1994 Caravan & Transmission

HI All,

I have a '94 Caravan.

What's started to happen is, in the mornings, when I start out, I live on a
relatively steep hill and have to climb it. The transmission seems fine
going up the hill, but at the top, when I stop, the engine stutters and
almost stalls as the transmission seems to "kick back in'. It sort of seems
like it's winding down and it kicks in almost as if she'd been disengaged
completely. I hope this make sense.

Prior to this, it would stay in one gear - either first or second and it
wouldn't shift until I let it warm up, then turned it off and restarted it.

Is my transmission going up?

What kind of things can actually go wrong with a tranny? Can any cause what
I described?

Help. Please send good news!

Babs

"Barbara" > wrote in message
...
> HI All,
>
> I have a '94 Caravan.
Do you have the 41TE (A-604) 4 speed electronic transmission? Does your gear
selector indicator show a "PRND3L"?

>
> What's started to happen is, in the mornings, when I start out, I live on
a
> relatively steep hill and have to climb it. The transmission seems fine
> going up the hill, but at the top, when I stop, the engine stutters and
> almost stalls as the transmission seems to "kick back in'. It sort of
seems
> like it's winding down and it kicks in almost as if she'd been disengaged
> completely. I hope this make sense.
If I understand what you're describing, it sounds like the "bump shift"
problem some of them have when coming to a stop and downshifting from 2nd to
lst. We have a '92 Grand Voyager that does this and sometimes it's actually
violent - feels like something siezed up for a microsecond).

>
> Prior to this, it would stay in one gear - either first or second and it
> wouldn't shift until I let it warm up, then turned it off and restarted
it.

You must have the 41TE transmission. It sounds like it's going into "limp
in" mode. This tranny is fully electronic and run by a computer (the
Transmission Control Module). It is constantly monitoring the tranny for
trouble. When it detects something not right, it will set a trouble code in
its memory for troubleshooting purposes so a technician will have an idea of
what's wrong. If it thinks the problem is serious it will put the
transmission into limp-in (or limp-home) mode. This cuts off electrical
power to the transmission and only allows it to operate in Park, Reverse,
Neutral and 2nd gear. This is what you experienced. It detected a problem
and put it into limp-in mode - no forward shifting - only 2nd gear. When you
shut it off and re-started it, it decided that the problem no longer existed
(intermittent problem) and once again allowed it into normal operating mode.
This problem could be something as simple as a sensor (input or output speed
sensor, etc.), a bad wire conection that's intermitent, or a serious problem
that will eventually result in major transmission repair or overhaul. You
need the dealer or a good independent shop to retrieve the trouble codes
from the transmission to see what's going on. The 41TE (A604) tranny has a
very checkered history , especially in the early years.

"Barbara" > wrote in message
...
> HI All,
>
> I have a '94 Caravan.
Do you have the 41TE (A-604) 4 speed electronic transmission? Does your gear
selector indicator show a "PRND3L"?

>
> What's started to happen is, in the mornings, when I start out, I live on
a
> relatively steep hill and have to climb it. The transmission seems fine
> going up the hill, but at the top, when I stop, the engine stutters and
> almost stalls as the transmission seems to "kick back in'. It sort of
seems
> like it's winding down and it kicks in almost as if she'd been disengaged
> completely. I hope this make sense.
If I understand what you're describing, it sounds like the "bump shift"
problem some of them have when coming to a stop and downshifting from 2nd to
lst. We have a '92 Grand Voyager that does this and sometimes it's actually
violent - feels like something siezed up for a microsecond).

>
> Prior to this, it would stay in one gear - either first or second and it
> wouldn't shift until I let it warm up, then turned it off and restarted
it.

You must have the 41TE transmission. It sounds like it's going into "limp
in" mode. This tranny is fully electronic and run by a computer (the
Transmission Control Module). It is constantly monitoring the tranny for
trouble. When it detects something not right, it will set a trouble code in
its memory for troubleshooting purposes so a technician will have an idea of
what's wrong. If it thinks the problem is serious it will put the
transmission into limp-in (or limp-home) mode. This cuts off electrical
power to the transmission and only allows it to operate in Park, Reverse,
Neutral and 2nd gear. This is what you experienced. It detected a problem
and put it into limp-in mode - no forward shifting - only 2nd gear. When you
shut it off and re-started it, it decided that the problem no longer existed
(intermittent problem) and once again allowed it into normal operating mode.
This problem could be something as simple as a sensor (input or output speed
sensor, etc.), a bad wire conection that's intermitent, or a serious problem
that will eventually result in major transmission repair or overhaul. You
need the dealer or a good independent shop to retrieve the trouble codes
from the transmission to see what's going on. The 41TE (A604) tranny has a
very checkered history , especially in the early years.

