98 SC2 Automatic Transmission Probs

bigT923 · 04-30-2005, 02:27 AM

Ok. I am getting off the highway, the light turns green and I begin to move throught it. As the transmission goes to shift into second, it hesitates and shifts very hard, it feels like someone just rear ended your car. At this point I'm like, "What the hell was that." I end up stoping at another light and the same thing happens, but this time I get to third gear and it does the same thing. I get home and park. I then shift between reverse and drive and it does it there also. So I trun it off and let it sit. After a couple hrs, I go back to it and it is shifting fine. To make a long story short, it does it every once and a while starting a week form today. Also, the car makes a humming noise when I push on the accelerator.

So, I took the car to the local saturn dealer. They told me that an output shaft bearing is broken and now something is rubbing against the case (thats where the humming noise comes from, they said), and will cost $1500 - $2200. They recommended that I drive it till it dies and then buy a used transmission and get it replaced. By the way the car has about 74,000 miles on it. I'm wondering what the difficulty of replacing a transmission is (links for help on this would be nice), or if anyone has any better suggestions to help me and my satty out.

Thanks,
bigT923

PurdueGuy · 04-30-2005, 04:23 AM

Might be a good time to join up with SPOC-Ohio and start making friends with people who have done tranny swaps.

If you are somewhat mechanically inclined, you can probably do it with some helping hands. There are probably instructions around this forum on how to do the tranny swap, so do a search.

**jonnyrocket92** · 05-01-2005, 01:01 AM

bigT923 wrote they recommended that I drive it till it dies and then buy a used transmission and get it replaced.

they told you that !!! that's messed up...also I work for a dealer ship, the banging I would say would be from the "valve body" in the tranny. It's going bad. A new one is gonna cost you around $300.00 to $400.00, to have done, the bearing could be the cause of the humming noise. "a.k.a. rebuild time" sorry about your kuck man, it's not that bad to rebuild it, if you know a little about em. good luck, to what ever you do.

bigT923 · 05-01-2005, 04:29 PM

Yeah, I read online that the valve body could be causing the hard gear shift. The car has made a humming noise on and off sence I bought it. When I bought the car from a Acura dealership I had Saturn check it out. They told me that there was no worry about the noise. Now that my warrenty is up they tell me that there is a problem that the noise shows. I was a little shocked about the advice the dealership gave me..but atleast they're honest.

**jonnyrocket92** · 05-01-2005, 08:27 PM

hmmm yea but theyer honesty came a little to late, if you likeyour car thatmust I'd replace the tranny, or rebuild it

bigT923 · 05-01-2005, 08:29 PM

I want to replace it this summer, after school. I'm just looking for better ideas, and help on replacing it.

guitardan311 · 05-02-2005, 04:28 AM

my 99 SL2 does something similar. when shifting into 2nd at high rpms, it seems to have a slight delay and shifts (although not as violently as you make yours sound) harder than the other gears... i by no means have the money to get a tranny swap or rebuilt, would a good flush, filter, gasket and tranny fluid help?

bigT923 · 05-02-2005, 10:42 PM

I had my tranny serviced about 3,000 miles ago, and had all that done. Btw, it was only that violent the first time it happened, it does it now, but not to that extent.

sifon187 · 05-03-2005, 02:35 AM

drive it to it does and get a used one sounds like a good idea...just hope it doesnt die when ur far from home, or in the middle of the interstate...that would suck

bigT923 · 05-10-2005, 02:53 PM

Does anyone know what years of transmissions I can get to replace this? My tranny died on saturday night.

Thanks,
bigt923