I own a 2002 Monte Carlo SS 3.8 6cyl. I believe it has a 4T65-E transmission.
On a regular basis if I drive 20 miles out of town, on my way back the transmission starts to shift hard (long shift?).From my research online, the 4T65-e is a faulty transmission to begin with. Is it worth replacing the Shift and Pressure solenoids? If I were to buy a new transmission where should I look? What are some model numbers?
Oil, trans fluid, filters are changed on regular basis.New catalytic converter. No Check Engine Light.
GM fwd trans are fairly dependable. 14 yrs is a good run. A rebuilt install will cost $2k. Maybe a bit more. Depends if u really want to keep car. None of my Grand Prix gtp’s had issues. But the gt did. Go figure.
Advance Auto shows $1500 for a rebuilt trans. If you want to do this job yourself, Google should help you find a quality replacement at a good price. I’d say @Cavell is pretty close on the cost with an independent shop doing the work. Depends a lot on the condition of the car. You could try solenoid replacement if you don’t want to drop $2000. Its a gamble but not a terribly expensive one.
Changing the solenoids is not a gamble. Check for code P1811 stored in the computer. It will confirm a slow pressure control solenoid. Mine did not set the check engine light. $450 later the trans shop had it all fixed. They changed all the solenoids behind the side cover and did a fluid change. All is good now. Well known problem with that transmission. Google it.
Suggest to get a well-recommended inde transmission shop to help on this. They might suggest to start with just a proper service, drop the pan, replace the filter, and a refill w/fresh fluid. If that helps, but doesn’t solve it, they might do it again after you driving it for a week. They’ll also be able to read the transmission codes, and will have a gauge to check the various fluid circuit pressures.