my borrowed time ran out....

[trouttrooper]

The mighty Impala finally threw a service vehicle soon light, P1811. Yup, a tranny code. No surprise since it's been intermittently shifting hard for almost a year now. I knew this day was coming, I just had hoped it could have waited until I sold it. Considering it has 216,600 miles on it I certainly can't complain. No point trying to repair it with that many miles. Plan is to find one out of a wreck with low miles and put it in. Good news is a friend of mine has the garage, tools, and experience in replacing tranny's in FWD cars so I won't get soaked on labor costs. Told me as soon as I get a replacement to bring it over and he can have it knocked out in 2 days. Actually he said one day, but if I help then it's 2 days .

Still plan on replacing the car this January. Current finances won't allow me to do anything that significant right now. Things never seem to happen the way you want.......

 

[Pepperidge]

on edit: nevermind... I see you said you couldn't trade it right now...

 

[Ed HD]

If you haven't done the swap yet, you can do a $5 shift kit and see if it helps first. The P1811 is a Pressure Control Solenoid code, and the shift kit will help basically bypass it.

Shift kit info: http://www.midwest3800.com/forum/kb.php?mode=article&k=187

And if it doesn't work, you're out $30 in fluid and the spacers.

 

[trouttrooper]

It's been shifting hard for about a year now off and on. With the high miles it's just putting a bandaid on a bleeding artery. Picked up a tranny at the salvage yard for $500 that has 130,000 miles. Once my buddy gets the time we are going to swap it in. Drive it until Dec/Jan and sell it.

 

[trouttrooper]

Update. Chevy....like a rock!

So things never go like I plan. Wife is still driving the Impala back and forth to work every day, 60 mile round trip. Big piece of tape covering the warning light in the dash . Still on the original tranny, now closer to 230,000 miles. I think the torque converter is starting to go now too.

Replacement tranny is still sitting in the garage at my friends house. He's had some hard times hit him personally and our work schedules just aren't cooperating very nicely. My funding source for a replacement vehicle has been delayed longer than I had anticipated, although I do have a few Trailblazer EXT's and Envoy XL's that I will be making offers on once I have cash in hand. I just can't believe the car is still going. I keep expecting to get a phone call with "the car made this funny noise and won't go anymore". I kinda hate getting rid of the car, it's been so reliable for us, but it just doesn't fit our needs anymore.

Hmmm, yup I guess I've grown attached to it a little. Guess you do after 170,000 trouble free miles