Symptoms of a failing tranny?

On Sun, 17 Apr 2005, Bob Shuman wrote:

> > It has never been possible to start the car in 2nd gear on an
> > automatic Chrysler product. Some Fords over the years offered this
> > ability.
>
> Actually the Chrysler "Autostick" 4 speed transmission

Right. I tend not to pay much attention to "manu-matic" shifters, so I
forgot to mention it.

On Sun, 17 Apr 2005 10:05:01 GMT, "Treeline" >
wrote:

>>> On Sat, 16 Apr 2005, "Treeline" > wrote:
>> >The O/D is not on the shifter. It's a switch to the right because it's
>> >electronic, that is, an electronic transmission, controlled by a TCM or
>> >Transmission Control Module, and not a selectable gear. The TCM is a
>computer
>> >which can have its firmware upgraded by the dealer. It's easy to miss the
>> >switch. Took me a long time and I also erroneously thought I did not have a
>> >4-speed O/D tranny.
>
>
> wrote in message
.. .
>
>> MOST back then had the OD on the shift quadrant. Pre OBD2 most
>> firmware was not upgradeable.
>
>
>I am not sure what you mean by the above.
>My gear selector says "P R N D 3 L" - where would be the OD? Is that not
>embedded in the "D" which means gears 1 through 4 with 4 being OD?

Is the D in a "box" The last 4 speed Chrysler I drove had the D in
the "box" (which is really an "O" - ) signifying OverDrive. My 3 speed
did not.
>
>There is an electronic switch, below the rear windshield wipers' switches,
>which allows the O/D to be turned off. This is on a 1994.
>
>About Pre OBD2, that depends. The rough rule of thumb is that if the TCM has
>dual fins, then it has an EEPROM instead of an EPROM, hence, flash or firmware
>upgradeable. The vans in my range, pre-1995, require a special harness to be
>attached to the device which does the readings and the upgrades. The extra
>equipment required for the upgrading is why I decided to just go to the dealer,
>a big dealer, who would have all these extra, older devices and capabilities.
>It's all a bit confusing but I posted a list of years and what engines and body
>styles can be upgraded going way back, to 1989? It's from the TSB's. Since the
>TCM is obviously electronic and EEPROMs had been around for some time before
>this, it's not unusual to find a TCM and A604 tranny with a flashable TCM.
>
>Some of the cars had EPROMs instead of EEPROMs, so I don't know what they did.
>Maybe they did not need any firmware upgrades. If they did, they would have had
>to purchase, I assume, an upgraded TCM which is relatively expensive compared
>to flashing the EEPROM.
>
>

I think I could actually start in 3rd too although this was not needed most
of the time as 2nd did OK on ice. Don't remember since it has been my son's
car now the last two years.

Bob
"Daniel J. Stern" > wrote in message
n.umich.edu...
> On Sun, 17 Apr 2005, Bob Shuman wrote:
>
> > > It has never been possible to start the car in 2nd gear on an
> > > automatic Chrysler product. Some Fords over the years offered this
> > > ability.
> >
> > Actually the Chrysler "Autostick" 4 speed transmission
>
> Right. I tend not to pay much attention to "manu-matic" shifters, so I
> forgot to mention it.

> wrote in message
...


> >I am not sure what you mean by the above.
> >My gear selector says "P R N D 3 L" - where would be the OD? Is that not
> >embedded in the "D" which means gears 1 through 4 with 4 being OD?
>
> Is the D in a "box" The last 4 speed Chrysler I drove had the D in
> the "box" (which is really an "O" - ) signifying OverDrive. My 3 speed
> did not.

The D is not in a box. It's just a regular, old-fashioned, new-fashioned
kind of D. I gather in your last 4 speed you have to put the car into
D with the box? Or if you put it in D it signified all the gears, including
Overdrive?

If you can figure out what I just asked, well, good for you. I can't even
bear to re-read what I just posted.

"SBlackfoot" > wrote in message
. ..
>> > > > I know some trannies in these vans is known to drop at 180k kms on
> the
>> > > > dot,
>> > >
>> > > This "knowledge" is not correct.
>> >
>> > I've heard it several times from several sources....
>>
>> Lots of people heard "The earth is flat" from lots of sources lots of
>> times.
>
> Until proven otherwise. Right or wrong, it's still a well documented
> issue (or non-issue, as the case may very well be).

For four speeds maybe, but I haven't heard it for the 3 speeds.

> >> Lots of people heard "The earth is flat" from lots of sources lots of
> >> times.
> >
> > Until proven otherwise. Right or wrong, it's still a well
documented
> > issue (or non-issue, as the case may very well be).
>
> For four speeds maybe, but I haven't heard it for the 3 speeds.

Now that's what I like to hear. ;o)

"Treeline" > wrote in message
news:hxq8e.18407$Xm3.1032@trndny01...

> I am not sure what you mean by the above.
> My gear selector says "P R N D 3 L" - where would be the OD? Is that not
> embedded in the "D" which means gears 1 through 4 with 4 being OD?

My mistake. The D has an "O" around it. O for Overdrive then.

SBlackfoot wrote:

>>>I know some trannies in these vans is known to drop at 180k kms on the
>>>dot,
>>
>>This "knowledge" is not correct.
>
>
> I've heard it several times from several sources....


"Several sources" told Columbus the world was flat, too.

Treeline wrote:

> So it's not possible to start the car in second gear as it used to be with
> "2" presumably for snowy or ice conditions where less torque was
> preferable.

Not all automatics allowed "second gear start," for example no Chrysler
3-speeds did. Some Fords did, some GMs did, and maybe Autostick allows it.

>
>>4th is an overdrive gear. Do you understand what that means?
>
>
> Let's see if I can remember this stuff again.
> 4th appears to spin the drive wheels rather fast compared to engine speed,
> hence the name, overdrive.

Any gear that causes the driveshaft to rotate faster than the engine
speed is an "overdrive" gear. The Chrysler 3-speed trannies have a
maximum ratio of 1:1 in 3rd gear, and are not overdrive. Some
transmissions (Viper 6-speed) have TWO gears that are overdrive of
different ratios, with 1:1 being in 4th gear.

> I get this confused with torque converter which
> is locking the tranny to the drive wheels in whatever gear is being used
> except for first gear?

TC lockup provides a solid mechanical connection between the engine
crankshaft and the transmiission input shaft, bypassing the normal fluid
coupling of the torque convertor.

> "Several sources" told Columbus the world was flat, too.

Which were still thought to be correct until proven wrong... <shrug>