I just joined to get some ideas at what to do to the wifes 99 Sunfire coupe as she is tried of me working/playing on my cars and "neglecting" hers. Not that I ever really neglected hers. I have always done the routine maintainence, oil changes and repairs whenever needed. But she wants me to do to hers what I do to mine. So I decided to do to it what i do to my cars. A lil modifing.
Replace dented fender, paint some wheels and put on to replace the steelies and wheel covers, replace the cracked windshield, tint the widows, lower it, replace the exhaust, and many many more lil things to it.
Well it looks like it might be over before it really begins.
After numerous efforts and things tried, it looks like the trans is gone!
She still drives but the p1870 code keeps coming up with replace transmission at the top of the list of repairs on the scan tool. 3-speeds are non-existant in the salvage yards around here and it will cost $500 shipped for one to be shipped in.
Not sure if it is really feasible to fix it? 150k on her and she needs a lil TLC.
I am leaning toward replacing the transmission and going forward with most of my plans for it but in the end it is her car and it is up to her. I do know if we fix it she will end up driving it a lil longer than she would like as a new car has to wait until after we buy a house.
thoughts and comments welcome.


99 SUNFIRE COUPE, 2.2L AUTO, WHITE.
BONE STOCK...............FOR NOW.

5 speed swap

evil lives wrote:5 speed swap

not an option.
she will not drive a 5-speed. nor do I really want her to. I could see lots of clutch issues having her drive a 5-speed. lol!
We will either replace the 3-speed or junk it.


99 SUNFIRE COUPE, 2.2L AUTO, WHITE.
BONE STOCK...............FOR NOW.

4 speed swap then. It might cost the same as shipping a 3 speed but be well worth the effort and much easier then a 5 speed swap. All you'll need is the Trans shifter assembly with cable axles and a 4 speed PCM all can be found at the yards.

what about the wiring?


99 SUNFIRE COUPE, 2.2L AUTO, WHITE.
BONE STOCK...............FOR NOW.

there isn't to much wiring involved with a trans. one harness into the trans and some hydraulic lines. Bit you should get rid of the crappy 3T40 and get the 4

u kiddin wrote:there isn't to much wiring involved with a trans. one harness into the trans and some hydraulic lines. Bit you should get rid of the crappy 3T40 and get the 4

Still debating the swap.
The wife and I are leaning towards just replacing the 3-speed. Trying to keep costs down. It is still driveable in town right now, but we need to get it trustworthy to take out of town ASAP. PLus working 6 days a week , I have to be able to swap it out in a day.
Still considering the 4-speed swap though.


99 SUNFIRE COUPE, 2.2L AUTO, WHITE.
BONE STOCK...............FOR NOW.

Trust me the 4t40E is much more durable and reliable the the 3 spd. The work it takes for the swap will be made up for with better drivability especialy on the highway cause now you have an overdrive. Better mpg's longer life better cruising the whole bit... Yes you will need a PCM from the donor car just get one with the 4 spd and the same engine as you and try to get the harness as well.. Anyone good with tools and cars could handle this in a weekend a day with help.

It's up in the air right now.
I may have found a donar car for the 4speed swap, but I think it is a 2.4 car. Owner says the motor is bad. So I might hit up the U-pull it lot on Monday morning before work and see if they have any 2.2 4-speed cars out there before i make a offer on the donar car.
The better MPG's on the highway would be nice ! As I see this maybe becoming one of my cars after we get into a house and then get her a newer car a couple years later.



99 SUNFIRE COUPE, 2.2L AUTO, WHITE.
BONE STOCK...............FOR NOW.

If you put in the 4spd you will need to swap the wiring and ecu from a 4spd car as well as the shifter and possibly shift cables.

Darrick Aulner wrote:It's up in the air right now.
I may have found a donar car for the 4speed swap, but I think it is a 2.4 car. Owner says the motor is bad. So I might hit up the U-pull it lot on Monday morning before work and see if they have any 2.2 4-speed cars out there before i make a offer on the donar car.
The better MPG's on the highway would be nice ! As I see this maybe becoming one of my cars after we get into a house and then get her a newer car a couple years later.

yuck.

profile says SD, you in siouxfalls by chance? nordstroms ewepull? if so, they have a few 2.2s, but I only recall seeins one tranny out there (I was out there no less than three days ago...but they shift inventory a lot)

i'm doing a 5spd swap myself, getting rid of the 4speed. it's on the garage floor at the moment

Ya. i am in Sioux Falls. were are you located?
I have not been able to head out to the Ewe-Pull-it to look. ANd then even by chance if the have one I have no time during the week to pull it myself as I work Monday-Saturday every week. Plus spending a whole day out there to pull a trans that may or not be good with only being able to get crdit back and not cash for a good one is keeping me away from there.
They can order me one from a yard in Wisconsin for $400 shipped with 107k on it. Since I work at a dealership I can get a good deal on the warrenty on it to make it worthwhile.
ALthough I would really like to 4-speed swap it, I need a donar car and finding them are hard as well. I may have found one all the way in Fargo.
Still leaning on replacing the 3-speed as I would like to get it truely roadworthy so she can drive it more than just back and forth to work and in town. I have forbid her to go anywhere out of town with it right now. It drives for now, but how soon till it really acts up like it did before or completely dies?


