Question about Tranny, in a 01 Grand Prix

[Riverratt]

Do you need to drop the cross member to change out the Transmission?



EDIT, 3.8 engine

[Vigo]

yes.

[Riverratt]

Thanks....

[turbovanman²]

Its not that bad, it actually makes the job alot easier. I run a 4x4 across the top of the strut towers, some chain to hold the engine up. You can buy the proper tools but this has served me well for years, then you can unbolt the rack, lower ball joints, all the little things and lower the subframe. NOW the trans is staring you in the face, can you say easy as pie,

[Vigo]

and when you put the subframe back up, its easiest to hang it from the ball joints first and then put it up to the body mounts after that.

also, when you drop the subframe, be sure to tie up the steering rack on both sides so your steering coupler doesnt fall out

[turbovanman²]

^^^^Yep, excellent points.

If you do it, you'll cry next time you do a TM trans.

[Riverratt]

Thanks for all the great advise, now, to get it DONE.

[Riverratt]

Alright, got another problem...

Got the transmission, out of another 01 Grand Prix.....

Cant get the transmission to "drop down" to low gear, it wants to start out in 3rd..

I can MANUALLY put it in 1st, 2nd....

But it don't want to go on its own...

Got this code from it...P1860

"Torque Converter Clutch Pulse Width Modulated Solenoid"

A friend told me that I may need to have the PCM "re-flashed" OR....the transmission is bad...

What do y'all think?

[turbovanman²]

It starting out in 2nd, thats default gear. You need to clear the codes and retry. The computer doesn't need to be reflashed for the trans. If it comes back, then you need to fix that code and it will work again.

[Riverratt]

The battery was unhooked for 48 hrs.....How else do I "clear it"??

[Riverratt]

GROAN, Online research has told me about many OBDII cars having memory back up, so even if the batt was unhooked, and the fuse pulled it will STILL remember the code.

Thanks for the help!

[turbovanman²]

Yeah, you need a scanner to clear them,