Finally started my TCC solenoid replacement today

[turbojimmy]

Originally Posted by JVRudnick

just wanted to add, Jim...that as a totally NON fixit guy, I've muchly enjoyed these pix and your comments....

good on you! I hope that you get her all back together and she runs fine for like a decade or two....

me? Oh, I'd be paying my mechanic for all of this...course, the SES lite's been off now for like 10 days or so....so I'm hoping that myown TCC warning "fixed itself!"

:-)

Jim

Thanks. I post them mostly for others' enjoyment, and also so I can remember how to put it back together

I held out hope that my TCC would fix itself, but it only got worse. My car is due for state inspection at the end of the month and it won't pass with a lit SES light. So I decided to embark on this journey. I'd be really surprised if there weren't unintended, negative consequences. It's a huge job with plenty to mess up. But, if the SES light goes out I'll feel victorious.

When the parts guy asked me if I wanted anything else, I said "yes, the name and address of the masochist who designed this engine/transmission arrangement so I can punch him in the face". Unfortunately, the computer did not have that information.

Jim

[JVRudnick]

Ah....but surely -- and I mean this with the most respect -- a guy with your skillset with cars could SURELY figure out how to "de-light" that SES light... go thru that inspection ...then "re-light" same ...yes?

As a computer programmer, this is called a "work around" and you'd be surprised at the 3 of times we do just that on a daily basis...to get something to work....and then not work....

:-)

Jim

[turbojimmy]

Originally Posted by JVRudnick

Ah....but surely -- and I mean this with the most respect -- a guy with your skillset with cars could SURELY figure out how to "de-light" that SES light... go thru that inspection ...then "re-light" same ...yes?

As a computer programmer, this is called a "work around" and you'd be surprised at the 3 of times we do just that on a daily basis...to get something to work....and then not work....

:-)

Jim

Unfortunately, the federal government in the construction of their OBD-II program, has engineered around "work-arounds". If you reset the SES light, the OBD system reports that it is "not ready" for inspection until it runs certain diagnostics. One of those diagnostics is the functioning of the torque converter. If one were clever, one could rig up the brake switch to fool the PCM into thinking that the brake is always applied and therefore not try to engage the torque converter lockup. This, however, causes another trouble code thus illuminating the SES light. And, it also prevents the PCM from reporting that it is "ready" for inspection.

After exhausting all possible work-arounds, and appealing to the state of NJ (claiming that I'm a victim of the manufacturer), I was left with no choice but to repair it. NJ has a program where if you spend $450 to repair the problem and the car still fails, that they will grant you an exemption. I told them that I can't simply have the dealer put $450 worth of labor into it and then stop working on it. They didn't care. Then I offered up the several-hundred dollars worth of tools and parts, but they don't count because I'm not an authorized repair facility. Crooks, all of them. Engineered obsolesence, and the consumer gets caught holding the bag. It's BS, but I'm a good sport. I'll just fix it myself and whine about it here.

Jim

[turbojimmy]

One more pic:



All parts will be in tomorrow except for the sway bar link. Busy day ahead.....

Jim

[cadillac_al]

Originally Posted by turbojimmy

Unfortunately, the federal government in the construction of their OBD-II program, has engineered around "work-arounds". If you reset the SES light, the OBD system reports that it is "not ready" for inspection until it runs certain diagnostics. One of those diagnostics is the functioning of the torque converter. If one were clever, one could rig up the brake switch to fool the PCM into thinking that the brake is always applied and therefore not try to engage the torque converter lockup. This, however, causes another trouble code thus illuminating the SES light. And, it also prevents the PCM from reporting that it is "ready" for inspection.

After exhausting all possible work-arounds, and appealing to the state of NJ (claiming that I'm a victim of the manufacturer), I was left with no choice but to repair it. NJ has a program where if you spend $450 to repair the problem and the car still fails, that they will grant you an exemption. I told them that I can't simply have the dealer put $450 worth of labor into it and then stop working on it. They didn't care. Then I offered up the several-hundred dollars worth of tools and parts, but they don't count because I'm not an authorized repair facility. Crooks, all of them. Engineered obsolesence, and the consumer gets caught holding the bag. It's BS, but I'm a good sport. I'll just fix it myself and whine about it here.

Jim

All that emission bullcrap would drive me to drive 70's Caddys. I'd rather spend money on gas than on sensors and expensive repairs. I like this thread though; Good luck

[mtflight]

Wow. What a job, and what an amazing setup you have.

[turbojimmy]

Originally Posted by mtflight

Wow. What a job, and what an amazing setup you have.

Thanks! Even with all the right tools, the job still blows.

I didn't do much with it today. I started the oil pan gasket replacement but found that I'd have to totally demolish the exhaust system in order to get at the oil pan. I abandoned the effort with $150 in non-returnable parts staring at me. I'll be happy to get the trans back in and working at this point.

