What is this?

[ATL]

I know my way around a motor, but i know absolutely nothing about automatic transmissions. but take a look at this video and tell me what you think. this is cruising around 50 mph, the truck is coming in and out of overdrive. when you push the tow/haul button it stops. does tow/haul do an electronic lockup on the converter? so is this a converter issue? or something that can be tuned out?

 

[Freedom Motorsports]

I don't understand what you are asking?

 

[CEN2MENTAL95]

What's up with the fluttering needle? Is the idle actually changing like that?

 

[Freedom Motorsports]

When he mentioned the tranny, I was assuming that he was taking the video moving down the road. If that is the idle sitting still then it isn't tranny related, that is something else and I would find a shop QUICK

 

[ATL]

"this is cruising around 50 mph, the truck is coming in and out of overdrive". i dont really know how else to explain it, its like the transmission isnt sure what gear to go into. it flutters back and fourth thru what i assume is overdrive and electronic overdrive.

 

[CEN2MENTAL95]

there is only one overdrive gear in the tranny......if that needle is really fluctuating while moving I would have a hydrocarbon test done ASAP on that cooling system.

any coolant in the oil or reverse?

 

[ATL]

what? no, no coolant anywhere its not suppose to be. if theres no electronic overdrive then i dont know what its doing, thats def not 3rd its going into. its just a sweet spot that does it, prob 50-58 mph or so.any faster or slower and it doesnt do that

---------- Post added at 01:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:31 PM ----------

there is only one overdrive gear in the tranny......if that needle is really fluctuating while moving I would have a hydrocarbon test done ASAP on that cooling system.

any coolant in the oil or reverse?

are you f'in with me? what does coolant have to do with the way the trans is shfting? coolant in reverse?

 

[CEN2MENTAL95]

what? no, no coolant anywhere its not suppose to be. if theres no electronic overdrive then i dont know what its doing, thats def not 3rd its going into. its just a sweet spot that does it, prob 50-58 mph or so.any faster or slower and it doesnt do that

---------- Post added at 01:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:31 PM ----------



are you f'in with me? what does coolant have to do with the way the trans is shfting? coolant in reverse?

if the IDLE is FLUCTUATING..thats the first sign of a BHG (blown head gasket)....other tell tale signs are oil in coolant or coolant in the oil (reverse)

50mph is not our truck's "sweet spot" either....

I suggest you bring this to the dealer or to an ASE certified mechanic who has experience with these trucks

 

[ATL]

ur not picking pickin up what im putting down at all. this is NOT at idle, and that speed is the sweet spot for the PROBLEM to occur. ur making it sound like it needs to be parked and taken to a stealership immediately. ive been workin on motors for like 15 yrs, just never messed with automatic transmission. it does NOT have a blown head gasket and this issue is NOT serious. its been doing it for 2 yrs, but its annoying and if theres anyone around here who knows automatics, im just curious as to what may be causing it

 

[Gzes]

Lol guys he is driving and its doing that.... Amatures lol

 

[Freedom Motorsports]

It may be the 4-5 gear solenoid in the tranny, I would have a Tech II put on it and take it for a driving test so they can watch the solenoids in real time and narrow it down that way.

OR, if you happen to have someone around that has an EFI Live V2 and desktop software, etc, they could do the data logging as well, but the Tech II would be at the dealer.

 

[M3PO]

Does it hold 4th gear when you are cruising faster say 60-70?
If the RPM's fluctuate that much, can you feel the truck surging or speeding up and slowing down?
Maybe put the gear selector in 3rd, and drive at 50mph and remember the exact RPM's. Then put in OD and watch this fluctuation and try to determine if the transmission is really shifting down to 3rd or if the converter is locking and unlocking, or maybe still another problem. Just throwing out ideas, I'm not really sure.

 

[ATL]

i have a local friend with hpt, he said hed take a look but he works alot and havent gotten a chance to do that yet.

but yes, it hold the gear fine at high speeds on the hwy and does not surge. yes, you can feel the truck surging with the rpms.

im pretty convinced its either a solenoid or the converter, hell maybe both.

JUST FOR FUTURE REFERRANCE FOR MY TYF FAMILY, THIS IS A MAD DOG STAGE 1 TRANSMISSION. DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM MAD DOG TRANSMISSION BASED OUT OF GEORGIA!!!!

 

[Freedom Motorsports]

It COULD be a throttle issue, it may not be transmission related. But why it would fluctuate THAT much IDK. Maybe the TPS is going out and the signal is sending the rpms up and down? Try this, go get a hair dryer and unplug the plug at the TPS and attempt to dry it and if you want, hit it with some dielectric grease before plugging it back in.

 

[ATL]

i have thrown some throttle body codes in the past. but they showed up for like a week after washing my motor. but other than week, no throttle issue in the 2 yrs its been surging. i have a decent little scanner setup, and it does datalog but its not in depth enough to watch the solenoids i dont think

 

[Vinniety]

ATL - are you driving in a straight level rode when it does that or where you giving it more gas and on an incline? It sounds like you have done your research and are looking at it the correct way so im just trying to throw out some thoughts of mine. What about trying cruise control and see what that does. You said you have seen some throttle body codes what about trying to replace the TPS something easy to do and not bad on price or clean out your intake. It might be just at that RPM your truck is sensing a load even if not and telling the tranny to downshift. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[ATL]

yes, this happens on flat rds when holding the certain speed steady. the needle moves back and forth from 1200-1500. when the tach goes up over 2k in video, thats me giving it gas and it downshifting, then when the speed gets steady again, its starts jumping 1200-1500 again. i dont think the throttle is the current problem, although ill look into it some more. when i threw t/b code, i pressure washed the engine and some cennections got wet. it hasnt happened in months.

 

[Freedom Motorsports]

When it is bouncing like that, if the truck isn't actually surging, meaning the engine rpms aren't going up and down at the same time then that is the stepper motor going out.

You MAY have gotten come more water in the harness that made it back to the TB plug, double check and dry it well to rule it out.

 

[LOUDHOE]

yes, you can feel the truck surging with the rpms.

Don't think its a stepper motor kelley...

 

[Freedom Motorsports]

Don't think its a stepper motor kelley...

Yea,...I got it... Thanks for making it CLEARER for me....