1G 91 Auto Transmission problems

[Tigerhorns]

I have a 91 Fwd auto talon. Yesterday i was driving down the highway, and the car started jumping in, and out of gears. I pulled over let the car cool down for about 20 mins then i continued on. About 12 mins later the same thing happened, so i let the car roll down the hill under a bridge with some shade let it cool off for about an hour, and made it the other 40 miles i needed to go. I thought the problem was, because i had autozone dextron in the tranny, so i swapped it out with some mitsu fluid(btw the fluid was nice, and red didn't smell burnt, and no metal in the fluid) did the timing belt, pulleys 90 OFH put some new cam seals in, and got my friends lucky screw driver, and made it home.

Well today i wanted to drive my girlfriend around, so i took her out in the car wanted to boost more then 10lbs since i thought i fixed the problem, turned it up to 20 did about 5-6 nice pulls, and everything worked fine. Well i later on in the cruise i punched it again, and it started acting up jumping in, and out of gears. I stopped the car walked to where i was going, came back about 40 mins later, and it was stuck in first gear. I was wondering if anyone would know why the car is now stuck in first gear. I have a guess at what might be wrong, i'm just taking a guess, but i think it may be the speed sensor, but i don't know how there suppose to be hooked up, or anything like that.

 

[Below Ambient]

that sucks... im just gonna guess and say its probably your end clutches,...

id post in the auto trans forum instead, you'll probably get your answer faster

 

[eclipsalon]

not too sure if the 1g comes with a tcu, 2g does, but if its stuck in gear i would try tcu first then worst scenerio tranny. Just sayin... as far as idle, maybe motors dying (IAC motor).
Now that i think about it, my car also did that whole "stuck in gear" thing but it was because i had just replaced the head gasket and i didnt put the thermo housing on right. Car started over heating and thats what happened. Fixed the housing and prob solved.

 

[Tigerhorns]

1G Speed Sensor: Location? - DSM Forums: Mitsubishi Eclipse, Plymouth Laser, and Eagle Talon Forum: DSMtalk.com in this link is a picture of the 1g speed sensor. I was told there is 2 sensors that tell the transmission when to shift, and when its getting throttle, and maybe there over heating, or going bad, or plugged in wrong (they are normly on a bracket infront front of the transmission.

Also i want to say when i got it home, and put it in reverse it slamed like i had bad motor mounts, and did the same when i put it in park, but i have all new motor mounts.

Btw i'm going to check the tcu you tomorrow if it is bad, anyone know where i can get on at?

 

[FromFordtoDSM]

its the tcu homie. you can buy one or have it rebuilt. ebay ftw

 

[eclipsalon]

[Btw i'm going to check the tcu you tomorrow if it is bad, anyone know where i can get on at?

Search under REGIONAL

 

[asap1320]

make sure you check the fluid in NEUTRAL on a realtively flat surface.

it does matter.

does your trans temp light work on your dome light area?

 

[Tigerhorns]

Ya as far as i know, and i just pulled the Tcu out, and i didnt see any leaking stuff. I'm lost with this problem .

 

[chenk18]

Have you tried to pull a code? It is in the vfaqs on how to or you can look through my previous posts for a link, if my computer wasn't messed up I would post a link. My car did the same thing a while ago, but I would get stuck in 3, eventually the tcu went bad.

And good luck finding a tcu, they are hard to come by, at least for me it was. Make sure it is the right one.

 

[Tigerhorns]

The TCU thats in my car now says MD750092 is this the correct tcu? I also just started the car up, and drove it, and now it's shifting, and acting just fine. I know the problem is going to continue, so if anyone could still try to help me with this would be awsome. I also noticed i was leaking oil from my brand new pushlock oil return ><

 

[chenk18]

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-drivetrain/277172-1g-tcu-guide.html here is that link, I figured out how to post a link from my phone. That number is the same as mine, which means it is for an awd. It would still work, but I think it would throw off your shift points. What I meant by make sure it was right, was the plug ins. I had problems with that when I was hunting mine. I got sent one that was for a late 92- 94, I didn't want you to go throught the same problem.

