It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 1:32 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2011 9:30 pm 
Offline
LE Member

Joined: Sun May 15, 2011 8:56 pm
Posts: 4
Year and Trim: 2001 se
Hi folks,

I have a 2001 Bonneville SE that we just took on a 700 mile road trip. After we arrived at our destination I noticed that the car was taking off in what feels like second gear. I have driven many manual transmission vehicles and it feels likes a second gear takeoff. The rpms rev to about 2000 and the car takes off smooth enough, just not in first. The rest of the shifts are smooth and power is fine. I checked the fluid and it looked and smelled fine, there are no noises, or burned smells. I added just a little bit to get it to the max line, but it seems to have made no difference, still takes off in second. Any ideas before I get it checked out?

Thanks!


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2011 9:43 pm 
Offline
SSEi Member
SSEi Member

Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2011 2:47 am
Posts: 199
Year and Trim: 2000 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi
Try putting it in first gear & see if it makes a diffrence. Sound like the torque converter not locking effeciently, but not 100% sure on that. Also it may not be trans related, when was the last time you had a tune up (plugs, wires).

_________________

2000 SSEi 4th Pontiac!! 231,xxx Current mods: Gutted AirBox w/ K&N drop in. Cleared Corners. Future mods: 3.5 pulley, 180* tstat, hi flow cat, solid motor mounts, Red-Tinted Turn Signal Tails, Projector Headlights, Turn Signal Mirrors.

Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2011 11:57 pm 
Offline
LE Member

Joined: Sun May 15, 2011 8:56 pm
Posts: 4
Year and Trim: 2001 se
I will give that a try (shifting it down to first). I bought the car last summer (2010) and have not tuned it up or bothered with having it checked (shame on me). It probably could stand new plugs, wires, etc. That is actually in the plans as we planned to drive it on another trip next month.

I'll keep ya posted..perhaps my experience can help someone else.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 12:52 am 
Offline
Retired Site Developer
Retired Site Developer
User avatar

Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 10:30 pm
Posts: 20960
Location: MN/IA
Year and Trim: '17 Silverado 1500
Did it feel like it was taking off in second or did it only shift twice? I agree to start in 1, shift to 2, 3 and finally D, feeling it shift each time.

Here's the maintenance items and intervals that I recommend:

    1987-2005 Bonneville / Buick 3800 Maintenance List

    Run Seafoam, Chevron Techron or Gumout Regane through gasoline every 5,000 miles.

    Grease: Ball Joints, Tie Rods Every 8-10k ( Green Grease or Amsoil Grease recommended)
    Air Filter Every 15k (Amsoil EaA, Purolator PureONE)
    PCV Valve Every 30k
    MAF Sensor Element Cleaning/TB Cleaning Every 50k viewtopic.php?f=48&t=1661
    Fuel Filter Every 15-25k (Purolator, AC Delco, WIX) viewtopic.php?f=45&t=23215
    Spark Plugs Every 30-50k (NGK TR55, AC Delco 41-101 or Autolite 605) (Never Bosch)
    Ignition Wires Every 30-50k (Napa Belden, AC Delco, Autolite Pro, NGK) (Never Taylor or Bosch)
    Oil & Filter Every 5-6k or Every 6 months (Valvoline SYNPower, Pennzoil Platinum, or Amsoil )(Mobil1, Purolator PureONE, Amsoil EaO, K&N or WIX) (Never Fram) viewtopic.php?f=45&t=214
    *Conventional Oil Every 3k/3 months(API SM/SN rating) (WIX (Napa), Delco or Purolator filter)
    Tires: Check Inflation Pressure & Visually Inspect Monthly Rotate Every 6-8,000 Miles
    Transmission Flush or Pan Drop Every 15-20k (Always make sure filter is changed when flushed) viewtopic.php?f=45&t=10193
    Cooling System Flush Every 25-50k or 3-5 Years (Peak or Prestone Mixes-With-Any Coolant Only) (Never Dexcool)
    Oxygen Sensor Every 80-100k (30k for non-heated) (AC Delco or Denso) (Absolutely never Bosch) viewtopic.php?f=48&t=794
    Accessory Belt Inspect every 15k, replace every 100k, or as needed
    Cabin Air Filter Inspect and Replace every 15k, or as needed in dusty conditions. (Note: 00+ Only) viewtopic.php?f=45&t=13626
    Evap Core Cleaning Whenever Needed (Note: 99 and older only) viewtopic.php?f=45&t=2432
    Brake Fluid Flush 3yr/50k
    Power Steering Fluid Replacement/Flush Every 100k or 5 years

