tranny or torque converter???
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 305
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From: Houston Texas
tranny or torque converter???
I had my transmission rebuilt April 2004. This last Saturday, it went out again.
As I was driving, all of the sudden it would act as if I was in neutral. I would just roll to a stop. I couldn't drive forward or backwards. I COULD put the gear shift into forward or reverse, but the car would not drive on its own. (I could hear a grumbling noise, coming from under the car, sounding like it was coming from where the engine and the torque converter meet. This wasn't the whinning sound that you get from having a dirty transmission filter or from being low on transmission fluid.)
I turned the engine off, re-adjusted the shift points, and could drive for about 2 blocks, before it started all over again. (Each time AFTER I re-adjusted the shift points, and BEFORE I drove again, I wouldn't hear the grumbling noise, until it messed up again.)
I am thinking that if the transmission is out, adjusting the shifting points shouldn't make a difference. (or should it?)
Could it be that I have a bad torque converter? How do you know if it is the converter or the tranny?
As I was driving, all of the sudden it would act as if I was in neutral. I would just roll to a stop. I couldn't drive forward or backwards. I COULD put the gear shift into forward or reverse, but the car would not drive on its own. (I could hear a grumbling noise, coming from under the car, sounding like it was coming from where the engine and the torque converter meet. This wasn't the whinning sound that you get from having a dirty transmission filter or from being low on transmission fluid.)
I turned the engine off, re-adjusted the shift points, and could drive for about 2 blocks, before it started all over again. (Each time AFTER I re-adjusted the shift points, and BEFORE I drove again, I wouldn't hear the grumbling noise, until it messed up again.)
I am thinking that if the transmission is out, adjusting the shifting points shouldn't make a difference. (or should it?)
Could it be that I have a bad torque converter? How do you know if it is the converter or the tranny?
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by 1slyder1
I turned the engine off, re-adjusted the shift points, and could drive for about 2 blocks, before it started all over again. (Each time AFTER I re-adjusted the shift points, and BEFORE I drove again, I wouldn't hear the grumbling noise, until it messed up again.)
RACE ON!!!
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by 1slyder1
No, I didn't jack up the car every two blocks.
I adjusted the TV cable.
Thanks for the input. (even though you are being sarcastic.)
I adjusted the TV cable.
Thanks for the input. (even though you are being sarcastic.)
RACE ON!!!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 305
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
The ATF level was good.
I have always appreciated your expertise, and you do appear to know "vettes", but do you REALLY think that I (or anyone else) would stop every two blocks, jack up the car, remove the governor, and change the weights and / or springs? Does this sound logical? Since it doesn't, maybe one would stop to consider that I probably incorrectly stated what I had done to attempt to remedy the situation.
At this point, we are left with a few options;
come back with a sarcastic remark, (and offer no help),
come back with a sarcastic remark, and offer helpful advice, (which you did),
or just offer helpful advice.
Myself, I'd take the latter.
Anyway, like I said, you do know about vettes, and the advice is always appreciated.
Originally Posted by CFI-EFI
Do you mean that every two blocks you stopped, jacked up the car, removed the governor, and changed the weights and/or springs? That is amazing.
At this point, we are left with a few options;
come back with a sarcastic remark, (and offer no help),
come back with a sarcastic remark, and offer helpful advice, (which you did),
or just offer helpful advice.
Myself, I'd take the latter.
Anyway, like I said, you do know about vettes, and the advice is always appreciated.
Race Director
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 14,267
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From: Plymouth MI Formerly Milford, MA MI
W. Detroit Events Coordinator
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Originally Posted by 1slyder1
The ATF level was good.
I have always appreciated your expertise, and you do appear to know "vettes", but do you REALLY think that I (or anyone else) would stop every two blocks, jack up the car, remove the governor, and change the weights and / or springs? Does this sound logical? Since it doesn't, maybe one would stop to consider that I probably incorrectly stated what I had done to attempt to remedy the situation.
At this point, we are left with a few options;
come back with a sarcastic remark, (and offer no help),
come back with a sarcastic remark, and offer helpful advice, (which you did),
or just offer helpful advice.
Myself, I'd take the latter.
Anyway, like I said, you do know about vettes, and the advice is always appreciated.
I have always appreciated your expertise, and you do appear to know "vettes", but do you REALLY think that I (or anyone else) would stop every two blocks, jack up the car, remove the governor, and change the weights and / or springs? Does this sound logical? Since it doesn't, maybe one would stop to consider that I probably incorrectly stated what I had done to attempt to remedy the situation.
At this point, we are left with a few options;
come back with a sarcastic remark, (and offer no help),
come back with a sarcastic remark, and offer helpful advice, (which you did),
or just offer helpful advice.
Myself, I'd take the latter.
Anyway, like I said, you do know about vettes, and the advice is always appreciated.
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Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: SE NY
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Indeed it was rather obvious that you had tweaked the TV cable setting to see if you could get the vehicle moving, though such "adjustment" is not recomended except per the GM Shop Manual.
