Auto Tranny Failure Options

[zacd]

So I'm going along in my 1g n/a 4g63 at about 110 tonight. I slow down for the stop sign where i turn right and then within less than 50 yards or so i turn left. i get up to about 50 probably before i go around the turn and have my foot on the brake. when i was half way through the turn i gave it about half throttle and snap, vrrrrrrr... just like im in neutral. i stop and go through all the gears and nothing. set the ebrake hop out and open the hood... smoke is coming from the tranny and smells god awfully bad. some friends and i went back to my house and got the truck and pulled it back the mile or so to my house and in the driveway it sits...oh am i scared of what i will find tomorrow. First thing that comes to mind...oh well when i bought the car the previous (and first) owner had said he had rebuilt the tranny, and it was his first time... oh and while i was being pulled back home i was in the car steering and while moving you hear this sound, somewhat like a whine. The auto trannys are mopars right? if this thing is screwed i could just go and find one in a junkyard or something right, b/c i really dont have money for a new one. I've been wanting to eventually get a turbo dsm, but this is not the time.... I need this car to last me for another year or so. well just thought i would share my dsm expierence with you all.

[zacd]

Okay, this morning I briefly went out and looked at it. There is a fluid dripping from the tranny, but I checked the transmission fluid and its right where it should be. I'm thinking the torque converter went. Anybody have a suggestion on where to find one and how much it will be? New used whatever as long as it works. Cheap is good Oh and I was wondering if the turbo cars torque converter would be the same as whats in the non turbo.

[zach]

i don'tknowif it is the same or not but I have a used tourque converter out of a 91 tsi,

actually, i think the only difference would be in the flex plate, make sure if it is 3 or 4 bolts to the tourque conv.
the one I has uses 4 bolts, but a haynes manual keeps showing 3 bolts

[zacd]

Well now that i think about it, its probably best just to get a new one b/c the used one would have to be flushed out and everything. but the problem is, who sells them? im not needing to buy any "high performance" model or anything, just a basic one that will do the job. anybody have any suggestions?

[Cyclone93]

If u are going to buy a new one shop around the performance converter might even be cheaper.

[SCCA Stang]

who sells them? im not needing to buy any "high performance" model or anything, just a basic one that will do the job. anybody have any suggestions?

i'll check at Advance Auto today and get back with ya

[zacd]

thanks in advanced gsxracer. i looked on their website but had no luck because it doesnt make any sense. but then again im not completly sure that the torque converter is it. it sure seems like it to me though. i called up pioneer mitsubishi in bloomington and the guy thought that the problems would be somewhere after the tranny and said to check the speedometer to see if it was reading while the car was in gear even though your not moving. i tried and it read 0. whenever you put it in to gear the engine will run a bit faster (the computer stepping up the idle to compensate for the load) and act as if there is no load on it. im guess im just going to have to borrow a friends engine hoist and pull out the tranny and go from there. man it sucks not having a car, lol.

[SCCA Stang]

i'll check at Advance Auto today and get back with ya

No go man, Advance can't get it, sorry!!!

[zacd]

Alright. I did see autozone has one for $130 and thats the only one i have seen so far. I'm keeping my eyes open. As for the actual inspection of the car...I think tomorrow I will put it on a trailer and pull it out to a friends house who has a big shop and engine hoist and everything and pull the tranny out and see just what happened and go from there. But if the tranny is screwed, I have found a 2g gst in the tradin post that i wouldnt mind having . 5 speed too. But until I know, I just be car-less. Oh and I didn't realize how much I love my DSM until today. Drove my mom's 2.4L 03 Galant around. All the power is low end. not much speed there. 100 and thats all it has to offer. But anyhow, I'll get looking at that soon.

[SCCA Stang]

I think tomorrow I will put it on a trailer and pull it out to a friends house who has a big shop and engine hoist and everything and pull the tranny out and see just what happened and go from there. But if the tranny is screwed, I have found a 2g gst in the tradin post that i wouldnt mind having . 5 speed too. But until I know, I just be car-less.

good luck man!!!

[zacd]

Okay well as far as pulling it, I'm not sure when that will happen, but I did go out and pull the tranny codes. First off I got an "Open circuited kickdown servo", I knew right where this was, looked at it, and sure enough, the cable had come apart somehow. I reattached it and then went back and pulled codes again. This time I got a code saying that I had a open or short circuited shift control solenoid valve A. I got thinking about it and if that valve is broke, its not going to go into 1st or 2nd right? 3 and 4 should work, but there is no way to see that because its not going to shift into third when your not moving and because the ingenious designers decided on having the gear selectable from 1, 2, and then drive...no 3rdg gear. So if this thing is busted I would assume thats why I've lost a little tranny fluid. I don't have an idea where this thing is at. Does anybody know? Is it interal, or is it along the outside casing? Are these things available for purchase...how much...where...? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Oh and by the way, I think I wrote this before, but I'm the second owner of the car and I bought it directly from the first and he told me he had rebuilt the tranny, but it was his first time . I'm thinking thats where the problem comes in. Something wasn't done right.

[90GSX]

technically 3rd gear is drive with the over drive button shut off. it only goes to 3rd when your moving though, it will still try to go to 1st, and 2nd. i had the problem with my tranny that it wouldnt move, but i would gun the engine and after a hard kick it would engage, i would assume it hit second. It ended up being 2k to rebuild, but thats before i knew of slo pony, so i got it in the a$$ on what they charged me. plus they did a crappy job

[zacd]

Yeah but if you put it in drive its going to be first gear until it gets to the right speed when the computer tells it to shift to second and so on. I haven't tried anything but an idle. Who/What is slo pony? I think i have heard this somewhere before.

[zach]

i don't think slo-pony rebuilds the automatics,

But,... Bruce at B&M transmissions is the man on these auto dsm trannys

i don't think anyone in the state knows them better, and he is reasonable.

[zacd]

I did some more looking at it today...with more depressing results. I decided to disconnect the battery to clear the codes off the tcu and after that, it says everythings fine. And now that i think about it, it cant be the torque converter b/c the starter turns the tranny and it still starts fine. Where is B&M transmissions at? I went to their website and it says the merged with TurboTrix and forwards you to their website which says New Jersey. I'm not wanting to spend much for this car, I would rather just go and buy a turbo car.

[awd4kicks]

The local B&M Transmission shop that zach is referring to is located at 5021 N. Galena Road, in Peoria Heights. Bruce McWhirter is the owner and you can reach him at 309-685-7266. That's where we go for all our serious automatic transmission repairs and rebuilds.

[zacd]

Okay thanks, I'll give him a call soon.

[zacd]

I never got ahold of B&M, I got an answering machine everytime I called, but I did find a tranny just north of chicago with torque converter cheap so i'm going to go up there on the 1st and get it. I'll let you know when its in.

[zacd]

I got the tranny today. It looks good. I can't wait to put it in and be able to drive my car again! What's the best way to pull the old one / install this one? I'd imagine from the top right? Can/Should it be detached from the engine then lifted out or should I keep it on the engine and pull up to put the tranny and engine at an angle then detach it? Any help is appreciated.

[90GSX]

The best/easiest way is to drop it from the bottom. If you have 2 guys, its not that heavy to drop, or lift back in place.