    *Special Considerations*
    All Series II/III 3800's RPO's: L36, L26, L67 & L32, especially important on vehicles factory installed with orange Havoline Dexcool Antifreeze/Coolant: http://www.dex-cool.net/
    Lower Intake Manifold Gasket Replacement, every 80-100k (ignorance of this can allow coolant to enter your engine oil, this happening can cause irreversible lower engine damage, requiring replacement of subject engine)

    Series II, Naturally Aspirated, RPO:L36:
    Upper Intake Manifold Plenum Replacement, Every 80-100k (ignorance of this can allow coolant to enter your intake manifold, possible damage to occur can be hydrolock, irreversible damage to emissions devices, misfires, etc. Most times, engine replacement is required if ignored long enough.) viewtopic.php?f=53&t=1061

    Series I, II, III RPO Code L67 & L32:
    Change Supercharger Oil; Every 30-50k. (Intense Racing or GM Dealer) viewtopic.php?f=56&t=1690
    Supercharger Belt; Inspect Every 15k, Replace Every 100k or as needed.

5/15/2011 by 00Beast

_________________
Bye Bye:
Image
RIP sandrock
Sirius wrote:
Think about it. You’re tooling down the road in your Prius, knowing full-well that this thing being green is as big a sham as federally mandated ethanol-enriched gas, Russia pulling out of Ukraine, and Obamacare.


Last edited by 00Beast on Mon May 16, 2011 12:53 am, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 2:30 am 
Offline
Certified Bonneville Nut
Certified Bonneville Nut

Joined: Sat May 24, 2008 5:18 pm
Posts: 4938
Location: Sycamore, IL
Year and Trim: 05 Chevy 'Hoe
1997 'maro (3.8L M5)
89 SkiDoo
an auto trans will always start in 1st no matter what gear you put it in.

_________________
Image

00Beast wrote:
Less off-topic than Lane's Heated Steering wheel, but yeah, back to the topic.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 4:45 am 
Offline
Resident Gearhead
Resident Gearhead

Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 10:19 pm
Posts: 5530
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Year and Trim: .
2015 Buick Enclave
2013 Buick Regal GS
Do you have an SES light or any codes?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 7:29 am 
Offline
SSE Member
SSE Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2010 7:06 am
Posts: 121
Location: Ontario, Canada
Year and Trim: 2001 Galaxy Silver SSEi
Does it shift up, or stay in what feels like second? could be in limp home mode which would default to second, check for codes. There could also be a mechanical problem in the valve body locking it out of selecting first, so your pressure switch assembly would recognize the gear it was mechanically selecting at that speed, but it should throw out a code.

_________________
____________
Wayne


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2011 8:16 am 
Offline
LE Member

Joined: Sun May 15, 2011 8:56 pm
Posts: 4
Year and Trim: 2001 se
Yes it shifts up after takeoff and through subsequent gears. I should mention that the service engine soon light came on at the same time and is still on. This all happened after a 350 mile drive. This morning I can feel a slight miss in the engine as well as the slow takeoff.

I will get it checked for a code today.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2011 1:34 pm 
Offline
LE Member

Joined: Sun May 15, 2011 8:56 pm
Posts: 4
Year and Trim: 2001 se
Just had the computer scanned to check the code and it was a P751 code. The shift selenoid is apparently not working right (not surprising given that it is taking off in second). Took it to my transmission guy he said under $400 to fix it if it is just that. He advised that the valve usually goes bad on Bonnevilles at 150,000 or so and a code pops up (mine has 170,000). At this point I am thinking I should just repair the selenoid and if it shifts right, just sell it before anything else in the transmission gives out.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon May 23, 2011 8:10 am 
Offline
Posts like an LN3
Posts like an LN3

Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:18 am
Posts: 440
Location: Flaherty, KY
Year and Trim: Currently searching for a Bonneville...
01bonneSC wrote:
an auto trans will always start in 1st no matter what gear you put it in.


