Is my transmission still OK?
 

I know it sounds like its not gas saving related, but I was going down a large hill and had it in Neutral, and I (not thinking) shifted it into reverse instead of drive going about 25-30 or so. Needless to say, the car stalled. I noticed that the car was having a small problem with a small (4 inch) circle of oil every day underneath my car. Could this have been from me doing that or what? The oil started about a week after this incident, and it is going to the mechanic this friday.

If it matters it is a 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix sedan.

Thanks in advanced for any help!

Although shifting to Reverse at speed isn't recommended, the torque converter should have prevented any serious damage to the car. Mythbusters shifted a crown vic into Reverse at 50 MPH, and did no damage to the vehicle.

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If it is oil, it is probably unrelated. If it is transmission fluid, it is most likely (but I won't guarantee it) unrelated. But that's just a guess, based on my experience, and what I know about cars is only exceeded by what I don't know.

FWIW, I once did that to a Corvair. Didn't seem to hurt it at all.

Now that I think about it some friends of mine did it in a Ford Fairmont with no damage as well.

Let us know what the mechanic says.

What color is the oil? To tell if it's trans or motor oil. I'm thinking the oil leak is unrelated. Pull the trans dipstick out & check the color & smell to see if it has a burnt odor. While running normally, does the car still shift like it did before the mishap?

Dave

With the above clip, Ford has safteys built into the tranny. I remember trying to do a neutral drop in a 68 Ford Falcon, won't engage until the RPM's drop almost to nothing. The GM guys in their 350 turbo hydromatics were able to do them all day until they toasted the trans.

Dave

When I was 16 I loved doing Neutral drops in my 1980 Bonneville Safari wagon with a big block V-8 (and a TH 350 tranny) Man that was a fun car to drive. I wish I still had it.

While not completely the same, it is similar... My 1997 Grand Prix GTP I once had in D (3rd gear) doing about 110 mph and accidentally dropped it too early down into second (which redlined at 95 mph) to engine brake and it just locked up the front wheels until the car slowed enough that it should actually have been in 2nd. Transmission was fine still afterward.

That makes me feel alot better, and its a dark green oil, whatever that means. and how does the GTP get to 110 in 3rd? I hit 110 and I got the electronic governor kicking in slowing me back down to 1500 RPM which consequently slowed me down at a rapid pace as it was going strong at 4k rpm to get me up there.

The only green fluid I can think of is antifreeze/coolant, and your 2000 Pontiac is supposed to have orange stuff (though many replace it with green).

According to your profile it looks like you have a SE, which is a completely different motor to begin with (the 3.1L compared to the 3.8L in the GTP) and thus have possibly different limiters (but I do not remember what mine was set at... Hell I have owned 20 cars since that one... lol). But the main thing was my governor was removed with a PCM flash/reprogram. Car would do ~45 in first, ~95 in second and I never topped out third, but at the drag strip I would have to shift into third because it ran a 13.7 @ 101

+1 on the only green fluid automotive related that I can think of is anti freeze. Try to determine where the fluid is coming from. Check around radiator/heater hoses and around the water pump. If the water pump bearing is about gone there's a chance that's where the problem is.

Trying to think what it would be too... Oil and coolant are EXTREMELY hard to mix up if you even know anything about cars. The CV's have a greenish colored "snot"/grease in them, but they should not puddle.

Old brake fluid is usually greenish, but you would normally notice a busted line as you would have a dead pedal unless it was the ABS module possibly leaking, but if it is, you will soon run out of "spare" fluid and not be able to stop.

Power steering fluid is normally clear or just dark (after being used), sometimes red as people use ATF in the system alot as well. Those are prone to leak on the Grand Prix's.

Would be interested to know what it ends up being.

Better gas mileage
 

Which is better on gas? Automatic or manual speeds?

The only thing I worry about is there is a reverse roll lock when in drive so you don't roll backwards when stopped going up a hill and I wonder if they do the same with facing downhill and in reverse . . . if so then something has to make some noise if dropped in reverse when going forward too fast. Hopefully there is something in the tranny that prevents the reverse clutch from engauging if there is too much forward speed.

I've never seen an automatic that locks and prevents the car from rolling backwards in drive. The reason it doesn't roll is that there is usually enough pressure in the tranny from the idling engine to prevent it from going back. I have seen some manual transmission cars that did have a feature that prevented it from rolling back on hills, I can't remember who made them though.

Studebaker (Hill-holder), Subaru (Hill-holder), 2009 Dodge Challenger. Also, per Wikipedia: "Similar systems are or were in use by Alfa Romeo, Fiat (including the new Fiat 500), BMW, Lancia, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Saab, smart ("Hill Start Assist"), Subaru, Cadillac ("NoRol") and Stutz ("Noback")."

would be sweet if there was some aftermarket thign to add on so u dont roll on hills, nothing pisses me off more when im on a steep hill and some tard stops behind me by about a foot.

Yeah, I think I found the cause... But this is just a GUESS. The breaking on the car has been getting harder and harder to stop. I have been lazy and not taken it in, but Im going to have to soon because I may not be able to break after a while. Im kinda worried that I hay have damaged the breaking system now because I do have ABS. Oh well, I still have warranty from when I bought it in early december.

oye... take it in now so you don't find out the brakes decided to stop working the day little susie chases her ball out into the street in front of you.

lol sorry but i had to laugh, reminded me of that family guy episode where peter is retarded and runs out in the street after the ball :D

btu yea if its under warranty take it there asap