'01 tranny issue

[imaddicted2u]

I just bought this car so I'm not familiar with the feel or shift points.
Symptoms:
High RPM's on the highway - 5000 rpm for 100km/hr
Shifts ok to reverse
Shifts ok from 1-2 - feels strong, not slipping
Shifts ok from 2-3 - feels strong, not slipping
Manually dropping the shift lever from D to S drops a gear. So I assume I'm in 3rd.
Doesn't ever seem to shift to 4th, This may explain the high rpm's on the highway.
Driving around town feels ok but I think it only shifts as high as 3rd.

When I bought it these codes were showing:
P0755 Shift Solenoid B Malfunction – Clears, comes back after a while.
P1770 Clutch Solenoid Circuit – Cleared, never came back.
P1250 Fuel Pressure Regulator Control Solenoid Circuit - Clears but comes back. Only engages to raise fuel pressure at startup then disengages. Coil tests open.

Cleared codes this morning, took a little road trip, no codes upon return.
Tested solenoids.
The TCC solenoid is the only one out of spec at 13.2 ohms

Pressure control solenoid - Spec- 2.0-6.0 Actual- 3.5

Overrunning clutch solenoid valve - Spec- 20-40 ohms Actual- 24.1
Shift solenoid A - Spec- 20-40 ohms Actual- 24.2
Shift solenoid B - Spec- 20-40 ohms Actual- 24.7
TCC solenoid valve - Spec- 20-40 ohms Actual- 13.2
Temp sensor tests ok (4.36k cold, 1.91K warm) and is within spec.

No blinking hold indicator.
No check engine light.

Fluid looks red and is clear, smells ok

So, since the TCC is out of spec, can it inhibit 4th gear?
Is it safe to assume that changing the TCC solenoid will set this tranny to shifting right?
Any other tests I can perform?

[Saint_]

Which engine? How many miles??

Assuming 2.3L, TCC solenoid resistance is fine. I bought a new set and it was 13.5ohm. The dead solenoid was 60ohm and it sometimes engages and sometimes not.

You should have some connection problem. If they come back let me know. I have my old solenoids that I could sell (except TCC). All solenoids are 25 ohm.

I have FPR code as well and I dont care. It isnt crucial IMO.

[imaddicted2u]

It is a 2.3, 94,000 miles. The engine runs super smooth, lots of power.

I am not concerned with the FPR code either. I did check the coil though and found it to be open.

There is a smell gas under the hood too but can't trace it, no sign of any wetness around the fuel pressure regulator, fuel rails or gas lines, I crawled underneath too, no smell under there and the gas lines were dry. Do you have any idea where the charcoal canister is. The gas smell subsides a little while after the engine is shut off, maybe the canister is not being purged.

I am concerned about the transmission though. I don't go on the highway often, the high rpm's can't be good. Although, to me the engine doesn't sound like it is turning at the 5000 rpm indicated on the tach. Also, if I back off the throttle the rpm's instantly drop to idle, when I reapply the gas the tach jumps back up then you feel power.

Also, my gas milage seems not too bad. More than 18.5 mpg mostly city driving on the first $30 I put in. I'm in Canada and that equates to about 6 gallons. I put regular gas in by mistake, anybody running regular in a 2.3, so far it didn't seem to mind.

I wonder why the TCC solenoid is so different from the others?

[Saint_]

Did you try pushing hold while cruising? Does the rpm change?

[imaddicted2u]

Went on the highway.
Cruising @ 5000rpm @ 100Km/hr- press hold-Might have felt a little change. Seemed like if I clicked hold on and off it was trying to do something.
Decelerating from 100Km/hr - Off gas- Rpm dropped to ~800 hold on- felt down shift, rpms rose to ~1000.
Hold off- Back to 100Km/hr- Tach around ~800rpm- press on gas-Tach jumps to >3500rpm- Then power comes on- back to cruising 5000rpm @ 100Km/hr.

In town, played around with the gear selector in S and L, I'd say using the hold button pretty much matched the shift schedule.

What do you think?
Hey Saint, I just realized I used your guide for testing my solenoids, thanks for that! It was a big help.
Another thing, I'm not positive but I think the fluid might have been changed before I got the car.




This is from the manual for the 96 Millenia

[Saint_]

If TCM sets a gear and it doesnt engage it should flag a code since there will be a speed discrepancy. So assuming TCM is good I would guess it deliberately doesnt engage 4th gear. There could be couple reasons:

1. Throttle position sensor
2. Range sensor thinks you are not in D
3. Coolant or ATF temp sensors (4th gear inhibition signal)

If it doesnt shift to 4th, it wont engine break. However it should shift to 4th when you let off the throttle. It should engine break with hold cruising at high speed though (as it did I think).

The only thing I can think of is ATF temp is registered very low. Then you will have exactly what you observe. However there are P0710 and P0711 codes for that.

[imaddicted2u]

I think you are right, there was no engine breaking while cruising until I pressed hold.
So does the fact that I got engine braking using hold mean the tranny is capable of 4th gear and 4th gear is inhibited for one of the following reasons:
1. Throttle position sensor and Throttle closed switch ON
2. Range sensor thinks you are not in D
3. Coolant (<60C) or ATF temp (<20C) sensors (4th gear inhibition signal)
4. Brake switch on
I wish I could read the data directly but my code reader can only read and clear codes.
Is the '96 close enough to the '01 that I can use the '96 procedures in the '96 manual to setup and test the sensors?
I'll check these items as soon as I can.
I appreciate your input on this!

[Saint_]

96 FSM is 99.9% valid for 01. Buy something like this:

V1.4 ELM327 OBD2 OBDII CAN-BUS Diagnostic Scanner USB | eBay

Double check if it works with milly.I have one similar to this for 5 years (paid $15 or so) and I cant tell how handy it was. With easyobd software I can read TPS and coolant temp data. Paid software can even read S/C boost they say.

[keninn]

****. i just checked, at 65 mph, tach is below 2500. sounds like it is stuck in 2nd. 5000 rpm at 66 mph is screaming

[imaddicted2u]

Originally Posted by Saint_

96 FSM is 99.9% valid for 01. Buy something like this:

V1.4 ELM327 OBD2 OBDII CAN-BUS Diagnostic Scanner USB | eBay

Double check if it works with milly.I have one similar to this for 5 years (paid $15 or so) and I cant tell how handy it was. With easyobd software I can read TPS and coolant temp data. Paid software can even read S/C boost they say.

LOL, to funny, I was just on ebay looking at somthing similar!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Bluetoo..._Tools&vxp=mtr

wOBD has a polling designer that allows saving of poll lists:
http://www.obd2crazy.com/softbeta.html#distro

This OBD-DIAG software looks pretty neat too!
http://www.er-forum.de/obd-diag-dl/i...ctory=OBD-DIAG Software&