Transmission Shifting Poorly

[Harrisburger]

Hey guys, so I have a 1997 4.0 that is occasionally throwing a P1744 Torque Converter Stuck in Off Position code. The symptoms are: typically before the code is thrown, it starts shifting really hard in the 1->2 and 2->1 shifts (torque converter engages roughly?) and later the torque converter will decouple- but only in high gear. It seems to behave normally in the other gears, as I don't lose any of the lower gears. This problem typically only surfaces on longer drives of 30 minutes to a couple hours, but it can occur any time, even on short trips once it starts doing it consistently. Then it goes away again for a couple hundred miles like nothing ever happened.

Took it to Cottman a couple weeks ago, but of course it didn't do it while they were driving it- service tech even took it home for the night to his house about 30 miles away with no results. So, while I gratefully applaud Cottman for their honesty, I still have a problem. Kind of hoping I can fix it myself rather than paying as much as the truck is worth to get the transmission replaced. (even though the new tranny will be fully remanufactured and have a 50000 mile warranty... really tempting).

Any ideas of stuff to test or what to try? Thanks!

 

[Harrisburger]

dingbats!! Wrong forum- can I move this?

 

[Earl43P]

Solenoids and the valve body gasket are the usual bad actors, user replaceable.
Transgo kit or Superior kit equivalent is advisable.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140987

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174202

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=154655

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=158160

Lots of info out there, depends what you are comfortable doing.

 

[adsm08]

Odds are you have either a valve body issue or a converter issue. Possible you have an electrical problem though.

A converter locked up all the time would cause hard shifting. Can't remember if that's a normally open or closed solenoid though.

 

[Harrisburger]

Solenoids and the valve body gasket are the usual bad actors, user replaceable.
Transgo kit or Superior kit equivalent is advisable.

Thanks! I was kind of figuring this was what it might be- really don't have the garage space down here in Kinston like I did back home to tackle something like that. I'll have to clear it with the landlord too. I've also wondered if it was just a small piece of trash that only gets stuck occasionally, then floats back into the mix after a while. I'll definitely have to see if I can give this a shot now.

 

[Harrisburger]

Odds are you have either a valve body issue or a converter issue. Possible you have an electrical problem though.

A converter locked up all the time would cause hard shifting. Can't remember if that's a normally open or closed solenoid though.

Electrics could be a possibility. I have like a 850CCA/ 1000 amp battery, but it's 7 years old and not putting out quite enough juice these days- is it possible that just too little voltage could do it? Of course, that doesn't explain why it happens on long trips. As far as wiring problems, I'd want to rule out a lot of other things before tackling that. Especially since it's my only vehicle and I have to put it back together before I can go anywhere.

Thanks for the input- I'll definitely have to check out the valve body now. Looks like a good saturday project.

 

[adsm08]

Why in the world do you think the battery would have any bearing on this?

The battery is for starting. Once the engine is running the battery is just along for the ride, unless the alternator gives out.

 

[Harrisburger]

I have an old Goldwing that has every kind of trouble under the sun when the battery voltage is too low. The old GL1200's are kind of famous for their electrical problems though. I was assuming that the computer control in a newer ranger had better reliablity than an old motorcycle, but figured it wouldn't hurt to ask since I had seen it happen before. Not to talk down about the old 'wings I have 2 of them and enjoy both- except that they live 200 miles from me and I don't see them much.

 

[adsm08]

I have an old Goldwing

That's about the same as comparing one of those motorized bicycles to a pair of roller skates.

 

[Earl43P]

I have an old Goldwing that has every kind of trouble under the sun when the battery voltage is too low. The old GL1200's are kind of famous for their electrical problems though. I was assuming that the computer control in a newer ranger had better reliablity than an old motorcycle, but figured it wouldn't hurt to ask since I had seen it happen before. Not to talk down about the old 'wings I have 2 of them and enjoy both- except that they live 200 miles from me and I don't see them much.

Nice. I'm an 82 GL1100 (naked) daily driver, with a 99 Valkyrie I/S for the long hauls kinda guy.

FWIW, I think you have a solenoid that gives up after getting hot.

I'd guess it's the TCC solenoid. Might as well replace it and the EPC while in there. I'd look for an independant Transmission shop and have them quote you a price for that work. Shouldn't be more than $3-400, including the shift kit install.

 

[Harrisburger]

Earl43, I actually had an experience Saturday where a long- time (4 year old) problem that I've been having when I let off the gas (after running a steady 65mph for 15+ miles) coupled itself up with the TCC refusing to lock up after I got back on the gas (which has only been a symptom on occasion since October). I had never even considered the 4 year old problem being transmission related and just kind of ignored it/ got used to it since I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. But, the end conclusion on seeing this pair of this pair of symptoms together seems to be exactly what you say. It gets "sticky" when hot and won't disengage properly after letting off the gas, then it won't re-engage after you get back on it again.

The rest of the shift difficulties are likely just "limp mode" cued in by the fact that the TCC is not locking up. I initially wasn't sure if my transmission had limp mode or not, but one of the pages you linked to mentioned it and it feels exactly like what he describes.

At this point, I'm going to put a 90% chance of it being just the TCC solenoid, as everything else behaves normally when the TCC isn't acting up. So, I'll try taking the "easy way out" and just replace the individual solenoid. Looking at the diagrams, I should be able to do that just by removing the trans oil pan but I don't have to unbolt the valve body, right? It might be nice to go a little deeper just to make sure everything else was okay, but I don't have a garage or an inch-lb torque wrench. And I suspect I'll know if it works soon enough after put everything back together again.

Should be a $40-$80 fix including new fluid, depending on where I buy the solenoid from. Then if that doesn't get it I'll start throwing parts at the thing. Thanks for the help guys, we're finally getting to the bottom of it!


P.S., Nice wing! I have a 1200 naked and a 1200A, both '84's. And yes, I had to replace the stator in both of them. (Yikes!) Other than that, they're fun. I've got a friend with a valk, really nice bikes they are.

 

[Dune Runner]

Back when I had valve body issues (which you may or may not have) I bought a rebuilt one from Central Valve Body. It ran right about $300 shipped to me. I swapped mine out and shipped the core back in the postage paid box. Shifts better then ever now. I highly recommend these guys. I found out about them over on an explorer forum. They use em a lot.

 

[Harrisburger]

Hoping it won't come to that, but I'll keep them in mind if it does!

 

[09 Anla'shok]

Back when I had valve body issues (which you may or may not have) I bought a rebuilt one from Central Valve Body. It ran right about $300 shipped to me. I swapped mine out and shipped the core back in the postage paid box. Shifts better then ever now. I highly recommend these guys. I found out about them over on an explorer forum. They use em a lot.

Ik this is old but, how's that VB doing? I'm looking at Central Valve body too. Thx!

 

[SenorNoob]

Ik this is old but, how's that VB doing? I'm looking at Central Valve body too. Thx!

Very old. That user has signed in since 2015. It's unlikely you'll get a response.
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Dune Runner
Well-Known Member · From Alpine, Ca
Joined Oct 4, 2012
Last seen Jun 10, 2015
Jun 10, 2015