S10 Crawls Problem, 4L60E

[Voltswagen]

My 2001 S10 began crawling out of the driveway at high rpm's in both reverse and drive. It has the 4L60E. Is this whats called "Limp Mode"?
Anyway....took it to a local trans shop and got what I expected.......the $1800.00 You need a rebuild pitch. (only has 103K on the truck)
I opted for a salvage yard trans with 71K on it. The yard even took down the pan and changed the filter for me. I installed it. Filled it with DEX III to the proper level. Started up the truck.......SAME PROBLEM!
Now I wish I had bought that code reader I just ordered on Ebay.
Weird thing about this truck. I've only owned it 3 months and just now noticed that when you first turn on the ignition key....there is NO Check Engine light. All the other lights but NO check engine light. All the other lights go out once they run through their checks.
I'm thinking now that it may be an electrical problem. How would I check the voltage to the trans solenoids and what am I looking for?
Newbie needs help.......

[twistedpleasure777]

where did you get the truck?? a dealer?? if so you might be able to go back on them if the engine light was messed with

[big_block460]

are u sure some one just did not take out the light bulb to try and sell it easyer

[leadfoot]

i dont know much about those trannys and if they are the same as the 80 that i have in my truck but when you build static it puts the tranny in limp mode on mine. all i have to do is touch the positive cable to the neg. when there are of the batt. twistedwrench would be the person to talk to if that doesnt work

[Voltswagen]

Thanks for the responses.
I bought the truck privately. Don't know if the Check Engine Light was messed with. Could be a blown bulb. Shame on me for missing that.
As I understand it now "Limp Mode" locks the tranny in 4th gear. This trans shifts but it takes really high rpm's to get it going. Same as the one I took out. Both trannys ran better once warmed up but still slipped in all gears.
I suppose it's possible that both trannys suffer from the same problem but
before I take it back to the salvage yard I want to eliminate the possibility that the cause is elsewhere on the truck.
The salvage tranny came with a torque converter so I didn't reuse the old one. Guess I'll have to wait until the code reader arrives to get an answer.
Thanks for the suggestions.

[Voltswagen]

TwistedWrench
Thank you for responding.
The truck is a 2 wheel drive - 2.2L.
VIN Numbers: 5th - S, 8th - 5, 10th - 1
Build Date: 09/00

Yes, checked the large fuses in the Black Box drivers side....all OK.
I don't know if the Check Engine Light has a blown bulb or was disconnected. Will have to work on that. I assume I'll be pulling out the dash to get to it.

[Voltswagen]

I also disconnected the large connector on the pass side. Still slips in reverse and forward. I reconnected it. Grabs better when warm and shifts but seems to need high rpm's to hold speed.

[Voltswagen]

While I wait for my code reader to arrive, is there a way I could eliminate the Torque Converter as a possible suspect?

[Voltswagen]

I used the torque converter which came with the salvage yard trans.
I got the code reader yesterday. The code reader does have a live option. When I first hooked it up it showed P0785 Shift Timing Solenoid Malfunction and a bad 02 sensor.
I dropped the truck off this morning at a local trans shop. They just called and said it's not showing that code only the bad 02 sensor. I told them I did not clear the code. They suggested that the engine feels underpowered but because the trans shifts in all gears I should leave it alone. Imagine that....an honest Trans Shop. I'm buying that guy a bottle of Jack.
I did have the engine tuned up right after I bought the truck 3 months ago. I'll pick it up and bring my code reader to check it again while I'm there. Let me get back to you.
Thank you for responding.

[Voltswagen]

Took my code reader to the trans shop...plugged it in....no trans codes...just the 02 sensor. I never cleared that code....weird.
I left the truck with him so he could see what it is like to drive when it's cold. He said he'd call me in the morning.

[Voltswagen]

Thanks Twisted
I'm still in shock over that Trans Shop not immediately recommending a rebuild. The first shop I took it to gave me the "Treatment". Folks around here said this shop was honest and now I believe them. Word of mouth is a great advertizement and I did buy the guy a bottle of Jack Daniels. While he had the truck up on the lift he replaced a missing rubber exhaust hanger....FREE!
I'll definetly post my results here. He should be calling me back this morning.
Thank you to all the Mudders here who replied. I realize I'm not a Mudder and it would be easy to ignore me. I'm actually a Bug Fanatic having totally restored 4 of them. My latest build is an electric conversion of a 77 Convertible....hence the name Volts-Wagen. And I do my best to contribute to both Beetle and Electric Car website forums. It's how we all share experience.
Thanks Again

[Voltswagen]

OK
Got the final diagnosis from the honest trans shop.
After sitting over night at their shop they drove it cold and saw that it takes very high rpm's to barely move the truck and then grabs better once warmed up.
Their diagnosis is possible bad torque converter or front pump. They could not say which for sure without pulling the tranny.
I saw this torque converter online, reasonably priced but I'm not sure if 1430 stall speed is stock for a 2.2L S10. Anyone know?

http://www.ariindustries.net/gm-s10-pickup-22l-hbhd-torque-conve1022.html

I could just pull the trans and bring it back to the salvage yard, it's still under 60 day warranty. But I don't think they will just give me a refund of my $600.00.........they'll probably offer me another used tranny.
Any suggestions?

[latunguley]

I've heard of this problem recently! I personally believe that its the Dextron III inside the trans. The 4L60E requires the use of "Special" either GM Dextron VI or Car Quest carries its own brand of Dextron VI transmission fluid. Just today i saw Castrol Dextron VI on the shelf of Advance Auto Parts store. The reason i believe this is i know a garage owner that helped a young guy out installing a 4L60E trans into a 2000 S-10 Blazer 4X4, 4 Door and ONLY because Advance Auto Parts straight out of the computer at our local store told the young guy to install dextron III into that new junk yard tranny did he fill it up. Same problem. He ended up pulling the tranny, flushing the cooler lines, flushing the tourque convertor, draining the tranny, re-installing the tranny and then filling it with Dextron VI did his problem subside?