Problems with Tranny Please Help UPDATE: Fixed

[Dark Ride]

Ok this started a couple of months ago, but then it went away so I wasn't worried about it, but now its doing it again.

 

When its COLD:

My transmission will shift through gears just fine. It will shift into 4th and at about 65 miles per hour the engine will run at about 2500 RPMs. Once the engine heats up to about 125 degrees, the transmission will shift down and the engine will run at about 2000 RPMs and it seems more powerful. This is the way its always ran, and I think thats normal.

 

Once its been running for about 10-20 Minutes:

My transmission still shifts fine. If I am cruising at say 70 MPH the transmission will, at no provacation, unlock out of 4th and the engine goes back to running 2500+ RPMs. Sometimes it will shift back down on its own or by shifting into 3rd and back into 4th it will shift down again. But sometimes it won't, and I have to drive it all the way home that way.

 

A Side note:

Before it started doing this, when i was messing around I got the car up to about 70 MPH and it shifted down, then I just shut the key off, I coasted to probably about 55 and turned the key to ON not start and the engine started back up, without turning the starter. I've done this repeatedly and it does this almost every time.

 

I thought it might be the Torque Converter Lockup Soleniod, what do you guys think?

 

Thanks,

Mitch

[Nick1234]

does your cruise control work when it whent he torque converter is not locking?

 

Nick

[White93z34]

my car has a similar problem, its been ongoing now for awhile. except mine will get into a pissy mood while cruiseing at highway speeds where it will repedialy lock and unlock the torque converter. if i press the brake it will unlock then most of the time go to functioning normally for the rest of the drive. it tends to do this in colder weather. i belive its a failing torque converter solonoid. but its not large enough of annoyance to drop the cradle halfway out of the car to get at the sidepan.

[Dark Ride]

My cruise control has never worked.

You have to drop the cradle to change that?!? That Bites, its driving me crazy

I've never had a problem in the winter, it seems to be getting worse as it warms up.

 

Mitch

[Dark Ride]

It is doing this all the time now, has any one ever fixed one of these before or is there something else I can try to make it work.

 

Thanks,

Mitch

[1990lumina]

Wow I was just going to say my TCC unlocks all the time on the freeway during winter because my engine gets too much airflow and barely warms up during winter.....but you said it is doing it more and more as it gets warmer?? Doesn't make much sense, or that is NOT normal IMO....

[ns87]

My car is starting to drop out of 4th a lot whenever I accelerate slightly (not enough for passing to make it shift down). I'm sorry to hear that man, hope it works out

[dbtk2]

It is doing this all the time now, has any one ever fixed one of these before or is there something else I can try to make it work.

 

Thanks,

Mitch

 

To finish getting at what Nick1234 was getting at. (at least I'm pretty sure) Is your brake switch stuck on by any chance, making the torque convertor think you're hitting the brakes even though you aren't? I know he said this was the problem with his car and it cost him a good bit of $ to fix it before he figured out what it was.

[Dark Ride]

It is doing this all the time now, has any one ever fixed one of these before or is there something else I can try to make it work.

 

Thanks,

Mitch

 

To finish getting at what Nick1234 was getting at. (at least I'm pretty sure) Is your brake switch stuck on by any chance, making the torque convertor think you're hitting the brakes even though you aren't? I know he said this was the problem with his car and it cost him a good bit of $ to fix it before he figured out what it was.

 

I don't think it is stuck on, is it the vacuum hose that goes to the brake pedal, on the electrical switch under there, whats the easiest way to check these, cuz I really don't want to drop the cradle. I recently adjusted the hose in an attempt to make my cruise work (driving 30 Miles one way every day without cruise really bites) but it still didn't work.

 

Thanks,

Mitch

[Dark Ride]

UPDATE:

I recently installed a trans cooler on my car for pulling a trailer and guess what? My problem is almost non-existant now!!! It only does it when it gets really hot.

 

Mitch

[Crazy K]

check to9 make sure your vacuum ball reservoir is still attached under the d/s front fender. also check the vaccum line below the master cylinder, especially the check valve. a break there can cause a vaccum leak resulting in a non functioning cruise control. another god tip, if the hvac doesn't seem to change the vents it is using from floor the vent to defrost, etc, it is a vaccum leak, since the cc and hvac feed fromj the same vac line.