Strange Trans issue

gestalto · Post by **gestalto** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 4:46 am

OK so i got my FTO last week, since then i've been having 2 issues.

1st issue swas an idle problem where it was cutting out a little when cold. Cleaned the stepper adjusted the screw and all is well with that.

However the next problem is totally different and i cant find anyone else with the same issue...and i've looked for a week constantly.

When the car is cold i can drive fine, smooth gear changes (barely noticable actually) but as the car warms up it starts having issues as follows,

Gear changes start to get a little slower when doing a kickdown, not majorly but definately noticable, gear changes in general are not quite as smooth although still pretty smooth...no clunking or anything. BUT the major issue is when i'm stopping.

say i'm in 4th and slowing down, it goes to 3rd, as it should, then when almost stopped goes to 1st as it should. But then when i put my foot on the brake to stop completely at lights or a junction the car starts bucking like its trying to go forward constantly, or to be more accurate it's like its kicking in and out of 1st gear and trying to go forward constantly. If i put it in nuetral it stops doing it, but then as soon as i go back into drive it starts to buck again and seemingly finds it difficult to find 1st gear. What really bewilders me is that it only does it when the car is warmed up properly, i have no issues when cold at all. Checked ECU codes and nothing is showing up...granted i had reset my ecu earlier but i then took the car out for a 20 minute drive and it was bucking crazy so im assuming the codes should be thereeven if previously reset.

I've also noticed a random wire that looks severed in my engine bay behind the battery, looks like it comes from inside the car on the passenger side?! Red wire about 8mm thick.

Any thoughts? how thick should tranny fluid be? mine seems the same consistency when hot or cold...pretty thin in my opinion.

FTEvolution · Post by **FTEvolution** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 7:45 am

My guess would be torque converter on the way out. Sometimes shows up when the fluids are up to operating temperature. Could also be a blockage in the hydraulic mechanisms (forgive my poor terminology there). May also just be low fluid. Get it checked ASAP though as the damage may be non-repairable.

Post by **I8A4RE** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 8:16 am

Nope........Change your fluid and she will be sweet

gestalto · Post by **gestalto** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 8:19 am

from reading i considered the TC, but i figured since it was only when warm it was more than likely something else. I dunno, i'm going to change the fluid tomorrow and clean the input sensor...assuming i can get it out without taking the air box off since mine doesnt seem to want to budge!!!

Any other tips int he meantime would be greatly appreciated, otherwise i guess i'll report back tomorrow on it lol.

Oh also for people (i noticed a few) asking about getting the ECU codes out, its really easy...BUT...the pics shown on the other site (cant remember what it is) show a grey connector pointing forwards...well mine wasn't like that, mine was black and faced downwards and was barely noticable, to the point i was convinced someone had removed mine! Also there is a nice convenient grounding nut on the opposite side under the steering wheel.

Post by **vipfto** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 8:41 am

yeah mate start with error codes and a good flush will prob solve issues:!: one of the most neglected service that people seem too never do

FTEvolution · Post by **FTEvolution** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:36 am

What happens when in neutral? Does the engine surge? If so it could be engine related and not gearbox at all.

If not, then definitely somewhere round the TC while the gearbox is trying to engage its stopping mechanisms

gestalto · Post by **gestalto** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:05 pm

what exactly do you mean by surge? the revs go up very slightly...maybe 100-ish but thats due to me adjusting the idle screw, other than that in nuetral its fine, and reverse and park, its literally just the 1st gear when i stop seemingly...and the minor delay in the other gears when warm. I'm going to bed now and i'll do the input/output sensor cleaning and ATF change tomorrow and report back with my findings. Thanks for all your help so far guys...i'll try and repay the favour as i get more clued up (i learn pretty quick)

Jamie · Post by **Jamie** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:34 pm

^^^Just make sure to use the correct trans fliud or you will make matters worse.

Post by **I8A4RE** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:49 pm

very very very worse

gestalto · Post by **gestalto** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:26 pm

yeah i know 5/40 right?

Nah seriously i've been reading so much it's seared into my retina what i need now

gestalto · Post by **gestalto** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 7:45 am

ok so here my update.

Didnt have a chance to clean the input sensor due to other commitments today.

Sooo, old fluid wasnt burnt still smelled pretty sweet, although it was more of a maroon than pinkish red

.

New fluid put in, nice and clean, warmed/checked/cooled/checked a number of times, only needed a little more after the first check.

