alec_b Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 Hi there- This has happened twice now in the GP. Both times were after an extended idle time (10+ minutes). Once I leave and get on the highway, the TCC will only lockup for a minute or so and then unlocks and stays unlocked. If I shutdown and restart the car on the move, the TCC will re-engage for a moment and then unlock. This has happened on 2 different occasions now, it just doesn't make much sense. I have not gotten a SES light yet. I'm thinking heat related from the idling. Any other thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 it seems that the solenoid starts to act up once warm, as it did in one of my cars. adding a transmission cooler made it less likely to act up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3pt1lumina Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 Listen to Ken, my white Lumina does the exact same thing, and it is heat related. I am waiting for spring to put a cooler on mine. I have a free built in cooler now, called winter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alec_b Posted February 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 Boy if it's doing that in 20 degree weather I can't wait till summer hits. I'll have to add that to the growing list of spring projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galaxie500XL Posted February 19, 2010 Report Share Posted February 19, 2010 My '95 LQ1 does the same thing, once the fluid temp rises above 179 degrees. I've heard a couple of contradictory possibilities as to a cause...Sonnax (I believe I spelled that right) claims there is an accumulator that actuates TCC lockup fluid pressure, the bore is aluminum, and the piston is steel, and that the piston rocks in the bore, and sticks when hot. Another claim (local trans shop) is the converter is about shot, and the computer detects excess slip, which sets the code, disengages the TCC, and drops the trans into 3rd. Another claim (another local trans shop) is the shift solenoids are getting flaky, and are breaking down when they get hot. Pretty much, all 3 causes are possible, but in my mind, pretty much call for a total rebuild, since my trans is pushing 200,000 miles.... BTW, I added the factory cooler to my '95, which did slow the rate at which the trans got hot, but in 80+ degree weather, the transmission shifts out of O/D after about 30 miles of interstate driving, around 20 minutes of stop and go traffic. Listen to Ken, my white Lumina does the exact same thing, and it is heat related. I am waiting for spring to put a cooler on mine. I have a free built in cooler now, called winter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galaxie500XL Posted February 19, 2010 Report Share Posted February 19, 2010 I did think of one more cause, mentioned once before on the list...if the shift indicator switch is misadjusted, the same symptoms can be created, but usually temperature doesn't make a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robby1870 Posted February 20, 2010 Report Share Posted February 20, 2010 I had a similar issue a few years ago. The problem turned out to be the coolant temperature switch located on the LIM. This was on my 1990 STE. If the engine temperature is below ~130*F it won't allow the torque converter clutch to engage. The connection for my switch had basically disintegrated and would intermittently lose connection causing the torque converter clutch to kick out. I doubt that's your issue, but it's something to keep in mind if you exhaust your other options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alec_b Posted February 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 Well it's been coming and going on it's own pretty much now. I've been shutting the car off when I'm sitting waiting for people to prevent the coolant/trans temp. from getting up to high. However even now that doesn't seem to always work. I went on a ~25 mile all highway drive yesterday, shut the car off for about 20 minutes, and then on the way home the TCC not only quit on me, there was about a 1 minute period where it was going lock-unlock-lock-unlock-lock-unlock over and over again. I finally got it to stop by throttling up just enough load to where the lock held. After that it was just fine. This is starting to worry me. The things only got 95k miles on it and has NOT been driven hard at any point in it's life. I'm going to change the fluid and filter as soon as possible, hopefully that will help. My parents bought this car for my sister to take over from me when she gets her license, and if this keeps happening they will not be happy. Oh and I still have yet to see an SES light come on during any of this. I know OBD 1.5 isn't quite as picky as OBD 2, but I feel like the computer should still be seeing some sort of problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 if/when it happens again, pull up on the brake pedal with your left foot... it it stays locked, the brake switch is BARELY making contact with the pedal, causing the lock/unlock... happened to me ~5 years ago, happened to Bob about ~month a ago. the switch is supposed to be adjustable, but i just don't see how. i fixed it with a few layers of duct tape. worked fine ever since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alec_b Posted February 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 Ok I'll check the brake pedal next time. That was the ONLY occasion that it did the lock-unlock thing to me. All the other times it would just lock, quickly unlock, and stay unlocked for the remainder of the trip. The one thing I did try was to actually put the car in neutral and shut it off while rolling. I restarted it, put it back in gear, and it did the same thing. Got lockup for a second then lost it again for the rest of the trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.