Most will. Nearly all Ford autos and some others will hold whichever gear you put them in. Meaning it will start in 2nd or 3rd if you want it to.

_________________
Inferno Red 2009 Dodge Caliber SRT-4 125k

Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon May 23, 2011 9:20 am 
Offline
Retired Site Developer
Retired Site Developer
User avatar

Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 10:30 pm
Posts: 20960
Location: MN/IA
Year and Trim: '17 Silverado 1500
It would be incredibly hard on an automatic transmission to start off in 2nd or 3rd, you'd smoke your converter and your clutches if you did it much. I highly doubt there's any trans that does that.

_________________
Bye Bye:
Image
RIP sandrock
Sirius wrote:
Think about it. You’re tooling down the road in your Prius, knowing full-well that this thing being green is as big a sham as federally mandated ethanol-enriched gas, Russia pulling out of Ukraine, and Obamacare.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon May 23, 2011 6:17 pm 
Offline
Posts like an LN3
Posts like an LN3

Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:18 am
Posts: 440
Location: Flaherty, KY
Year and Trim: Currently searching for a Bonneville...
00Beast wrote:
It would be incredibly hard on an automatic transmission to start off in 2nd or 3rd, you'd smoke your converter and your clutches if you did it much. I highly doubt there's any trans that does that.


A bit off topic I know, but it is true.

Drive most any Ford and you will observe this. Most Fords are four speeds so only have a (1) and (2) position. In every auto Ford I can remember, it locked the transmission in (2) when selected.

The ones with five speed transmissions will give you a (3) position, and it will lock the transmission in third, even starting out. This was true of a recent Powerstroke I drove, not sure if they all do that. I can't see what this accomplishes, but it's a good way to spool up the turbo in a hurry without having to worry about wheel spin!

From Wikipedia:

"Third (3)
This mode limits the transmission to the first three gear ratios, or sometimes locks the transmission in third gear. This can be used to climb or going down hill. Some vehicles will automatically shift up out of third gear in this mode if a certain RPM range is reached in order to prevent engine damage. This gear is also recommended while towing a caravan.

Second (2 or S)
This mode limits the transmission to the first two gear ratios, or locks the transmission in second gear on Ford, Kia, and Honda models. This can be used to drive in adverse conditions such as snow and ice, as well as climbing or going down hills in the winter time. Some vehicles will automatically shift up out of second gear in this mode if a certain RPM range is reached in order to prevent engine damage.
Although traditionally considered second gear, there are other names used. Chrysler models with a three-speed automatic since the late 1980s have called this gear 3 while using the traditional names for Drive and Low."

_________________
Inferno Red 2009 Dodge Caliber SRT-4 125k

Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon May 23, 2011 6:53 pm 
Offline
Certified Bonneville Nut
Certified Bonneville Nut

Joined: Sat May 24, 2008 5:18 pm
Posts: 4938
Location: Sycamore, IL
Year and Trim: 05 Chevy 'Hoe
1997 'maro (3.8L M5)
89 SkiDoo
OK well we arent talking about Ford autos, so lets get back on topic.....

_________________
Image

00Beast wrote:
Less off-topic than Lane's Heated Steering wheel, but yeah, back to the topic.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Related topics
 Topics   Author   Replies   Views   Last post 
There are no new unread posts for this topic. 2001 Bonneville Issues - Brakes/Steering/Transmission Probs?

Malibu1993

7

2251

Wed Oct 09, 2013 9:11 pm

Malibu1993 View the latest post

There are no new unread posts for this topic. 2000 Bonneville Transmission problem

Amandaxyo

12

10035

Thu Nov 03, 2011 5:29 pm

Amandaxyo View the latest post

There are no new unread posts for this topic. 2001 SE Transmission Issue

57j2olds

9

389

Tue May 30, 2023 2:28 pm

57j2olds View the latest post

There are no new unread posts for this topic. Transmission problem????

billberry12

14

2170

Fri May 29, 2009 1:56 pm

swampthing View the latest post

There are no new unread posts for this topic. Transmission Problem

robjr69

12

7385

Thu Nov 18, 2010 1:25 am

laxmangl View the latest post

 


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group


phpBB SEO