Since fluid level was up and changing line pressure got it to move some, I would bet on a problem within the A4 though I have no clue as to just what is the issue. Since you heard some nasty noises from underneith you likely have some loose or broken parts within. As mentioned, for this reason you should also replace the TC and get a thorough flush of the system along with the rebuild. I recently had the 3-4 pack go out in my A4 and this is what the rebuilder did.
Was the 2004 rebuilder a tranny chain or a trusted performance shop? If not the latter you might want to seek out such and get a performance rebuild this time.
Good luck and let us know what they find on this one please.
Since fluid level was up and changing line pressure got it to move some, I would bet on a problem within the A4 though I have no clue as to just what is the issue. Since you heard some nasty noises from underneith you likely have some loose or broken parts within. As mentioned, for this reason you should also replace the TC and get a thorough flush of the system along with the rebuild. I recently had the 3-4 pack go out in my A4 and this is what the rebuilder did.
Was the 2004 rebuilder a tranny chain or a trusted performance shop? If not the latter you might want to seek out such and get a performance rebuild this time.
Good luck and let us know what they find on this one please.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 305
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
It was rebuilt by a tranny chain. Recommended by the place that I bought the car from. The shop was not a performance shop. They rebuild transmissions for all vehicles.
Should of known better.
In general, how long of a warranty does a performance shop usually give on one of their rebuilds?
Should of known better.
In general, how long of a warranty does a performance shop usually give on one of their rebuilds?
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,518
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Did you install a reman converter when trans was rebuilt or just put the old back in? Unlike the old days, a lock-up converter cannot be flushed. Any debris trapped inside will not come out. One day we put a contaminated torque converter in the flushing machine for 12 hrs. When cut open, it was still full of metal. Years ago, a non lock up converter would have cleaned up in an hr or 2. If converter was eused, it likely slowly pushed metal back into the new trans. Either way, it is a bummer you lost another one.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 305
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
I am not sure what they did about the torque converter the last time. I need to read my paperwork. I'll bet it will be done right this time. I won't be using the old one. Replacing the tranny every year isn't gonna cut it.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
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Also, next time, ask the trans shop to flush out the lines and rad cooler. Same thing here, you do not want debris pumped into the next new trans. A good shop will do this without being asked. It isn't an option but a requirement.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 305
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
Let me ask y'all this-
Before I did the 2004 rebuild, when I would shift the car from "park" to "drive", my car would kinda try to lunge forward. It couldn't go anywhere, because my foot was on the brake pedal. (It was almost like my RPMs were too high). I thought the rebuild would fix the problem. It didn't.
Any ideas?
Before I did the 2004 rebuild, when I would shift the car from "park" to "drive", my car would kinda try to lunge forward. It couldn't go anywhere, because my foot was on the brake pedal. (It was almost like my RPMs were too high). I thought the rebuild would fix the problem. It didn't.
Any ideas?
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
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From: SE NY
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It isn't so much about the warrantee from a performance shop as the quality of the job. They will use hardened parts for a superior result that will last.
Indeed the shop that did my rebuild flushed the lines thoroughly to remove particulates. I don't know if the discount chains do this or not but, from past experience with AAMCO (1yr warrantee and the rebuild died about 1mo after the 1 yr period), I'll never take a car to one of those.
The lurch on shifting from P to D is likely due to the IAC causing too high of an idle, or maybe the TC has too low of a stall. If normal idle is ok, ie ~700-800rpm ask for the shop to install a 2,000rpm 12" lockup TC.
What year Vette??
Indeed the shop that did my rebuild flushed the lines thoroughly to remove particulates. I don't know if the discount chains do this or not but, from past experience with AAMCO (1yr warrantee and the rebuild died about 1mo after the 1 yr period), I'll never take a car to one of those.
The lurch on shifting from P to D is likely due to the IAC causing too high of an idle, or maybe the TC has too low of a stall. If normal idle is ok, ie ~700-800rpm ask for the shop to install a 2,000rpm 12" lockup TC.
What year Vette??
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 305
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
transmission fixed
Well, I finally got my car back.
As it turns out, the problem with my transmission was that I had more crud clogging up my tranny filter.
Because I only had 4,000 miles since the April 2004 repair, and the warranty was for 12,000 miles, I wasn't charged anything for the repair. Not even the towing fee.
Since my ATF level was good, and my Haynes manual said to replace the filter every 30,000 and/or 24 months, I didn't even think to check the filter.
I appreciate everyone's advice on this matter.
As it turns out, the problem with my transmission was that I had more crud clogging up my tranny filter.
Because I only had 4,000 miles since the April 2004 repair, and the warranty was for 12,000 miles, I wasn't charged anything for the repair. Not even the towing fee.
Since my ATF level was good, and my Haynes manual said to replace the filter every 30,000 and/or 24 months, I didn't even think to check the filter.
I appreciate everyone's advice on this matter.
