Non-Moto... Front drive trans problem

[MICKEYMEANIE]

My daughters '02 Buick Regal is having what I am pretty sure are transmission problems.

I'm not real familiar with front drive cars, so I'm not positive. This is something that apparently has been going on for a few months but she is just now bringing it up since it's nearly inoperable now... I'll save that rant for another day...

What I can tell... the engine is running fine, while in park it idles smoothly, and it revs up without hesitation, no knock, rattles, etc...

Put it in gear and do a trans test I remember doing with rear drive cars... basically power brake to see if the trans is slipping. When doing this it doesn't feel like much power is getting to the trans as it doesn't feel very strong and there seems to be a little "miss"... I don't "feel" a slip like I recall from a rear drive car, but I'm assuming the lack of power transfer and the "miss" I'm feeling is the trans slipping.

When driving the car, when you accelerating it actually seems to sputter and feels like it has no power. The engine doesn't rev out like I would think it would if the trans was slipping, but again I don't know how front drive trans works.

I don't hear any noise coming from the CV joints, I assume they would be clicking/grinding if they were the issue.

Any ideas? Best case I am hoping for is maybe a vacuum line has come loose... worst case the trans has died...

Any suggestions for somewhere I can take the car in the Plano/North Dallas area that I can trust?

Thanks!

[MICKEYMEANIE]

Another thought... would the engine idle okay and rev in park okay but still possibly have a cylinder miss under load? Thinking about it, that almost makes more sense than it being the trans

[ktm300hater]

Take it to the muffler shop and have them check back pressure. The Cat could be clogged

[MICKEYMEANIE]

Ah, thanks Hater, I didn't even think of that... It's got 84k miles on it, so that very well could be the issue.

[huffster]

Just feel the exhaust flow out of the pipe, if it's plugged it will be very slow flow and the gas will be much hotter than normal.

[AR616]

the TCC solenoid-torque convertor clutch- can go bad. when bad it doesnt allow
the torque convertor to unlock-so basically your applying 1:1 ratio all the time.
this could make the car feel sluggish and trans not perform properly-

when in high gear going down the road-gently touch brake pedal just enough to
engage brake light switch-once you do that see if rpm's change and you should be
able to feel torque convertor unlock almost like a down shift.

[rwhite]

THOSE BUICKS ARE INFAMOUS FOR MISS-FIRES. PULL THE PLUGS LOOK AT THE PORCEALIN WELL FOR CARBON TRACKING. IF THEY ARE CARBON TRACKED REPLACE PLUGS AND WIRES. ALSO YOU CAN CHECK THE COIL BY REMOVING THE PLUG WIRES AND MEASURING WITH AN OHM METER 5-9K OHMS ACROSS THE TOWERS

[MICKEYMEANIE]

Thanks guys for the responses... now if I can get my hands on the car I can start trying to diagnose.

Andy, that description sounds pretty similar. It is very sluggish when starting out... takes a long time to get up to speed... when you push it hard it just kinda sputters. It will just barely get up to 60 and it won't hold that speed consistantly.

Richard, I considered it being plugs and wires. The only thing is I just changed the plugs and wires about a year and a half ago... about +/- 20K miles ago I would guess. If it was misfiring, would it idle smoothly and rev in park smoothly? No engine shake, knocking, or missing that I can hear/see.

Thanks again!

[MICKEYMEANIE]

And the winner isssss...... Hater with the clogged catalytic converter... Thanks Man! Getting fixed today. Everything else checks out fine thank goodness.

[ktm300hater]

Im the man....duh lol

[MICKEYMEANIE]

Okay, I'm back with more questions...

Looking for estimates of what you would think the following should cost for the same '02 Buick Regal:

1. Outer tierod ends replacement and 4 wheel alignment after that is done
2. CV Boot replacement (CV joints aren't clicking or making any noise so I'm assuming they are okay)
3. Replace motor mounts (engine seems to be sagging and suspicion that this is causing CV boots to wear / come undone because it's putting the joints in a bind... also makes engine a little more susceptable to bottoming it seems)

Thoughts on labor and parts for each of these? No, I won't be doing any of it... I'm done working on this car for a variety of reasons...

Oh, and anyone know a good place to pick up a 15" steel wheel that would fit the Buick? One of the wheels is bent pretty bad at the lip. Seems to be okay, but I figure if we are going to put tires on it soon, may as well replace that wheel if I can find one...

Thanks!!

[ktm300hater]

no idea other than alot.... Richard or Andy would be better suited to answer this, as they have worked at dealerships.