Olds 231 -T200 fuel or shift issue?

[GM_Guy-Magnet]

Hi Everyone;

Thought I would make my first thread and see if you have seen this before. I bought a cutlass sedan with the 231 and t200 transmission. The T200 I know is not the most reliable I have heard but it does run well for this car right now. (I think)

As a background, the car sat for 3 or 4 years till I started driving it. It ran fine for a month or two but now I get this intermittent issue when driving up a hill, basically like it kicks out of gear and tries to stall (but doesn't). I pull over to the side of the road, she purrs just fine at idle. Give it 15 or 30 secs and away I go again.Car could go for 300 miles without a hitch after. Might not see the problem again for a couple weeks of daily driving in fact! (so odd).

First thing I thought was Fuel pump (as driving uphill, sputter) so I have one on order. I swapped the Fuel filter in the carb already, same random issue though. I know old gas and crap in the tank could still be an issue too (car sat for years) and with my sender not showing on my gauge, (gauge reads constant full, pins full when started) and cleaning the ground to the sender hasn't changed that. So I am swapping the sender too and cleaning the tank. All these parts are only costing me like 100 bucks anyway so why not right?

Transmission wise I checked the TV cable and its tight with WOT adjustment. Transmission has nice pink/red fluid and the old owner said he replaced it and the filter. Car shifts so smooth like butter. There is no Vacuum advance for these transmissions, so no modulator valve adjustments. I did read a TSB about pre 1988 T200's having a poor shift solenoid from the factory and there is a replacement one. (Symptoms being car stalls when going from Park to Drive or Reverse.) Mine does this until she is warm too so its on the list, but the TSB did not mention that was a symptom while driving.

Any road, the car has only 130,000km (or 80,000 mi) original miles and no rear frame rust at all. Hence why I am trying to service it like she'll be with me for a good long time. I have an 83 Olds (same drive train) with a poor frame for a parts car as well, but I am using new parts for these items. I just wanted to know if anyone else has had this issue and is there something else I should check? I have had SBC's and T350s since birth pretty much so this Buick231 and T200 stuff is not the same animal. But it is a great setup (and its cheaper on fuel than my truck

Thanks for reading

EDIT: Should also mention, the car had the sputter problem recently, after car was warm and I had just filled the tank. Makes me think crud in the tank more, but don;t want to rule out transmission as the car purrs nice.

 

[Ribbedroof]

Hi Everyone;

Thought I would make my first thread and see if you have seen this before. I bought a cutlass sedan with the 231 and t200 transmission. The T200 I know is not the most reliable I have heard but it does run well for this car right now. (I think)

As a background, the car sat for 3 or 4 years till I started driving it. It ran fine for a month or two but now I get this intermittent issue when driving up a hill, basically like it kicks out of gear and tries to stall (but doesn't). I pull over to the side of the road, she purrs just fine at idle. Give it 15 or 30 secs and away I go again.

LIKE it kicks out or kicks out?

FWIW, it sounds more like a fuel or tuneup issue to me than a trans issue IF the trans isn't kicking out of gear.



The TH200 is fine as a commuter, I ran a rebuilt V6 version behind a stock '88 truck 350 for 42000 miles before it died spectacularly. Know it's weaknesses and treat it accordingly, should be OK.

 

[GM_Guy-Magnet]

Sorry should have been more clear.

The revs die like its going to stall and car will not accelerate. I am thinking if the trans was slipping, the revs would go up, but the car would no move?

What I do is I let off on the throttle and car resumes idle. If i punch the gas, I am sure I would flood it and stall.

Glad to hear you have had good luck with these transmissions. And yes, I didn't buy it to be a sports car. I bought it to be the awesome road sofa that it is for long drives.

EDIT: I am hoping its fuel issues too. Reason I put transmission on the list is because its so tied to idle and throttle speed and such. (still new to TV cable stuff and wasn't sure)

 

[pontiacgp]

If the gas gauge goes to full then it's the ground that is the problem

 

[GM_Guy-Magnet]

If the gas gauge goes to full then it's the ground that is the problem

"gauge reads constant full, pins full when started) and cleaning the ground to the sender hasn't changed that

Yup that is what I read too. I have already cleaned the ground connector and frame area that it bolts too. No change. Then I cut off the eye connector and recrimped a new one and even changed the screw so it would be all clean. Still no change. Could be the gauge (i hope not) or it could just be a broken connection on the sending unit itself. I need to look at the tank anyway and hopefully clean it out a bit so I'll swap the sender when I do. Hoping that'll fix it and not have to rip the dash apart

 

[pontiacgp]

"gauge reads constant full, pins full when started) and cleaning the ground to the sender hasn't changed that

Yup that is what I read too. I have already cleaned the ground connector and frame area that it bolts too. No change. Then I cut off the eye connector and recrimped a new one and even changed the screw so it would be all clean. Still no change. Could be the gauge (i hope not) or it could just be a broken connection on the sending unit itself. I need to look at the tank anyway and hopefully clean it out a bit so I'll swap the sender when I do. Hoping that'll fix it and not have to rip the dash apart

The gauge also has a ground

 

[GM_Guy-Magnet]

OH sweet! Do you know where it is? Is it hard to get too?