Shift Solenoid "A" and "B" question

swimmster · #1 (**permalink**) 02-08-04, 12:21 PM

Has anyone who has had the problem with these solenoids ever had it actually turn out to be an electrical problem? this car I just purchased has apparently had $2800 in trans work done at some point in it's past which is kind of odd considering it's only got 67,000 miles on it. It seems based upon reading threads on this and another site, that alot of people who have replaced the solenoids ended up still having the problem. Mine has gotten worse. instead of just P094 code, I am now getting P094, P029 and P056 and the car will only go to 2nd gear and the SES light comes on around 20-25 mph. Whereas the first 2 days I was driving the car, it was flawless around town until I got on the highway.. that's when the P094 would trip. The only information I have not been able to find on here is the final resolutions people have had with this problem. I don't want to go out and waste the money on a solenoid kit only to have it not be the problem. Anyone know of anything else I can look at myself to shed some insight to this what should have been a RECALL issue?

zonie77 · #2 (**permalink**) 02-08-04, 06:20 PM

You can drop the pan and look at the solenoids.
There have been several threads in which people fixed their trans problems with the solenoids. If they are broken new ones will fix it.

Realtor1 · #3 (**permalink**) 02-09-04, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swimmster

Has anyone who has had the problem with these solenoids ever had it actually turn out to be an electrical problem? this car I just purchased has apparently had $2800 in trans work done at some point in it's past which is kind of odd considering it's only got 67,000 miles on it. It seems based upon reading threads on this and another site, that alot of people who have replaced the solenoids ended up still having the problem. Mine has gotten worse. instead of just P094 code, I am now getting P094, P029 and P056 and the car will only go to 2nd gear and the SES light comes on around 20-25 mph. Whereas the first 2 days I was driving the car, it was flawless around town until I got on the highway.. that's when the P094 would trip. The only information I have not been able to find on here is the final resolutions people have had with this problem. I don't want to go out and waste the money on a solenoid kit only to have it not be the problem. Anyone know of anything else I can look at myself to shed some insight to this what should have been a RECALL issue?

My 02 cents...sounds to me like shift solenoids...Cheap fix if you can DIY...i did it ( well a buddy did it while recoving from a surgery) fairly straight forward job there are NUMEROUS post on the subject...I would search the forums...there are some with very good direction on the install process...My cost were maybe 100.00 total and thats with new filters, fluid, solenoid kit...only thing I had to get at the dealer were the filters...my dealer didnt have a clue about a "shift solenoid kit"....Anyway I dont remeber the codes I were getting but the driving issues sound the same...

From what I have read the solenoids are a common item to go out...the new kit has some change to make them a bit more durable if I am not mistaken...

How is your altenator? possibly overcharging? I would try the solenoids and go from there...

Good luck....

Dubya · #4 (**permalink**) 02-09-04, 03:51 PM

i did it about 2 months ago, 2 HUGE things to look out for

1) when taken the lower valve assembly apart, be very very careful because i had 3 check balls come out, and no idea where to put them, which is why i eventually had to bring it to a dealership....$350

2) it comes with a L bracket to hold this little filter that goes between A and B in place. your car probably won't already have this bracket, as mine didn't. but it HAS to go on, not sure why, but this is the reason mine didn't shift after i fixed it and took the cadillac dealership 2 disassemblies to get it working. ( they thought the check balls were the reason, but they only casued it to slam INTO gear)

when mine went out, it physically snapped, my car could no longer do the 3 to 4 shift, so it locked the car permanantly into 2nd.

swimmster · #5 (**permalink**) 02-09-04, 09:56 PM

[quote=Dubya]i did it about 2 months ago, 2 HUGE things to look out for

1) when taken the lower valve assembly apart, be very very careful because i had 3 check balls come out, and no idea where to put them, which is why i eventually had to bring it to a dealership....$350