I swapped out the solenoid and replaced the front motor mount today. The solenoid fell apart the second I touched it. GM neglected to realize that certain plastics don't do too well when continuously immersed in hot oil. Shocker.




Jim

[turbojimmy]

Didn't do much today...yet. Have to take the starter out. The factory service manual doesn't mention this, but there is no way you can install that transmission with the starter in place. See:



That's why we had such a helluva time getting it out. You can see where the transmission rode the nose of that starter down until it broke free. The only way to put it back in is to take the starter out, unless I just jack it up until the nose of the starter shears off, which is almost what happened.

Taking the starter out would have been easy with the car on the ground. Now I have to do it on a ladder.

I also installed the new motor mount and a new bolt. I broke that bolt in my failed attempt to access the oil pan. If you look in the pic, though, it looks like the oil is running down from up high anyway.



Off to yank the starter out......

Jim

[Chuwee]

Apart from the exhaust what else is blocking your way to the oil pan? Man you have done such a great job so far don't let it beat you and you not do the seal I bet you will be happy after? I was in your shoes a month ago but not to this extent started to do only the Rack and from that I ended up doing the Rack, two front tie rods, timing chain cover seals, water pump and seals, oil pan seal, both ball joint in the back and both tie rod end as well, plus new brake shoes and pads all around and one rotor. I was so happy when I got done now I have to scrap some money for new tires...lol.

[Chuwee]

p.s.
Love your setup how much was the lift? How high does your roof need to be for this?

[turbojimmy]

Originally Posted by Chuwee

Apart from the exhaust what else is blocking your way to the oil pan? Man you have done such a great job so far don't let it beat you and you not do the seal I bet you will be happy after? I was in your shoes a month ago but not to this extent started to do only the Rack and from that I ended up doing the Rack, two front tie rods, timing chain cover seals, water pump and seals, oil pan seal, both ball joint in the back and both tie rod end as well, plus new brake shoes and pads all around and one rotor. I was so happy when I got done now I have to scrap some money for new tires...lol.

Too late, I already put the trans back in. The oil pan thing was starting to snowball. In order to get the oil pan off, you have to take off the crossover pipe. In order to get the crossover pipe off you had to take another pipe off. In order to take that pipe off you had to unbolt the cat. The cat bolts would have needed cut off, which is no big deal. But, pipe #2 bolts would not budge. I was afraid I was going to knock the car off the lift hanging on a 1/2" breaker bar. Eventually they'd have snapped off, which means I'd then have to take the RH exhaust manifold off, and who knows if those bolts would come off? And the crossover pipe has an EGR fitting on it that wouldn't budge even with a big, ugly pipe wrench. I decided to cut my losses and just put the transmission back in.

With the starter out of the way, the transmission popped up in there easily.

Now time for reassembly!

The lift, with shipping, was like $3500-$3800, something like that. They can be had cheaper, but I like Rotary's sales pitch and service. Every job like this that I do helps pay for it. Rotary has been making commercial stuff forever so I got their Revolution lift. My ceiling height is 10' 6", which is just enough to stack the GN on top of the Caddy. It also is enough to get either car high enough to make undercarriage work easy. I have it bolted to the floor, but Rotary said I didn't have to.

Jim

[mtflight]

Well you've done an amazing job... hang in there!

[turbojimmy]

Originally Posted by mtflight

Well you've done an amazing job... hang in there!

Thanks!

More progress today. I'll probably have it on the ground some time tomorrow.

It looks like it did about 4 days ago:



I had to manufacture a tool in order to get at one of the hold-downs for the power steering hose. I call it a Scrench(tm):


Jim

[turbojimmy]

Done!

The new motor mount makes a HUGE difference in throttle response. Feels much better.

I cleared the 741 and 1860 and neither of them returned after some highway driving. Before the repair, I'd clear the codes and they'd return as soon as I got to highway speeds and it called for lockup.

When it was all said and done, I had a single "extra" nut. Given the complexity of the job, that's not bad, but I'm curious as to where it goes.

My advice to people considering this job is not to do it, but if you insist:

- Remove the starter. The manual doesn't tell you this.
- Pay attention to the manual during reassembly. The order of events is important. For example, if you don't hang the rear trans mount from the transmission BEFORE you jack it into place, you'll have to remove the transmission all over again.
- Disregard the manual when it says to put the cradle into place, and then connect the steering column to the rack. It's a total pain in the butt with the cradle in the way. Connect the column to the rack first, but make sure the rack is in the right place as you jack up the cradle. Otherwise you can bust stuff up as you wrench the cradle in place
- Use the right tools to separate the ball joints and tie rod ends. Using a pickle fork will booger up the boots

It took me about 20 hours total. I could shave quite a bit off of that next time around.

That is all.

Jim

[tateos]

Real nice thread - thank you!