you enough to cover my time, so yeah, too simple to even get involved with. The you'll have the customer who'll say because you were in their tranny made it worse than it was and try to get a free rebuild. For what it's worth, it is a very simple, albeit messy job.

Get a plastic shallow storage bin, 7-8 quarts tranny fluid, filter, new rubber gasket and the shift kit. Jack car, drop pan, collect and dispose old fluid and filter, install shift kit, inspect and clean pan, replace filter and pan, fill fluid and you're done! Simple and there are a bunch of write ups that almost anyone could follow.

Good luck though!
: )

 

[nos4blood70]

When mine first starting doing it, I put in a ZZP shift kit and it's been good for a while. Recently it does a bad shift every once in a while. So half a bottle of Lucas and it's back to normal again. By the end of the month she will be getting a trans cooler.

 

[BillBoost37]

Lemme toss a scenario at you that is common to any mechanic or trans shop. Someone calls and asks like you are, maybe mentions the mileage. At this point the guy rolls his eyes because he's been here before. He did the simple one thing the customer wanted and then nearly got taken to court for messing things up because the work he did as requested didn't fix the problem for long etc. That's likely why you aren't getting what you are looking for.

As for ability to do this on your own. Danielle15 aka a girl, with very little instruction did one. She has polish on her nails and is not the type of girl that is confused for a guy. She's very much a girl who with a little how to and some confidence boosting hopped in and said.. "that wasn't bad" after being done. I'm not saying you need to because she did. But how about looking at your buddies, surely one is inclined and maybe has a place where an hour on ramps would be ok.

 

[Chadgervais]

I see what you're saying, however, they should not be advertising a service that they aren't interested in performing. Now that I've gone through this whole rigamarole and gotten nowhere, I'm just going to leave it be. I get max adapt at most, once a month, and stopping and restarting clears it. It just really grinds my gears (no pun intended) that I cannot call for a straightforward price quote.

 

[BillBoost37]

How about heading down, talking with the guy and saying that you want just the accumulator piece of a 4t65E transgo kit installed. The kit is relatively low cost as is the labor which would amount to an extra 15 mins while doing a trans service.

I've often gotten much further by face to face chatting with someone than calling.

 

[evand]

Pm me. I have a boston area mechanic. That's cheap and simple. I'd even do that on ramps in the autozone parking lot. Beats making a mess at my house.