My 93 Buick Century FWD auto, original owner, 90k babied babied miles.  Mint condition..

Starts and runs good.  When I drive for about a 1/2 hour and slow down to about 5 mph, shutters and then craps out.  Starts OK.  Put it in gear and craps out.  If I put it in neutral and rev the engine up and stick it in drive, takes off and drives and shifts OK.  But when I slow down..craps out.

When the car sits for an hour or two,  runs and starts just fine and repeats the whole process over again.

Friggin GM.  Gotta a 92 Toyota pickup....250k.  Owned since new.  Put a clutch, starter, gen.  Thats all.
runs like a top...

Thanks Guys...


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Steve, Lifetime Member #129

74 coupe 4 speed 350, 54K actual miles,
all original; paint, interior, engine,
split  bumper. #'s match. 2nd owner, no stress cracks.

Sounds like a classic case of a lock-up issue in with the transmission torque converter. What happens is the clock-up is not releasing, and it stalls/kills the engine at stops....similar to a standard trans if you don't push in on the clutch when stopping.
The issue has several items that could cause it. It could be the solenoid getting hot and sticking, or it maybe clogged up. It could also be a sticking valve in the valve body. It can also be caused by an electrical issue, such as the PCM(computer) commanding the solenoid on all the time for some reason. (This is actually rare, but it does happen.)
The most common cause is a sticking valve, followed by the solenoid failure. Either of these can be fixed with the trans on the car, but....it ain't gonna be cheap. The labor to remove the side cover to get to the solenoid/valve body is quite involved. I would have to recommend a trip to the local trans shop, unfortunately. If you continue to drive it like this, it WILL damage the torque converter, stretch the drive chain in the trans, and strip plines off of a couple of other components.

Is this a 3 speed or 4 speed trans?


btw......the fact that you can let it cool off for a while and it work ok leads to a sticking valve issue. This is more common on the 3 speed trans, but it also happens with the 4 speed... Adams' Apple2009-06-09 10:22:34

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Thanks Joel...I was hoping you would chime in.

Its a 3 speed.  And never drive the car anymore due to problems.  Been parked 2 years, so I took it out to see if all was the same and it was.  Just did the "rev" thing to get back home vs calling a tow truck.

Give a ball park idea of cost.  Really like this little car, so anything under a thou. would be OK by me. Steve


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Steve, Lifetime Member #129

74 coupe 4 speed 350, 54K actual miles,
all original; paint, interior, engine,
split  bumper. #'s match. 2nd owner, no stress cracks.

That would be a 125C trans, as it is known in the biz. VERY common problem with it...prolly the most common, matter o fact.
That makes it a little less costly to do, tho, so that's a gud thing! Can't say what a shop in Cali would charge, but around here, at a trans shop, it would be in the $500-$600 range, IF you can find a shop that will just do that, and not try to sell you a complete O/H, which is the way 99% of trans shops work.

You might want to try putting in a bottle of red Lubegard, start it up, and let it run for about 30 minutes, and then go drive it. If it's a stuck TCC valve, that will usually fix it, unless the valve has a piece of shrapnel in it from something else in the trans taking a doo-doo(hi-tech term). I would definitely try that first. I've seen the Lubegard stuff free up a valve that couldn't be beat out with a hammer, and that ain't no doo-doo. You might be able to find the Lubegard at a good parts store...I think the Pep-Gurls next door to us here carries it. If not, check with a local tranny shop...most of them carry it.
 If the problem is the solenoid, then the solenoid will have to be replaced.

Annudder thing...try this....unplug the electrical connector on the trans, at the front,  right around where the cooler line is. Then drive the car. If it still does it with the connector unplugged, then it is most likely a stuck valve.
Adams' Apple2009-06-10 10:28:59

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Thanks Joel, will do as you say.  Will let you know how it turns out.

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Steve, Lifetime Member #129

74 coupe 4 speed 350, 54K actual miles,
all original; paint, interior, engine,
split  bumper. #'s match. 2nd owner, no stress cracks.

Hi Joel... Well, I got the work done.  They serviced the trans and put in a new Solenoid.  Total cost was $474.41. =  332 labor + 120 parts + 22 misc.  Has a 12 mo, 12000 mile guarantee.
 Seems to run just fine.  Thanks for your help.

Before the repair, I added the Lubegard like you said.  Seemed to help a little, but still had the problem.

My question to you is.... should I add another bottle of Lubegard, since trans is hopefully fixed just  to be on safe side.

PS....Before I had the repairs done, Thought about using this car for a cash to clunker, but it did not qualify.
  It gets too good of gas mileage and did not make the list of eligible cars..


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Steve, Lifetime Member #129

74 coupe 4 speed 350, 54K actual miles,
all original; paint, interior, engine,
split  bumper. #'s match. 2nd owner, no stress cracks.

Glad they took care of the prollem, Steve!!
A bottle o Lubesnot will be good for it. It helps keep the valves from sticking, and it also helps lower the operating temp of the trans...it's really a win-win.
That was(is) prolly the #1 problem/complaint on that particular trans...
Adams' Apple2009-08-17 10:43:31

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

And if it happens again; I would think that "she" heard about cash for clunker...  babied clunker I mean!