I take it that the valve body absolutely HAS to come apart then? Do you or anyone else on here for that matter by chance have a diagram on where the check balls happen to go JUST incase they end up on my garage floor by accident?

and which half SHOULD they be in so I know which half to have on th ebench so maybe they WON'T spill out.. also.. I need an answer to this question ASAP so I can get them tomorrow, but.. i know this may sound DUMB, but.. do I NEED the new valve body gaskets? if so, how many are there and anyone know part numbers? as I saw today and quite a fe others have seen, the parts counter guys are DUUUUMB as a box of rocks without the box.. I'd LOOVE to be a parts clerk.. would be nice to see guys there that actually KNOW something about a car instead of look at you like you just asked for a space shuttle part.

PS, I'm diggin the new BLUE paint I saw today at the dealer on an Escalade.. called "Out of the Blue" blue....

zonie77 · #6 (**permalink**) 02-09-04, 10:10 PM

These might not fully answer your questions but look at them.

http://cadillacforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3935

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums...?threadid=3393 (Tranmission Shift Solenoids A & B)

Dubya · #7 (**permalink**) 02-09-04, 10:46 PM

top one, all the way down has the pic.......wish i had that when i did mine, could have saved $327.xx.

everything comes in the kit. id DEFINATLY replace both solenoids, since the kit comes with both. it also comes with a cylinder type filter, a L bracket and a longer bolt which is used to compensate for the bracket.

just take your time, if possible work with someone else, 4 eyes are better than 2. wish i did...expect to take 3-4 hours.

zonie77 · #8 (**permalink**) 02-10-04, 12:29 AM

I don't have time to look for it but bbob explained how to drain the trans fluid from the "upper"trans. There is a plug that is exposed ,I think, when you remove the filter.
It's in the thread where he gives a good 100K service. Look for it. You can change more of the trans fluid if you do what he suggests.

Realtor1 · #9 (**permalink**) 02-10-04, 07:54 AM

Go to the links Zonie77 posted, one of them was me...someone was nice enough to post a diagram which shows you where the check balls go incase they do get messed up...if I recall they werent that bad to put back in place with this diagram. Also the gaskets are re useable according to the stealership....I reused mine and havent had any problems...just clean them good before putting back on...

good luck

swimmster · #10 (**permalink**) 02-10-04, 01:34 PM

Thank you to EVERYONE who's helped me out on this issue.. I have more than enough confidence now to tackle this job myself.. Would you believe EVERY single tranny shop in town.. no joke.. EVERY single tranny shop here in town WILL NOT touch this transmission... I was like.. " Jeeze.. come on.. it's 2 friggin solenoids under the pan.. just have to drop the valve body.." they were like "NOPE"........ friggin Crest Cadillac here in Syracuse.. the ONLY caddy dealer in syracuse says it's a SEVEN hour job and wants $500 to do it.. I laughed at them and asked what the hell kind of techs they have that takes them 7 hours to pull and replace the valve body. So needless to say, they ganked me for $64 on the solenoid kit and if I can reuse the gaskets, then I'll be doing this tonight.. I will also be bringing my digital camera and posting some helpful pictures for the next guy that will need to be doing this. complete with check ball locations and all. You guys gave to me the information, so I'll hopefully try to return the favor. i HOPE this is all that's wrong with this tranny.. seemed to drive excellent the first day and then just progressivly got worse.. I would imagine the VERY cold temperatures up here in NY would ahve made the trans fluid thicker and put much more pressure on those valves and worked them out quickly. Anyways... i can't thank you all enough for the information.. I've gone from SCARED as hell about spending another fortune on this car to heh... easy as pie.

Take care all and HOPEFULLY I will only need to post non repair questions from now on. maybe even learn some things and provide some answers too.

Jamie

PS: ANyone near Syracuse NY who would want to make some money preforming this job for me? I honestly really do not have the time and I HAVE to have it done by Friday.. I'll do it, but it's going to SERIOUSLY cut into my schedules.

Thanks..