'05 Malibu Trans Issue

[bucket]

Anyone here have any experience with the 4t40e transmission? @HotRodPC maybe?

I wound up purchasing an '05 Malibu with the 3500 v6 and the 4t40e trans. The car has a little over 200k on it now. 1st and 2nd gear work absolutely perfect in all throttle/load conditions. But 3rd and 4th gear simply do not work. As in, this thing doesn't even try to shift past 2nd gear. Is this likely a solenoid or electrical problem? Or just a toasted trans? I don't own a scanner to check for trans codes, but if I can't turn up any info, I'll just have to call in a favor at the old shop.

 

[RetroC10Sport]

You could be lucky and it be a solenoid stuck on.

This is the solenoids used for 1st to 4th gear in almost every GM four speed.

1st gear - on - on
2nd gear - off - on
3rd gear - off - off
4th gear - on - off

 

[bucket]

Ah, that would make sense.

I forgot to mention that the trans worked fine before a leaking cooler line got repaired. It hasn't ever shifted past 2nd since the repair. Maybe there's a little piece of trash that got lodged somewhere. I have no clue if the cooler lines are pre or post filter?

 

[yevgenievich]

Cooler lines should dump before filter. If have someone with scan tool, can command the gears and try listen for solenoids. Or drop pan and test. I thought bad solenoids keeping only 3-4 gears working on my 4l60e before, but it turned out to be a seal.

 

[JoeR Jr]

Good advice on using a scanner to command the gears. You can also cycle the solenoids Key on- Engine off and listen for them to click. The solenoids are under the side cover on this trans, so you won't be dropping the pan to fool with them.
Sometimes if you blow a cooler line while driving you starve something for lube oil. It can lead to a failure of that part...so maybe that's what happened.
Also, on the 4t40 and 4t60, the aluminum valve bodies get a lot of wear on them by 200k. I don't build them without putting in a reman valve body.

Just for giggles, unplug the electrical connector to the trans. You should have 3rd gear only. If you have something other than that, it's not electrical.

Joe

 

[bucket]

If the line blew and a bunch of fluid was lost, wouldn't there be other problems like slipping?

You confirmed what I remember about no solenoids behind the lower pan. Iirc, these 4t40's are pretty empty down there, basically just a filter with an abnormally large (for GM) filter seal.

When I get a chance, I'll check the fluid level and see what happens when the harness is unplugged. Then go put a scanner on it.

But on the other hand, maybe it would be worthwhile to pick up a good trans with less miles on it. The car was my mother in law's, but there's two brother in law's that have beat the snot out if it.

 

[JoeR Jr]

If the line blew and a bunch of fluid was lost, wouldn't there be other problems like slipping?

Could be. It may be slipping bad enough that it feels like it's not shifting. Hard to say when you're not driving the car. Do you have access to a scanner?
Joe

 

[HotRodPC]

The 4T40E is very similar to a 4L60-E execept weaker and makes a U turn via the chain. Hopefully didn't toast the 3/4 clutch pack. But everything else already said seems legit.

 

[bucket]

Could be. It may be slipping bad enough that it feels like it's not shifting. Hard to say when you're not driving the car. Do you have access to a scanner?
Joe

While I'll never really understand everything that makes an auto trans do what they do, I'm extremely familiar with how they should act, how they can act and all the symptoms that can show when something is wrong. I can say with absolute certainty that 1st and 2nd gear work perfectly fine and that there is not even an attempt to shift to a higher gear.

I even tried tricking it by nailing the throttle, winding out 2nd, then lifting while shifting to neutral and then putting it back into D while lightly on the throttle. No dice.

I have access to use of a scanner, I just need a good day to do it.

 

[HotRodPC]

Good Idea, looking at Retros Solenoid patterns, Sol B may be stuck ON. Notice it's ON for 1st and 2nd, but needs to be OFF for 3rd and 4th.

 

[bucket]

Good advice on using a scanner to command the gears. You can also cycle the solenoids Key on- Engine off and listen for them to click. The solenoids are under the side cover on this trans, so you won't be dropping the pan to fool with them.
Sometimes if you blow a cooler line while driving you starve something for lube oil. It can lead to a failure of that part...so maybe that's what happened.
Also, on the 4t40 and 4t60, the aluminum valve bodies get a lot of wear on them by 200k. I don't build them without putting in a reman valve body.

Just for giggles, unplug the electrical connector to the trans. You should have 3rd gear only. If you have something other than that, it's not electrical.

Joe

Well I finally got around to unplugging the main harness connector. I was greeted with 2nd gear only. So something internal is screwy, wether it be a solenoid or something more significant. I guess I'll get it up to the old shop sometime for a scanner hookup.

 

[JoeR Jr]

After seeing you say you had 2nd gear only I checked the apply chart for that trans. I was certain with both shift solenoids off that you'd have 3rd gear only, but I was wrong. It's second gear only. You also should have had reverse too. It's possible that your B solenoid is not turning on. That would give you no 3rd or 4th.
It's not impossible to replace a solenoid with the trans in the vehicle. Pop the left axle out, support the engine from the top, disconnect the steering shaft from the power steering rack, drop the left side of the sub frame, lower the engine until you can get the side cover off. Remove and test the solenoid. If it's bad, replace both of them.
That might save you from having to pull the whole trans.
Joe

 

[bucket]

Yes, reverse still works with it unplugged.

But wait, it's seriously that involved to pull the side cover? Damn, lol. With over 200k on it, I may as well just replace it with a good lower mile trans.

Are these things like the thm440's where there's different chain ratios and final drive ratios?

 

[RetroC10Sport]

Yes, reverse still works with it unplugged.

But wait, it's seriously that involved to pull the side cover? Damn, lol. With over 200k on it, I may as well just replace it with a good lower mile trans.

Are these things like the thm440's where there's different chain ratios and final drive ratios?

It's really not that hard of a job, I did my Aztek in less than 4 hours and that was with taking breaks.

There are 6 different transmissions for the 3500 cars...

AT, VIN Z (4th digit, New Style), 3.5L, 3.05 axle ratio (opt F83), ID ERJ
AT, VIN Z (4th digit, New Style), 3.5L, 3.05 axle ratio (opt F83), ID ESJ
AT, VIN Z (4th digit, New Style), 3.5L, 3.05 axle ratio (opt F83), ID EXJ
AT, VIN Z (4th digit, New Style), 3.5L, 3.29 axle ratio (opt FR9), ID ETJ
AT, VIN Z (4th digit, New Style), 3.5L, 3.29 axle ratio (opt FR9), ID EVJ
AT, VIN Z (4th digit, New Style), 3.5L, 3.29 axle ratio (opt FR9), ID EZJ

 

[JoeR Jr]

Yes, reverse still works with it unplugged.

But wait, it's seriously that involved to pull the side cover? Damn, lol. With over 200k on it, I may as well just replace it with a good lower mile trans.

As Retro already stated, it's really not that bad. When I was rebuilding/repairing them full time, I went through the side cover like that for many repairs.

Retro, where the heck did you find that RPO info!? That's great!

Joe