I'll check out a code reader if they have one available, and I'll check the RPO for H4U. If things work out OK, I could sell it for a profit, but I was thinking I'd sell the wife'* Ciera and have this one for her.

Then we could have two Bonnevilles. I really like these cars - there'* just something about the way they are built and the way they look. And they are just fun to drive.

Well, I am now the proud owner of two Bonnevilles. This new one I think may be an SLE. I'll have to redo the door seals which have let a little water in under the carpet, and the windshield will need replaced, but the body is AOK, no rust and about 4 tiny little hail dents in one rear quarterpanel. Interior is dark charcoal leather in great shape. And best of all, purchased at a price even I could afford.

Now the skinny on the trans. Previous owner says that when he would come to a stop and go to pull out with the lever in od, the car would rev as if in neutral then CLUNK into low gear. This made such a negative impression that for the remaining few days that he drove it, he did the "shift it manually deal" after coming to a stop, which he said worked fine and even did the TCC lockup on the highway.

BTW, the battery was stone cold dead when I looked at it today. I did not try to pull codes.

I'll have more direct info on it tomorrow night, 'cause I'm going to put a starter in it where it sits on the street tomorrow and hopefully drive it home!

Update:

Got the starter changed out and battery charged up. Amazingly, the car started on the first try and ran for a few seconds. Started again on the second try and kept running fairly well. This car has been sitting for at least 4 months! The plates expired in July.

TRANNY: When I first started it up, and shifted to OD, I felt it drop into gear. It upshifted itself normally as I drove it to the nearest gas station (it was really empty) about 1 mile and put in some fuel (Shell, can you believe! :( )and paid for it. When I got in to drive it home 15 miles, it had been running for maybe 5 minutes. Anyway, shifted from P to OD - nothing - just like neutral. So I shifted to 1 and just like the guy said, it dropped right in. I drove it home upshifting manually and initially being careful not to put anything under much load, and noticed that all the gears work including overdrive. I could feel the lockup drop in at 45 mph in D. I noticed after one stop under load when I went to pull out up a small incline I heard and felt: BRRRRRRRRRRP a low, quick vibration apparently from the tranny/drive train. I could reproduce it in 2nd and 3rd by putting the engine under load. It will drop into reverse every time.

[edit} No check engine light, and it is an SLE; found the H4U RPO on the spare tire cover.

That shudder made me think maybe it is a bad mount as suggested by OlBlueEyesBonne. BTW, which mount should I be looking for?

I'll try to pull codes tomorrow, but I'm wondering as this is a '95, if O'reilly will have the right adapter on their loan-out scan tool. It is set up to do OBDII but this is some kind of hybrid, right?

most gm transmissions

yea the 95 PCM will be a hybrid

No check engine light. Of course, I have only driven it 15 miles from where it sat for 4+ months, to my house. I'm going to try to rent a scan tool today to pull any codes.

Now that the sun is out, I will also take a peek to see if I can find some fault with the transmission mounts.

OK, rented the scantool- but it'* not really a scan tool, just a code reader. If you try to do anything other than read trouble codes, it says "see website for upgrades"

Anyway, no trouble codes were set, either "history" or "current"

I just started it and had the wife stand on the brake pedal while in low gear and increase rpm to about 2200 while I watched the engine torquing on its mounts. It really didn't seem to be moving any more than I would say is normal. But the only mounts I could really see were the front driver'* side and the torque axis mount. I'm thinkin' there must be a third, rear mount somewhere, but I can't see it from the top, and I loaned out my '92 FSM :(

Now, we ran the car for about 10 minutes idling and before I shut it off, I shifted to OD and sure enough, the dang thing dropped into (I presume) first gear.

Just got your post. I will go out now and try the drive in second gear - stop - see if it downshifts deal.

Thanks for your help and interest.

OK,
Drove it around the neighborhood a bit. When I first start out, it will give first gear with the lever in OD, and upshift normally one time through the gears 'til you get to D or OD and stop. Then, if you attemp to pull out, it acts just like you are in neutral, if you then drop the lever from OD to D, same deal, just slips. Then drop into 2 and it downshifts to second. If you try to pull out in second, you load it up and it gives this low BBBBRRRRRRRRRRDDDD shudder/vibration that feels as if it is going into and out of gear rapidly - the frequency of this shudder is probably about 10-15 bumps per second. You can get this shudder in 1, 2, or D while moving by attempting to accelerate quickly. I don't think I have tried punching it while in OD.

If you start in first and gently increase speed then upshift to second at about 12 -15 mph, then drive in second for a while and come to a stop, it will NOT downshift to 1, it stays in 2.

I'm begining to think after your last post that you're having an internal failure going on, not something electronic. You may end up have to get a new tranny because anything in a trans that shudder'* wouldn't have anything to do with the PCM. My guess would be that the clutch packs have aboput bit it, you're loosing a solenoid....Or your band is craping out on you...Maybe call a tranny shop and ask them...They'll give ya a free diagnosis most places here do.

Yeah, Lakeville, I think you may be right. I thought the same thing when I felt that shudder for the first time. I sure don't want to put much money into this one if I am gonna end up replacing it anyway.

I can get a <100K (supposedly) tranny from the local junkyard for $450. If I am wiling to drive a bit, I can get one for as little as $350.

My local trans shop will diagnose for free, but I'm not sure I can trust them to give a diagnosis that won't result in maximizing their profits.

But, automatic transmissions are pretty much like magic, anyway, and I am not in a big hurry, so I am happy to try some stuff to make sure what I have is toast. Wouldn't it be a bummer to change out the tranny only to find it was a bad shift switch? YIKES!

I noticed this car has the FW2 gear option. (3.06?) Is this more power or more economy?