Got a 97 GMC yukon 4wd ,trans has no reverse and when it shifts into 2nd,3rd,it wont shift till rpm is bout 3500 or so.Does this sound like its tranny time or maybe a solinoid is shot ? I dont know squat bout these all elect transmissions,so maybe if somebody out there has had same problem,I could get some insight here on what to do---Jack
97 4l60e no reverse
- Thread starter turbojack
- Start date
bitchin_buick
Cragar Keystone Klassics
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2008
When i had my 79 cutlass, Reverse was the first to go when the trani went out. Good luck!
You have a broken/stripped sun shell. No reverse,2nd,and 4th gear. Time for a rebuild.
I agree with RustyNail, Sun Shells are the main weak link & cause those exact symptoms.
1997 4l60e repair and parts questions
1997 4l60e repair and parts questions
challengermike
Member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2005
Yep,the sunshell is broken.
He said "when it shifts to 2nd, 3rd it won't shift until 3500". That tells me the sun shell is neither stripped or broken at the splines. No reverse is in the low/reverse clutch and/or the reverse input drum. Could be a teflon sealing ring also. Have had at least 17 that the rings were totally gone but these were high mileage units and parts were worn out to where the parts were moving around with worn out bushings. Solenoids have no control over reverse. That is strictly mechnical.
challengermike
Member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2005
I took it as he wrote 2nd or 3rd,wasnt sure which gear it was in when it shifts.I was assuming that it was infact shifting to 3rd and not 2nd.
I got a guy for you to talk to. He just finished putting a 4L60E in my '97 GMC Sierra Z71 yesterday. My problem was different from yours but he built me a transmission with a new torque convertor, all new solenoids, heavy duty "Beast" sunshell, Z-pack (14 clutches for 3rd & 4th gear vs. stock 6 clutches), Corvette servo, and a deep pan with a drain plug. He and a friend of his (they both work in the same transmission shop but did mine on the side) brought it from Fort Wayne, IN to where I live in northern OH and installed it in my truck, replaced the rear seal in my transfer case, replaced all 4 of my U-joints, installed an external transmission cooler, and installed a new positive battery cable (truck would not start when work was completed because it had corroded off the starter motor) all for a grand total of *gasp* $750!!!
That is with giving me credit for the new valve body since it was only about a month old, and I supplied the transfer case seal, u-joints, trans cooler, and battery cable. The 2 main problems with the '97 4L60E are the weak sunshell which is why he installs the "Beast" sunshell in all the transmissions he builds, and the PWM TCC solenoid wears a gouge in its bore in the valve body causing a loss of apply pressure to the clutch in the torque convertor, causing it to slip and burn up and throw a P1870 code (transmission component slipping) and it also causes a hard 1-2 shift. That is what my problem was. I started with a new valve body built by this guy that I bought for $90 shipped and installed myself with help over the phone from him but by this time my TCC was already too far gone so that's why I ended up with the new transmission. He has a store on eBay where he just sells these valve bodies, yet he is a Power Seller with 100% feedback. His name is Greg Brant, his number is 1-260-484-1849, email is glbtransmissions@yahoo.com, and his ebay store is here: eBay Store - GLBTRANSMISSIONS: GM 700R4--4L60E--4L65E. I think he only travels up to 200 miles but he may be able to work something out with you. Good luck!
That is with giving me credit for the new valve body since it was only about a month old, and I supplied the transfer case seal, u-joints, trans cooler, and battery cable. The 2 main problems with the '97 4L60E are the weak sunshell which is why he installs the "Beast" sunshell in all the transmissions he builds, and the PWM TCC solenoid wears a gouge in its bore in the valve body causing a loss of apply pressure to the clutch in the torque convertor, causing it to slip and burn up and throw a P1870 code (transmission component slipping) and it also causes a hard 1-2 shift. That is what my problem was. I started with a new valve body built by this guy that I bought for $90 shipped and installed myself with help over the phone from him but by this time my TCC was already too far gone so that's why I ended up with the new transmission. He has a store on eBay where he just sells these valve bodies, yet he is a Power Seller with 100% feedback. His name is Greg Brant, his number is 1-260-484-1849, email is glbtransmissions@yahoo.com, and his ebay store is here: eBay Store - GLBTRANSMISSIONS: GM 700R4--4L60E--4L65E. I think he only travels up to 200 miles but he may be able to work something out with you. Good luck!challengermike
Member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2005
Its not the solenoid that wears a grove,its the valve.You can block the valve and it will become a non pwm and take care of the 1870 code.But if the converter clutch is already toast you would of needed a converter.No need to replace the valvebody.They also make a tool to bore the valvebody and they sell an oversize valve if you want to retain the pwm function.But $750 is a great price for what you had done.
That's why I did it; I figured most shops would charge way more than that just to install a new stock torque convertor especially with it being a 4x4. The reason I originally replaced the valve body vs. going the oversized valve route is, I had no experience with working on transmissions other than fluid/filter changes, and if I'd have screwed something up while boring the thing out I would have then had to wait for a new valve body and put it in anyway. Plus, once again, I can't imagine $90 including shipping for a reconditioned valve body was much more than the tools for boring the valve out plus the oversize valve itself would have cost me.
I still say the sun shell is stripped or broke. The transmission is shifting from 1st to 3rd which is the cause for the delayed shift he speaks of.
Any chance it could be the bands? I believe the guy that built my tranny said it uses them to engage 2nd and 4th gear. I was under the impression that a stripped/broken sunshell would cause you to have no movement forward or reverse...still just trying to learn here though...
When the reaction shell breaks or strips out you will get no reverse and only 2nd and 4th gears. There is only a single band, it is a 2-4 band. I replace these shells quite a bit, there is an updated design which GM calls more "robust". Either way your doing a tear down. Hope this helps, Phil.
Don't want to sound like an a$$ but Sun shell stripped means no shift at all. No planetary action from band grabbing in 2nd or 4th. The 3-4 clutches need to drive the Internal reaction carrier (front planet) and the sun shell cannot be driven at the same rate if the splines are stripped and would not drive the low planet at the same rate (since 3rd would be a direct 1:1). The band would still apply in 2nd and 4th but there would never be a progression in gear change. He is getting a shift but late. He said 2nd and 3rd but late -3500rpm or so.
challengermike
Member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2005
When the sun shell breaks it will shift from 1st to 3rd.I see this atleast 2 to 3 times a week at work.It will have to wind way up in 1st then if you are lite on the gas it will shift to 3rd.And it will also have no reverse.
thanks for the info guys,,I was wrong on the 2nd gear shift,it was bypassing 2nd and going to 3rd and no 4th at all,and no reverse at all,,,looks like tranny time,,,the local (only ckd 1) wants $3500-$4000 to rebuild it,,sounds wayyyyy out there on $$ to me,,I`ll ck the other shops,,,thanks for all the info,Jack
