I've about reached the end of the line in pursuing engine misses as
the cause of the
shudder problem (see prev posts on Herky Jerky). Things done in this
regard
include:

Plugs & wires replaced
Compression check
Fuel pressure regulator replaced
Fuel filter replaced
Coil packs replaced (originals later reinstalled)
Mass air flow sensor
Coolant temperature sensor
Throttle position sensor
EGR valve voltages checked
EGR valve moves freely over range
No scan codes, pending or otherwise

Yet, at freeway speeds and sometimes even on surface streets at 30-40
mph the car on occasion
gives me the shudder, which I've dubbed the Herky Jerky. Since tapping
the brake while it's doing
it makes it stop I know the TCC is involved, and I've now come back
(again) to thinking the TCC
is the cause rather than just responding to engine misses.

Yesterday I logged onto AllData and looked up the TCC. First, I found
an information bulletin
saying there had been a change in the solenoid control. If I
understand it correctly, a separate solenoid
called the PWM solenoid was introduced, and furthermore if the wrong
solenoid was used the shudder
would result. I then looked up the repair info on replacing these
solenoids. What I learned was they are
located behind a side cover plate that is bolted to the left side of
the transaxle assembly. AllData says it's
a 3.1 hour job to replace the solenoids.

The question is now whether to have this work done ore not. We are in
the process of buying a new car
since my wife has totally lost confidence in the PA. I would like to
sell it rather than  take
a beating  in a trade-in, but cannot bring myself to pass off a car
with a problem like this to an unsuspecting
individual. That means I should have it fixed, since the $300-400
(guessing) would still net more
from a sale than on a trade .

But here's another problem. Several months ago the car started to spot
the
garage floor with tranny fluid. I took it to a shop and they tightened
the side plate (presumably the one I
now know to hide the TCC solenoids). This stopped the leak. However,
from the AllData diagrams
I now know that there shouldn't be any fluid behind that cover to
leak! I now assume it's the front seal that
is leaking, and the cavity behind the side cover is probably now full
of tranny fluid. If so, that's probably
why the TCC solenoids are failing. I haven't gone back to the tranny
shop yet to quiz them on this theory,
but my guess is when I do they will tell me I'm right and the tranny
will have to come out to fix the seal,
and suddenly it's a $1200 job instead of $300-400. That would probably
tip me in favor of letting a
dealer steal it from me on a trade-in.

So, are there any tranny aficionados listening in that can confirm or
deny any of this?

TIA

Ed