Hello , so I have am having trouble with my 2001 chevy silver v6 4.3L. It has a limp mode issue .. I feel like it started back in October when I was driving to the Staples center .. the truck uses high rpms around 2500 for 70mph.. an I experience the first ( yellow transmission fluid hot message ) shortly after like 30 seconds of still maintaining speed it turns red an says ( engine hot idle.. ) opened hood an there was a bunch of steam / smoke .. let it cool down than drove after 10 seems fine.. but recently past month I figured out why its driving so weird. an its in " limp mode " so.. some days it drives fine on the street shifts fine.. goes from 1st to2nd to 3rd an around 40-45 it goes into overdrive.. some days I start my truck an try to drive.. an its in limp mode.. doesn't have a lot of power.. fills heavy probably because of all the extra trans fluid going through the trans to keep it safe.. it is pretty random.. somedays it drives fine no limp mode.. some days its in limp mode.. like when I drive it slow an normal on the street its good than when I try an go on the free way an get it up to speed it doesn't always go into overdrive .. soo im doing 70-75 at 3k rpms.. seems like I only have 2nd an 3rd gear .. when I let off the gas it loses good amount of speed / power .. an than I press the gas... it takes forever to get back up to speed cuz its trying to climb back to 75 with only one of the gears at 3k rpms.. I could go from 50 to 90 in the same gear .. with no shifting at same rpms.. if I drive at 2500 rpms for to long I get the transmission fluid hot on the dashboard.. so I normally have to cruise around 60 at 2000 rpms to keep it from over heating..


So heres the question what is it? im sure there are a lot of different things.. but its not consistent.. some days no limp mode some days its limp mode.. an when its in limp mode it has the same side effects .. slowed bogged down etc..


im thinking it could be 1 of the solenoids that are bad .. an are misscomunicating with the transmission .. like its clogged.. an randomly starts working good than shuts off an goes into limp mode or something.. maybe the cable harness is damaged? possible bad valve body..


Recently took it into a dealer to get rid of 2 codes.. a check vavle on driver side an a engine miss fire.. got a new rotor / disputarator or however you spell it.. new spark plugs .. an they fixed the check vavle.. was around 463 $ they said some of the wires were fried near the rotor .. still has limp mode.. but theres no code.. or soft code or anything..
maybe someone can help based on the information I gave.. ive been driving it for about 6 months like this.. I don't feel like driving in limp mode is causing