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Problem with Overdrive in 2001 3.8

11K views 6 replies 3 participants last post by  68ba327 
#1 ·
This is my g/f's old car that I am just fixing so I am not 100% sure of it's past... Car is a 2001 LS 3.8 with 139,000 miles on it.

I have fixed a few things on the car and it is running great for the most part now... Only issue I have now is that it doesn't appear to be shifting into overdrive. It shifts 1st, 2nd, 3rd just fine... but never goes into OD. It's hard to even tell, and the only reason I did notice is that I was driving it on the highway at 70 mph and the RPM's were at 2800-2900. I moved the shifter from D down to 3, and no obvious downshift or no change in rpm.

Any advise? There was a full tranny system flush done on it at 122,000 miles, which sorta scares me. But that is one of the things I don't know... if the problem started after the flush or what. I was just thinking of trying to add some "cleaner" to the trans fluid, but not totally sure. I will probably just take it to a shop to have it looked at, just wanted to see if there was anything I could look at prior to doing that.

Thank you!
 
#5 ·
Thank you! Yeah I was listening close to it today and it does try to shift into OD, but it slips and stays in third. The sli0p is very faint, as I didn't notice it before. Will drop the pan and check that first. But as in my other post, I gotta wait to get the intake fixed at the same time when I have it tore apart... Will update both posts when I get it done. Unfortunately, it isn;t going to be this weekend cause I won't have time.
 
#6 ·
Ok, had it scanned again and still no codes... this was after doing some other work. I have been researching things and it appears that the pressure control valve and the pressure control sylenoid go bad on these. Unfortunately, they are both internal to the transmission. So I called around to a place today and found a place that I am taking it to on thursday. The hook a scanner/control unit and take it out for a drive. They can tell if it's the pressure control parts, or if my OD gears are sheared. So, once I get this figured out, I will post again.
 
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