99 SUNFIRE COUPE, 2.2L AUTO, WHITE.
BONE STOCK...............FOR NOW.

400 shipped? yikes. what's the deal with the 3spd to 4spd swap? what do you need from the donor car? I can't comment on the 3spd, as i've never even touched one...

but I do have the tranny and shifter/shift cables, i'll send you a PM.

Found a cheap low mileage 3-speed. Going that route. Just do not have the available time to swap to a 4-speed. Would love to, maybe in the future, but the trans is really starting to act up and we need to make this car trustworthy/roadworthy A.S.A.P! So looks like in the next week a good 3-speed is going in. With help from a good friend we can switch out the trans in a day which is good as I only have 1 day off a week. $-speed swap would just take too much time right now. Mostly because I would have to find a day to head to the yard to find and pull the wiring harness and ECU. I just don't have time right now.
Soo she may not be over before it begins anymore!


99 SUNFIRE COUPE, 2.2L AUTO, WHITE.
BONE STOCK...............FOR NOW.

Thats great. Hey getting it back on the road is the most important thing.. All the parts or mods in the world are useless if the car doesnt drive and isn't reliable.

RED wrote:Thats great. Hey getting it back on the road is the most important thing.. All the parts or mods in the world are useless if the car doesnt drive and isn't reliable.

So true!
and she has been bugging me on when I am going to fix it!
should be pivking up a tranny this week and maybe this Sunday it could get swapped out!


99 SUNFIRE COUPE, 2.2L AUTO, WHITE.
BONE STOCK...............FOR NOW.

A P1870 can be caused by alot of things... this is why I hate the "suggestions" the scan tools give you nowadays... they are cheap and rediculous...

I would be checking fluid level and color, as well as smell, drop the pan and change the filter in case something is clogging it causing low line pressure... check the TCC circuit for opens or high resistance, check both the TV and the shift cable for alignment and binding... as well as the speed sensor circuits...

You jumped to the "needs a transmission" conclusion WAY too fast...



Buildin' n' Boostin for 08' - Alex Richards

Alex Richards wrote:A P1870 can be caused by alot of things... this is why I hate the "suggestions" the scan tools give you nowadays... they are cheap and rediculous...

I would be checking fluid level and color, as well as smell, drop the pan and change the filter in case something is clogging it causing low line pressure... check the TCC circuit for opens or high resistance, check both the TV and the shift cable for alignment and binding... as well as the speed sensor circuits...

You jumped to the "needs a transmission" conclusion WAY too fast...

I changed out the fluid and filter. helped for a week. there was material in the pan and in the fluid before I checked it. Went away pf course with the fluid change ,but the trans acted up again with the same symptoms a week later.
The scan tool I used is not junk. It is a very expensive Matcoo unit and has been 100% right everytime I have had my buddy scan a vehicle for me.
i also spoke to a couple techs at work and a few transmission shops and came to the conclusion that best bet is to replace the trans. Instead of fighting it and spending money on things that will probably not make it any better or fix it.
It's not I like I just decide to rplace the trans. I have put time and thought in researchinng it and replacing the trans is the best solution.


99 SUNFIRE COUPE, 2.2L AUTO, WHITE.
BONE STOCK...............FOR NOW.

Thats what scares me... Technicians fix vehicles... not scan tools... the scan tool is only as good as the tech holding it... I don't care what you spend on it.

Anyway, glad you at least looked into it... if you did change the fluid and there was larger chunks you may be better off replacing it since likely that was clutch pack material. Make sure you get a torque converter too.



Buildin' n' Boostin for 08' - Alex Richards

I did as much research as I could. Believe me I really don't feel like swapping transmissons!
Anything I thought would really make a difference and work I tried. But after talking to a couple techs and my buddy I realized that I would just end up wasting money on parts that would not fix it in the end anyway, so I put that cash aside towards a transmission and starting looking for a low mile affordable replacement.
This car has never had the trans serviced before I changed the filter and fluid to try to do d quick fix. Car has 150k on it so I am going to take a chance on a different trans. Gamble? maybe. But worth the risk IMO. If it doesn't fix it I guess we pony up for a new car and junk this.


99 SUNFIRE COUPE, 2.2L AUTO, WHITE.
BONE STOCK...............FOR NOW.