Problem still there, took him for a drive and seemed better in general, with gear changes and kickdown worked a hell of a lot better, but problem of car bucking when stopped still their. Also 2nd gear slipped at one point after almost stopping then going to take off quick again, throwing up error code 43 - 3rd gear ratio blah blah, but in tip, worked fine.

So all in all fluid change was worth doing anyway to rule it out and make things smoother, but i still have my initial car bucking when stopping/stopped problem. I seriously can't see it being the TC because when in tip or full auto all gear changes up and down are ultra smooth, its literally only when im stopping. no need for further thought on this one unless someone has a gem to share, just thought i would keep everyone updated in detail as i eliminate each thing.

FTEvolution · Post by **FTEvolution** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 7:47 am

When I say surge I mean revs fluctuating. Doesn't sound like a problem though, I stand by my original thought, the TC

gestalto · Post by **gestalto** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:08 am

yeah it does in that case. When in P or N the revs are higer than when in D or R

DaveO · Post by **DaveO** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:11 am

OK now I've experianced this with one of my other cars. If you had to adjust the idle speed when cold, this might mean that the stepper is on the way out. What I'm getting at is to get it to idle when cold you adjusted the idle speed but as it warms up the idle speed will increase to a point that will cause the transmision to what to drive when your sitting at the lights. This could cause the suging your experiancing.
Whats your idle speed when when at temp and in nutural?

gestalto · Post by **gestalto** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 11:21 am

OK well, i see what your getting it but i dont "think" its that because...

I was having around 2000 in N and around 1000 in D once warmed, so i adjusted the idle screw when it was warm to match the speed, thinking exactly the same as you, however it still did the same thing

Once way or another the problem definately lies within the transmission, just got to figure out where.

edit: now to obtain a happy starting point i have around 1500 revs when warm in N and around 900-1000.

DaveO · Post by **DaveO** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:29 pm

[quote edit: now to obtain a happy starting point i have around 1500 revs when warm in N and around 900-1000.[/quote]
is that 900-1000 when cold or when in gear?

FTEvolution · Post by **FTEvolution** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 2:13 pm

@Gestalto When I say fluctuating, I mean continually, high low high low etc etc

Yours isn't doing that.

Also, your ECU will adjust the revs for the current ambient temperature (I have noticed that the revs are higher for warm up when the air temp is colder)

Always going to be a difference between cold and operating temp revs

Always going to be a difference between D and N/P

What you have to figure out is if it's abnormal. Get it to a specialist, or into Mitsi so they can get their diagnostics computer onto it

gestalto · Post by **gestalto** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:11 pm

nope your right they dont go up and down constantly, although they do when actually driving once warm. I.e when warm i'll be happily driving along then i'll take my foot off the accelerator, but not apply the brake, revs slowly start to drop as you would expect, then its like ive put it into nuetral and back into drive again while driving...but only on the rev counter...doesnt feel it within the car.

You say your revs are higher when cold...mines the other way around

I know their will always be a diff between hot and cold revs, just giving the info for frame of reference really.

With regards to the rev difference between D and N/P, what i am asking is is it normal for it to be higher in N/P than it is in D when stationary, on further thought i assume this is due to resistance created by the torque converter once the transmission is engaged...if it not normal someone feel free to correct me, but i actually think it is now.

Getting it to a diag computer, with respect isn't going to do anything since i've already read the error codes, and taking it to a trans specialist will tell me to rebuild the box, even if i don't need to. The whole idea of me asking you guys (who have been very helpful so far) is to try and do it myself, in the event it ends up being a rebuild job, then the car will be leaving my drive, as i refuse to have another problematic car when money is tight at the moment.

gestalto · Post by **gestalto** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:13 pm

DaveO wrote:[quote edit: now to obtain a happy starting point i have around 1500 revs when warm in N and around 900-1000.

is that 900-1000 when cold or when in gear?[/quote]

haha sorry didn't finish my sentence...weird. Yeah its 1500 in nuetral when warm and 900-1000 in D when warm.

I am going to check this again today, if it ever stops raining!

gestalto · Post by **gestalto** » Fri May 01, 2009 7:48 am

OK so today i decided to totally dismantle my stepper...which was really hard work because the 3 screws were rusted pretty bad.

I am now pretty sure the problem is with the stepper lol
what do you guys think?

the thing doesnt budge, not even slightly.