The reason you have no third gear is likely due to a bad solenoid and not one of the valves. The most commonly replaced one is the booster valve. It is the largest of the valves. However, you usually incur other problems such as the "reverse slam" and hard upshifting.
If you are not experiencing any of the symptoms I just mentioned then generally the problem is a solenoid. I do not recommend changing out a valve that you don't know where it goes. Chances are taking apart the valve body is not a good idea as there are several small tiny pieces that have a specific spot once the valve body is separated into its three parts. I know this because I rebuild Saturn valve bodies as a side business.
I recommend changing the 3rd gear solenoid first before going any further. Generally when one and only one gear is not working and you have no other symptoms it is a solenoid.
You can test a solenoid by checking its resistance (Ohms) and by putting 12VDC to it to make sure the magnetic magnetizes and then returns back to home.
The solenoid is an electrical component and is found inside the valve body. The parts guy may be calling it something else because he himself may not know what you are looking to replace. The technicians call it a solenoid and you are looking for a valve body solenoid. Third gear does not have a different solenoid than 4th gear or the torque converter solenoid, they are all the same part #. Simply ask for a valve body solenoid for a S-series and he should be able to get it. It is generally a $50 part and is round with two electrical leads coming off the top like posts.
Below is the diagram of the valve body and the solenoids. You can see the electrical connector. This picture is as if you were looking at it from the driver side fender looking over into the engine bay. You need to take off the top section of the valve body, which are the bold faced bolts in this picture. That will ensure that it doesn't break the valve body open but instead will keep it into one piece.
Once it is open simply take the black buss plate off which circuits the solenoids to the main connector. Once the buss plate is off then you can see the solenoids. The #3 one in the picture is the one you want to replace. Just pull straight up on it and it'll "pop" out. Just snap the new one in and twist it so the electrical posts are in the correct orientation so that the buss plate can go back on. Bolt everything up using 89 INCH pounds (just snug with a 1/4" wrench) and put everything else back. Then you should be good to go.
The solenoid is an electrical component and is found inside the valve body. The parts guy may be calling it something else because he himself may not know what you are looking to replace. The technicians call it a solenoid and you are looking for a valve body solenoid. Third gear does not have a different solenoid than 4th gear or the torque converter solenoid, they are all the same part #. Simply ask for a valve body solenoid for a S-series and he should be able to get it. It is generally a $50 part and is round with two electrical leads coming off the top like posts.
Below is the diagram of the valve body and the solenoids. You can see the electrical connector. This picture is as if you were looking at it from the driver side fender looking over into the engine bay. You need to take off the top section of the valve body, which are the bold faced bolts in this picture. That will ensure that it doesn't break the valve body open but instead will keep it into one piece.
Once it is open simply take the black buss plate off which circuits the solenoids to the main connector. Once the buss plate is off then you can see the solenoids. The #3 one in the picture is the one you want to replace. Just pull straight up on it and it'll "pop" out. Just snap the new one in and twist it so the electrical posts are in the correct orientation so that the buss plate can go back on. Bolt everything up using 89 INCH pounds (just snug with a 1/4" wrench) and put everything else back. Then you should be good to go.
The other two responses are not relevant because this transmission is not vacuum operated and changing the "whole gear" is not possible since they are sun and planet gears with clutch packs.
It still is the 3rd gear solenoid, that fact has not changed.
The other two responses are not relevant because this transmission is not vacuum operated and changing the "whole gear" is not possible since they are sun and planet gears with clutch packs.
It still is the 3rd gear solenoid, that fact has not changed.
You could be low on fluid, start the vehicle let it warm up and check the tranny fluid while it is running, if it is low add a little at a time until it is topped off, this could be the cause in delayed shifting. it also could be the modulater valve this is on the side of your tranny and usually has a vacumn line going to it, these just screw in and out easy fix.check out.keep updated.thanks.
Low fluid wouldnt be the problem here if the fluid was low it would effect all gears not just one gear, chances its a bad shift solenoid for 3rd gear check the resistance of the 5 solenoids the resistance should be between 4.5 and 6 ohms of resistance if one of the solenoids is out of these values replace it with a new unit and try to operate the transmission.Low fluid wouldnt be the problem here if the fluid was low it would effect all gears not just one gear, chances its a bad shift solenoid for 3rd gear check the resistance of the 5 solenoids the resistance should be between 4.5 and 6 ohms of resistance if one of the solenoids is out of these values replace it with a new unit and try to operate the transmission.
Answers & Comments
The reason you have no third gear is likely due to a bad solenoid and not one of the valves. The most commonly replaced one is the booster valve. It is the largest of the valves. However, you usually incur other problems such as the "reverse slam" and hard upshifting.
If you are not experiencing any of the symptoms I just mentioned then generally the problem is a solenoid. I do not recommend changing out a valve that you don't know where it goes. Chances are taking apart the valve body is not a good idea as there are several small tiny pieces that have a specific spot once the valve body is separated into its three parts. I know this because I rebuild Saturn valve bodies as a side business.
I recommend changing the 3rd gear solenoid first before going any further. Generally when one and only one gear is not working and you have no other symptoms it is a solenoid.
You can test a solenoid by checking its resistance (Ohms) and by putting 12VDC to it to make sure the magnetic magnetizes and then returns back to home.
The solenoid is an electrical component and is found inside the valve body. The parts guy may be calling it something else because he himself may not know what you are looking to replace. The technicians call it a solenoid and you are looking for a valve body solenoid. Third gear does not have a different solenoid than 4th gear or the torque converter solenoid, they are all the same part #. Simply ask for a valve body solenoid for a S-series and he should be able to get it. It is generally a $50 part and is round with two electrical leads coming off the top like posts.
Below is the diagram of the valve body and the solenoids. You can see the electrical connector. This picture is as if you were looking at it from the driver side fender looking over into the engine bay. You need to take off the top section of the valve body, which are the bold faced bolts in this picture. That will ensure that it doesn't break the valve body open but instead will keep it into one piece.
Once it is open simply take the black buss plate off which circuits the solenoids to the main connector. Once the buss plate is off then you can see the solenoids. The #3 one in the picture is the one you want to replace. Just pull straight up on it and it'll "pop" out. Just snap the new one in and twist it so the electrical posts are in the correct orientation so that the buss plate can go back on. Bolt everything up using 89 INCH pounds (just snug with a 1/4" wrench) and put everything else back. Then you should be good to go.
The other two responses are not relevant because this transmission is not vacuum operated and changing the "whole gear" is not possible since they are sun and planet gears with clutch packs.
It still is the 3rd gear solenoid, that fact has not changed.
Please you need to replace the whole gear to enable the car get back to the road.
Cheers.
You could be low on fluid, start the vehicle let it warm up and check the tranny fluid while it is running, if it is low add a little at a time until it is topped off, this could be the cause in delayed shifting. it also could be the modulater valve this is on the side of your tranny and usually has a vacumn line going to it, these just screw in and out easy fix. check out.keep updated.thanks.
Low fluid wouldnt be the problem here if the fluid was low it would effect all gears not just one gear, chances its a bad shift solenoid for 3rd gear check the resistance of the 5 solenoids the resistance should be between 4.5 and 6 ohms of resistance if one of the solenoids is out of these values replace it with a new unit and try to operate the transmission.