Would a broken C clip cause this tranny issue

[Guido0136]

Hello all: I've had my 1994 ATX for 6 months now but only drive it once an a while. Less then 1,500 KM since I got it.

The weather here in Ontario was dry enough for me to get the SHO out of the garage and took it for a 200 km round trip. Mostly HWY trip.

I'm always worried when I do this as I still have not gotten a good feel for the SHO yet and always worried she'll give out some where on the side of the road.

The trip down was uneventful except for the hood that I forgot to shut all the way and almost had it pop up in my face while doing 120 KM/h down the 401.

The drive home had 4th gear not always engaging. The tranny has always shifted well and never had an issue.

While driving home the RPM suddenly went from 2500/2600 to 3000. OD was engaged as when I clicked the button the RPM's shot right up.

If I understand the shift sequence it goes 1-2-3-OD-4???

Well the 4th gear engaged by itself after about 5 minutes of being dis-engaged, and it did it once more on the 100 KM trip. No noise no change in speed as my cruise was engaed the entire time.

Over all the trip took 1 hour and the 4th gear droped twice for a total of about 10 minutes - maybe 15.

Would the C clamp be the culprit, or something else?

Thoughts?

 

[AREA 91]

Hello all: I've had my 1994 ATX for 6 months now but only drive it once an a while. Less then 1,500 KM since I got it.

The weather here in Ontario was dry enough for me to get the SHO out of the garage and took it for a 200 km round trip. Mostly HWY trip.

I'm always worried when I do this as I still have not gotten a good feel for the SHO yet and always worried she'll give out some where on the side of the road.

The trip down was uneventful except for the hood that I forgot to shut all the way and almost had it pop up in my face while doing 120 KM/h down the 401.

The drive home had 4th gear not always engaging. The tranny has always shifted well and never had an issue.

While driving home the RPM suddenly went from 2500/2600 to 3000. OD was engaged as when I clicked the button the RPM's shot right up.

If I understand the shift sequence it goes 1-2-3-OD-4???

Well the 4th gear engaged by itself after about 5 minutes of being dis-engaged, and it did it once more on the 100 KM trip. No noise no change in speed as my cruise was engaed the entire time.

Over all the trip took 1 hour and the 4th gear droped twice for a total of about 10 minutes - maybe 15.

Would the C clamp be the culprit, or something else?

Thoughts?

The shifting patter is as follow's:

1st gear un locked
2nd gear un locked
3rd gear un locked
3rd gear locked
4th gear un locked
4th gear locked

 

[rubydist]

Sounds more like the torque converter clutch was unlocking. This can have a number of causes, from simple like a sick vss, or serious like the tcc is going bad.

Next time you experience this issue, check to see if the cruise control works. If not, that suggests a vss problem. If cruise works, that suggests a trans issue.

 

[Guido0136]

Sounds more like the torque converter clutch was unlocking. This can have a number of causes, from simple like a sick vss, or serious like the tcc is going bad.

Next time you experience this issue, check to see if the cruise control works. If not, that suggests a vss problem. If cruise works, that suggests a trans issue.

Cruise control was engaged the entire time so I think that eliminates the VSS doesn't it?

 

[whiteguy3]

I have had a bad vss and still had cruise control before. Also, the sensor can get sloppy too. I had a vss work real sluggish and cause sloppy shifting with no engine light. I would say do it anyways if you have never. It's roughly $25 at your local parts store.

Keep in mind too that it could also mean your torque converter was unlocking because tranny temps fell below the range of torque converter lock-up. Especially on the highway in cold weather that is a factor. I would not think it is the vss or tss. Also remember that the amount of change you saw in 4th was the exact amount of change you would see if the torque converter unlocked doing roughly 70-80 mph.


I have 2 coolers on my atx (driven hard) and experience, in cold weather, the torque converter not locking up and riding at 3,000 rpm's doing 80 mph. What you describe is a torque converter issue with temperature. That is my guess.

 

[rubydist]

I have never had the cruise work w/ a bad vss, and as far as I know the vss signal is what the cruise uses to measure speed, so its unlikely that the vss is bad from the description given.

It is possible that the tss is saying that the oil is cool enough to unlock the torque converter - my white 94 will lock up the torque converter in only a few minutes even when its cold, but my red 94 will take forever to lock up when its cold. You could test that by wrapping the trans cooler with cardboard or something, but you will definitely not want to leave it wrapped up in the summer!

 

[whiteguy3]

I have never had the cruise work w/ a bad vss

Let me clarify. The vss does begin to get sloppy over time. So it might not have been bad to the point that it effected cruise control or a blinking CEL, but it was definately shifting sloppy. Your issue is not vss related. It's unlocking most likely due to temperature.

 

[Guido0136]

Good idea's guys. I'm hoping it is just the temp. as it was cold (-7 C) and it was the first time I drove this under 10 degrees C.
I'll keep tabs on this to see what the temp is next time it happens.

Thanks,

 

[raff18]

pm sent