So my delima continues. I found a very clean, almost bone stock 92 AWD Auto car and 2 weeks after I got it home from a 200 mile trip, the TCU is in limp mode. You guys that have had auto cars can help out by telling me what to look for that may put the TCU into limp besides it being the TCU itself. I can't find one ANYWHERE in the US so any solutions or substitution will be considered. The ONE salvage that had one called me today and told me the car was crushed 2 DAYS AGO
Anyone running a shiftbox, let me know how you like it and if you have to use it with full line pressure, shift everytime, etc.
Thanks to you all!

I run a forced four box and love it. I still have the TCU in this car but rarely if ever utilize it. Then again, I don't drive the car all day every day so it doesn't bother me.

I have a forced four box too and I really like it. The only thing I dislike are the hard downshifts, especially the 2<1 shift. From what I hear the newer version improves the downshift line pressure, and maybe controls part throttle shifts too, I can't remember. I hate the way the stock TCU shifts so I rarely use it.

Thanks guys! For the price of an obsolete TCU, or less, I can do the shift box. I was worried about driveability but if you knew how I drive these cars, you would just say it's gonna be fine. Shift kits in your cars also? Really appreciate anything you seasoned vets can give me.

Yes, I installed a shift kit in mine.

Translab 175? I put one of those in my sons 97 Talon and it is a nice kit. Thanks!

yes

Contact Miller Import Parts. He may have a TCU.

I will get ahold of Stevie. He's a great guy but I searched the whole USA with a search engine and found ONE. Sent the CC info to purchase it and got a call yesterday that they had just crushed the car the day before. I was thinking "Jeeze, they probably only got a couple hundred buks outta the whole car and I was gonna pay $200 for a little box inside". Thanks, I have bought from Milllers many times, they are a great support Vendor for us!
I think it is just about Shift Box 100.1 time and call it good, what do the rest of you think and is there a shift box that does auto shifts plus allow me to shift manually? I was thinking that is what the 100.1 would do.

I don't know about the 101.1, but on my basic 2 box, you have set shift points. So shifting up and down on the streets you'd have to shift by pushing a button. But, if you are in a race, the trans will shift at those preset shift points so you don't have to take your hands off the wheel. So lets say you set your 2-3 shift point at 8000, it will shift automatically at 8000, but if you want to make your 2-3 shift at 3500, then you'd need to manually up shift it.

That is kind of how I looked at it when I was reading about all of the different choices. Some day this new car will be a hot little car like yours, but since I already HAVE one (but its a stick), I want to enjoy this stocker for a while before I decide to mod it. I have all of the go fast parts for it, but like putting it into "D", turning on the A/C and setting the cruise. Thanks for your help on this, I only got to drive her for 2 weeks and I am not driving her in limp mode so, one way or another, it should be on the street again in a week or so. Any more input is always appreciated!

Alright guys, I bit the bullet. I didn't want to pay $370 for a 25 year old rebuilt TCU so I went with @ForcedFour_com and ordered their Smart 100.1 I will give feedback on how easy it is to set up and wire in as soon as I get it in a few days. It was the only unit that would give me both automatic and handheld shifts, but that is what I wanted. Thanks to you all, you were a lot of help!
Marty

Good luck man, interested to hear your thoughts on the 100.1. My car does not have a shiftkit, btw

Thanks Nate. I am not shift kitting mine YET, but I will. It shifts very good currently (or did, when the TCU was working). I have installed a Translab 175 in a 2g auto before and it was an easy job so I will get one on hand and when I go to change fluid and filter I am going to install it.
I figured it was worth it to go with a stand alone TCU unit that was NEW rather than pay $370 + s/h for a 25 year old rebuilt module and it is the only one left in the USA as far as I can find. Japan has one for about $550 + s/h.....nope.
Updates will come as soon as the unit gets in and I get a bit of time to wire it in. I will document it well for everyone to use but I don't see it being a hard install and ForcedFour is always on hand for questions during the install or for issues so that's a plus!!!

Good choice! One thing that affected me but might not others... I had to set my 1<2 and 2<3 shift points a couple hundred RPM lower than my target shift RPM. My trans would take just a split second longer to shift and I'd rev right past my target shift RPM. I'm guessing with a shift kit it wouldn't be a problem, but my trans took just took a split second longer to upshift.

When I first tested my shift box I set the 1<2 shift to 7400 and my rev limiter at 7500. When I hit the limiter I thought I did something wrong or my trans slipping. Once I lowered the shift point to 7300 it shifted great.

1990TSIAWDTALON said:

I figured it was worth it to go with a stand alone TCU unit that was NEW rather than pay $370 + s/h for a 25 year old rebuilt module and it is the only one left in the USA as far as I can find. Japan has one for about $550 + s/h.....nope.

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Had I noticed this earlier.. I might of been able to source you one. There are two guys locally to me that for whatever reason do not use this website at all and one of them has a parts DSM collection that would about rival Miller Import parts. If you need any stock parts I could put you in contact with him.

MD750092 TCU/TCM Depending on who you are talking to.
If you feel like asking. Thx!
The shift box has a option to switch on the fly and SOME DAY this will have its mods so what I got was much like EcmLink for a transmission for our cars. I like to keep things stock or plug and play the upgrades. I hate hacks. If you find one I'd be glad to talk. Sucked that the yard in New Hamlshire smashed their car last week.

Nate355RS said:

Good choice! One thing that affected me but might not others... I had to set my 1<2 and 2<3 shift points a couple hundred RPM lower than my target shift RPM. My trans would take just a split second longer to shift and I'd rev right past my target shift RPM. I'm guessing with a shift kit it wouldn't be a problem, but my trans took just took a split second longer to upshift.

When I first tested my shift box I set the 1<2 shift to 7400 and my rev limiter at 7500. When I hit the limiter I thought I did something wrong or my trans slipping. Once I lowered the shift point to 7300 it shifted great.

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That's pretty common. I have to set mine to shift a couple hundred rpm before actual desired shift point even with a shift kit. But when it shifts, it shifts quickly.

Kapok6 said:

That's pretty common. I have to set mine to shift a couple hundred rpm before actual desired shift point even with a shift kit. But when it shifts, it shifts quickly.

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As with any auto, it still takes time to transfer fluid to another clutch pak so those times will vary. With the ShiftBox I chose, I can set the delay times in between shifts but I really bought it for the fully automatic feature. Watching my car SIT because I wont drive it in limp mode was killing me.
Nate, are you using the 100.1?

My goodness the 100.1 is secksey.

Lol yeah it is full blown. But if we tune we should have things like this. It works with many different applications too. Way to go ForcedFour!
Details (and hopefully smiles) to come.

Hey, does anyone have a junk 3 plug TCU? I absolutely HATE hacking a wire harness and I could rob a junk tcu of its connectors to wire this in. Its worth asking at least. PnP is my way so I don't hurt a perfectly good harness. Thx.

Didn't you say your tcu was junk?

Nope, I'm running the old basic. If I was keeping my car I'd definitely upgrade to what you bought. Those features fix the few gripes I had with my box. But sadly, as of tomorrow I'll be DSM free for awhile.

Kapok6 said:

Didn't you say your tcu was junk?

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No it quit working after the PO did a sucessful cap repair and trace repair so is it junk, I don't know. It worked for 2 weeks after Memorial day. That was one reason for starting this thread, to see if anyone had any tips that would help pinpoint any other things that may put it into limp mode.