Car revvs up, not accelerating

Asked by version666 Oct 08, 2012 at 05:33 PM about the 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

2000 Cavalier 2.2L 4speed auto.
Bare with me please, I am in no way a mechanic.
Car idles fine. While driving the car will intermediately stop accelerating, even though it continues to rev if Im on the gas. Then all of a sudden it will shoot forward. Does this over and over. The "non-acceleration period" only lasts for a couple seconds.. then It drives fine for about a minute, then back to nothing.
My very limited mechanical knowledge tells me this is the tranny slipping but like I said I am not a mechanic.
I did notice that the speedo and odometer stop working during the periods on non-acceleration and the fluid does not smell burnt and is still a pinkish / red color.
Any thoughts are helpful..

69,045

John answered 11 years ago

Sounds like the trans is slipping due to an issue with the PCM. Odd that the spedo quits. Take it to a few trans shops to get multiple opinions.

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60,305

Andrew answered 11 years ago

Take it to a shop. Sounds like something electrical like John said maybe pcm. I know the trans uses the speed sensor to determine what gear to be in. Maybe something is loose or shorting. Or bad pcm. Dont let someone talk you into a new trans without reasonable evidence. Like finding chunks of metal in the oil pan.

Mark helpful