2g auto dsm questions

[1990telawd]

I finally got my 95 tsi awd on the road after what seemed like a multitude of delays. However the tranny has been acting wierd as of late. When driving it feels like it is shifting really late and doesnt seem to want to down shift very easily when i come to stops. I have also had it on a few occasions not let me leave a hill or an intersection. It seems as if the car goes right into neutral and doesnt want to move, all while the shifter is still in drive. When i put it in park from there it goes into park and wont move, and when i put it into neurtal it rolls fine, but when i put it in gear, nothing. Sometimes when the car sits for a while it does the same thing, park and neutral work, but the driving and reverse gears themselves do not work. I checked the fluid levels and they seemed fine, but a little high. I also looked and the fluid still seems bright red and doesnt smell burnt, howeve rthe car was sitting for two years before i purchased it so i really dont know how old it is. Im really looking for some good ideas for things to look into, i have a gut feeling it is the tcu but i really really hope its not the case. Please auto dsmr's share some knowledge.

 

[eclipseism]

Im guessing its a boost leak, Check your Upper intercooler pipeing, the plastic one that goes to the side mount intercooler and see if that wiggles easy trust me i had the same proplem you did and that what it was, take off your intake and check that

 

[4BangR-x]

Is it slipping or just plain not working?

 

[1990telawd]

i owuld say it goes from fully functional to non functional not slipping, jsut not useable like its not even in gear. Um i will check the boost leak thing, but i really doubt its that still worth a shit, i have some little leaks to check on neway PLease explain more if you think it will help though!

 

[4BangR-x]

Well, I can tell you a boost leak is not your problem

Can you feel it go into gear, or does it just do nothing?

 

[1990telawd]

idont feel it go into gear, the shifter itself feels like im tghrowing it through air, almost no resistance, but i look at the actuator on the tranny itself and its moving fine.

 

[grntalontsi]

My talon is a 95 tsi awd auto. I had to replace at 66,000. My problem was definitely slipping. In your case I would check the park/neutral switch.

 

[1990telawd]

would be unfortunate if it were slipping, but the car runs and shifts fine in all aspects unless i come to a stop and such, its shifts feel clean and powerful.... i dont even know if its slipping. Im hoping its a clog or something or maybe even a shift cable. im jsut hoping some1 can point me in the right direction. A park neutral issue would prevent it from starting, but it starts when in either of those gears fine, so thats out of the equation.

 

[halik008]

hmmm if it doesn't sometimes go to forward gear or reverse you have an internal non-electrical problem.

Even with the ECU and/or shift solenoids bad you should always have 3rd and reverse since that's the "limp mode".

Either you are slipping or you have fluid pressurizing issue.

 

[95talon_in_ma]

The park neutral switch is supposed to prevent it from starting. If it's starting in those gears, you have a bad switch.
How is the OD? Does it pop out of that too? Is it activated all the time?
When you say it's not working, what's it doing when you step on the gas? If the rpm's go up, it's slipping.
My previous DSM and my girfriends galant will sometimes not shift down to first or second during low speeds and just stay in Drive. Making it really boggy. What happens when you shift it to first or second?
The fluid in my talon was cherry red until the day it blew. It never slipped. Only the OD would disengage sometimes. I did the clutch pak and that worked for a few weeks. Eventually it went south, but it never slipped. The day it did go, it was like I was driving with the e-brake on. I looked around for a rebuild and the cheapest local wanted $1500 plus another $400 for a converter. IPT has some really slick racing ones for a little more $. But eventually I found a complete 95 TSI manual with a blown motor for $1200. I did an engine swap and now I have a complete backup car to boot.

The awd throws another kink into it. I'd have a reputable shop look at it.

 

[JayRolla]

If the neutral switch is bad it wont let the car start at all. Ive had them go bad in two different cars and thats what would happen. If the switch goes bad they built it so the car wont start so you dont accidently start in gear. Have you checked the tranny fluid while the car is running and warm?

 

[1990telawd]

it will only start when in park and neutral so that is good. The car when it doesnt want to work, will shift into the drive and reverse gears really easy, but i never hear or feel the tranny shift. It just sits there in park or neutral. Sometimes when i let it sit there in gear after a few seconds it goes in, and from there it will work for a good 20-35 mins fine. Shifts fine works fine, but when i come to stops or hit a hill it really doesnt want to work for me. Man thanks for all the help keep the speculation coming.

 

[95TalonOwner]

When my A/T in my 91 Laser RS turbo went, I had almost the same issues as you do. First I lost overdrive, then eventually it wouldn't go into any gear at all.

Sounds like your tranny is about to take a crap.
Hopefully this is not your problem though.

 

[1990telawd]

and when it works. Turning on overdrive and turning it off works fine, i can also shift into all gears like low and 2nd etc, without any problems whatsoever Everything works fine when it works.

 

[95TalonOwner]

You could try getting the tranny flushed and a new filter and fluid put it. A good fluid to use is B&M Trickshift.

 

[shift_racer]

The fact the fluid level is too high could cause the tranny to slip when under a load.

 

[1990telawd]

but how could too much fluid hurt? Also explain more about fluids i can get locally that may be adventagious to my efforts.

 

[JayRolla]

Yep your tranny is going out. Ive had two fail on me and they both had the same symptoms as you. Usually this happens because the tranny is low on fluid. Most autos you check the fluid while its running for an accurate reading. Your doing this right? When it doesnt work if you rev the motor up while your in drive does the tranny sometimes catch?

 

[1990telawd]

when the tranny is not working i can put it all the way to the floor and it wont catch at all. I literally have to shut the car off then back on then the tranny works fine. The car also has a 6 bolt swap, is there a chance that the 6 bolt swap with the auto trans is causing problems, i didnt think of it til just now.

 

[JayRolla]

I dont think so man. Im afraid it sounds like the tranny might be dieing. I would take it to a tranny shop and see what they say

 

[1990telawd]

I have a 92 tsi awd parts car that has a tranny that was rebuilt by a reputable shop in allentown pa with about 10k on the rebuild. Since my 95 has a 6bolt swap i could just bolt on my 92 tranny correct. My 92 is a 6\4 setup so the tranny would even work with the 2g correct?

 

[95TalonOwner]

You can't bolt a 1g tranny into a 2g because the mounts are all different.

 

[1990telawd]

if my tranny problems are being caused by an improper 6bolt with auto tranny install. there were many problems with the original swappers work. Im looking on the net and seeing that if you use the wrong flexplate you can put pressure on the tranny pump.... I really am getting scared now that this may be a huge problem.

 

[92talonawd1]

Ive had similar problems with my A/T FWD. If it sits on an incline for a bit to long, in drive it wont want to catch, it feels like its slippping, but catches sometimes and lets go again. Dont know if this will work for you, but i just pop it into L and it goes just fine, then once i get on level ground again i shift back up to drive. Try that, maybe its just a flow issue.