92 3.1 Engine Issues

Ok, I have read through the forums all day today, and have seen similar problems but nobody is having from what I read the exact same problems.

My lumina is a 3.1L V6 4 speed automatic transmission. It has about 140,000 miles on it.

When I bought the car, I noticed that when I got up around 35 to 55 miles an hour, and try to hold it there, the car jerks bad. Any thoughts?

Then a few months ago it started slipping out of gear when I come to a stop, not all the time but out of 4 times I would have to say 2 times. All I have to do is take it to neutral then put it back in drive and it's fine.

Then Wednesday, I pulled up to the stop sign and my car just died. It took a bit to get it started again. I had to roll it out of the lane, and let it sit for a minute then it started. I don't know how it would have ran after that, as I took it home, and let it sit all day. When I got home that night, I took out the battery, the air box, and played around with a few different things. When I put everything back to together it ran fine...like it was brand new. So I drove it to work Thursday, and Friday. No problems with stalling till this morning. It seems to be happening in the mornings. But I have noticed that when I am at a stop sign and it doesn't stall that, the engine revs up and down. It's real noticeable, I can feel the whole car move when it revs. But it doesn't rev high, it's like I am sitting there tapping on the gas pedle a bit.

I have a friend of mine who says that i should replace the transmission filter and fluid, because mine is dark, it's not burnt just dark. The previous owner didnt' seem to keep up on anything but he oil if that. He also suggests that it could be the PCV Valve. I am just curious if that could be it too. I want to get some other opnions before I go out and buy parts to replace.

I am going to replace the fuel filter cause there is a strong gas smell coming from that area when the car is on. The fuel pump is fine from what I can tell. I am also going to replace the transmission filter and fluid just for good measure.

But my main question is should I look to the PCV Valve next to replace or the Idle Air Control Valve. Which is easier? I don't have my book with me here at work, and I want to stop and get parts to night on my way home.

Thanks, and Sorry for the long post

Hello. I don't know too much about cars but my husband does. We have a 92 lumina and a 95 lumina. We also had another 92 lumina but got in to an accident. With the other 92 we had the same problem with the car slipping out of gear at stop signs and we would do the same put it N then it was fine. Both of the luminas we have now did the same things before we bought them now the bands in the tranny's are shot. Sorry to tell you this but from expeirience you are going to need a new tranny in the near future. DO NOT use the lucas tranny oil syuff. It will help for a few weeks but I think it does more damage than good. I just think luminas are not able to handle being ragged on it really hurts the trannys. My husband is at work but if you have any questions he would be able to help.

First off, change the tranny fluid and filter. Also check the cable from the shifter to the tranny. If its gotten loose it may not be fully engaging the tranny into drive. With the car off pop it into drive. On the top of the tranny near the back there is a lever with a cable attached to it. this is what selects the gears inside the tranny. You should be able to pop it in between drive and neutral. Mark the position of the lever with white out when its in nuetral. Move the lever with your hand for this. Now push it into drive with your hand and make another mark. Hop in the car put it in park and then back to drive with the shifter. Now look at the lever on the tranny. If the marks arent lined up perfectly the shift cable is loose.

The jerkyness around 45 mph is probably a sticky EGR. And the eratic idle is most likely a bad IAC.

I would say it's a sticky shift solenoid in the trans. When your trans fluid gets dark, it will cause laquer deposits in the valve body, which in turn make the shift solenoids stick. When the car died at the stop, did it start right up in neutral/park and then die again when you put it in gear?? If so, then your torque converter lock-up solenoid (TCC solenoid) is also sticking. Basically, you need your valve body serviced (cleaned and shift solenoids replaced) , some cars you can get the side cover off with the trans in the car, some you can't, it's all about clearance.