On Fri, 07 Jan 2005 13:38:27 -0500, Barbara wrote:

> HI All,
>
> I have a '94 Caravan.
>
> What's started to happen is, in the mornings, when I start out, I live on a
> relatively steep hill and have to climb it. The transmission seems fine
> going up the hill, but at the top, when I stop, the engine stutters and
> almost stalls as the transmission seems to "kick back in'. It sort of seems
> like it's winding down and it kicks in almost as if she'd been disengaged
> completely. I hope this make sense.
>
> Prior to this, it would stay in one gear - either first or second and it
> wouldn't shift until I let it warm up, then turned it off and restarted it.
>
> Is my transmission going up?
>
> What kind of things can actually go wrong with a tranny? Can any cause what
> I described?
>
> Help. Please send good news!
>
> Babs

I had this happen with my 94 LHS. I drive the highway to work, and when I
got to the end of the ramp the tranny would clunk into gear. I was talking
to a mechanic friend and he suggested something made by Blaster for
trannies. Said it looked like Marvel Mystery Oil. I couldn't find it, but
I did find something called Sea-Foam for trannies. It looked like Marvel
Mystery Oil (a thin, red oil, if you don't know)

Added a bottle to the tranny at lunch time and by the time I got back to
work (3 mile) the tranny was runing smooth as silk and the bump-shift was
gone! All the tranny problems seemd to go away!

Also, DO NOT fill your tranny with anything other than ATF+3, and DON'T
have it flushed. Just do the normal drain and fill with ATF+3. We have
lost 2 trannies where I work due to flushing! When I called and asked at
the local lube place, I asked them if they used ATF+3, and he told me they
use Dextron/Mercon with the proper 'modifiers'. Nope! Won't do it! Using
anything other than ATF+3 is the best way to kill a Chrysler tranny, and
the reason they have such a bad rep. It's not because of Chrysler, it's
because of people not reading the manual and filling it with what's on the
rack.

I went to a local parts house and machine shop to get ATF for my '90
Caravan, which leaked.
I was aware of the +3 ATF that Chrysler 604's were to use and the
(experienced) person behind the counter looked it up in her books and
said that "if it was a '91 or newer it was to use the +3 fluid," but
mine was to use the regular stuff.
I found that surprising, but I do know that the 604's had MANY
upgrades in the years following their introduction, possibly the reason
for the change in ATF requirement around that time.
In other words, it doesn't appear to be necessarially so that all
604's are to use the +3 ATF.
I don't know if using the +3 in an early 604 trans which calls for
Dexron/Mercon will hurt it--I wouldn't think so. But then why wouldn't
the reputable parts house's book just say to use +3 in all 604's
regardless of year?

(I've since sold the van, but this would appear to be a VERY important
topic for discussion). :-)

In article >,
(James Goforth) wrote:

> I went to a local parts house and machine shop to get ATF for my '90
> Caravan, which leaked.
> I was aware of the +3 ATF that Chrysler 604's were to use and the
> (experienced) person behind the counter looked it up in her books and
> said that "if it was a '91 or newer it was to use the +3 fluid," but
> mine was to use the regular stuff.
> I found that surprising, but I do know that the 604's had MANY
> upgrades in the years following their introduction, possibly the reason
> for the change in ATF requirement around that time.
> In other words, it doesn't appear to be necessarially so that all
> 604's are to use the +3 ATF.
> I don't know if using the +3 in an early 604 trans which calls for
> Dexron/Mercon will hurt it--I wouldn't think so. But then why wouldn't
> the reputable parts house's book just say to use +3 in all 604's
> regardless of year?
>
> (I've since sold the van, but this would appear to be a VERY important
> topic for discussion). :-)

It's been discussed to death.

Your 91 604 transmission should have been serviced with ATF+3,
when it was new the spec may have been ATF+2 but the fluid
requirement has always been forward compatible.

Parts house books are chock full of mistakes which is why it's
always best to follow what the vehicle manufacturer recommends.

Mine was a '90, but I get the point about fwd compatible.
I've been reading these posts for about a month or two so I'm
relatively new here but hadn't seen it discussed.

In article >,
(James Goforth) wrote:

> Mine was a '90,

Oooops, should have said 90

> but I get the point about fwd compatible.
> I've been reading these posts for about a month or two so I'm
> relatively new here but hadn't seen it discussed.

More traffic in rec.autos.makers.chrysler

So, which ATF should I use? And, if I've had the wrong type in, does this
mean my transmission is now shot or can I save it? Here's what happened
since my first post.

I took it to a mechanic, (Charing Cross Automotive in Baltimore). I
explained in as much detail as I could what was happening.

The next day, they called and said pick up the van, no charge. I asked what
the problem was and the mechanic said, you're transmission is going up -
drive it until it drops.

Two nights ago, my brother in law who works at the same shop, (he's not a
mechanic), sent word through his wife to my wife that the mechanic took the
van for a ride - didn't feel it slip at all - and so according to what I had
said during the initial interview, assumed the transmission is going up. He
sent me home with that.

What do you guys think? I can't afford another vehicle right now at all.

Should I try a "transmission" place?

Babs


"aarcuda69062" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> (James Goforth) wrote:
>
>> Mine was a '90,
>
> Oooops, should have said 90
>
>> but I get the point about fwd compatible.
>> I've been reading these posts for about a month or two so I'm
>> relatively new here but hadn't seen it discussed.
>
> More traffic in rec.autos.makers.chrysler