Mine did the same thing, shift fine for an hour or so then act up. So, I limited my driving to 30 min, and after a couple months, it went to all the time. Just when it does it again, try and pull a code so you will not waste any money and might even be able to save the tcu.

 

[Tigerhorns]

I may be wrong, but it seems that all 3 of the connectors are different sizes, and can't be plugged in wrong. I really don't know a thing when it comes to a transmission i dont even know where else to look. I noticed i had some tranny fluid on the tranny, and where the speed sensor hooks in there is a nice little puddle. I'm going to try, and get a pic of it, and post it

 

[the_mork]

If the problem happens again (1st gear issues) then try removing the solenoid plug which is a 4 pin plug coming out of the middle top of the transmission just about the pan. When you have that unplugged take the car for a drive and see if it is in 3rd gear instead of 1st. If so then the problem is electrical. If not then the problem is physical. I have dealt with two cars that have stayed stuck in 1st and for both the issue was a bad seat for the pressure relief spring/ball in the valve body. The other thing that would cause this would be the line pressure relief solenoid being told to work full time.

When you were jumping in and out of gear were you just shifting gears or was the car slipping, then catching again. If the car was slipping then catching again and it happened only/primarily in OD then you also need new end clutches. They are easy and not overly expensive costing around $100.

 

[Tigerhorns]

I allways drive in D i never go through L, and 2. I did have OD on, and when it was doing it i tryed turning it off i tryed putting it in L, and 2, and it did not make a difference.

 

[TimF]

Bit of advise (mine has the same problem) if you plan on rebuilding your TCU don't drive around to long with you car like that. I took my TCU in to get rebuilt after driving on it like that for some time and I burned all the way through and ruined the bored. The guy told me its a common problem for that year.

 

[the_mork]

I think we may be misunderstanding each other. What I mean to ask in a more clear manner is whether the car was shifting between gears on its own or if the car was slipping at times "jumping in and out of gears" unfortunately is ambiguous and doesn't tell me what I need to know to help you.

I'm going to assume that you're suggesting that the transmission was slipping and that changing the shift lever position did not help the slipping issue. If so then end clutches are a distinct possibility but the behavior is most common only in OD and can be temporarily fixed to get the car home by turning OD off. If the car was slipping in other gears then this suggests that either the end clutches are very bad or there is another problem. A car that chooses not to put power to the ground after warming up often has issues with either the fluid or the transmission filter. In this case I would suspect that you had a clogged transmission filter and were not receiving adequate fluid flow. This explains the slipping but not being locked in first gear which is likely a separate issue. If I had to guess I would suspect a piece of small dirt or debris ended up on your pressure relief seat/ball in the valve body then moved on.

 

[Tigerhorns]

I havent put over 800 miles on the car, and i have had it for a year, and some now. As soon as i got the car i changed the trans filter. To answer your question the car was shifting between gears on it's own. Today i drove the car it drove fine, and i parked the car for about a hour I come back start it up go to shift it in drive, and when it hit reverse it made a sound like the motor mounts where bad, and when i got it in drive it did the same thing (a loud bang). I know this may sound weird, but when the car starts acting up the wideband reads 10. As soon as it stop it goes back to 15.1 at idle, and 11.1 wot. I was reading the tcu write up on here, and it sound's like that may be my problem, but i'm never stuck in first.

Also i want to say the car has no problem putting power to the ground. I also noticed when it's stuck in first if i get on it will shift to second.

 

[eclipsalon]

Just had that same reverse problem today. Only thing is that i was stuck in 3rd and the only reason that was, was because i had accidently switched out the cruise control conection with one of the silonoids. Anyways thats why your problem sounds like it might be electical (because of the reverse thing) but if its jumping in and out, wouldnt that count as slipping therfore making it physical?
p.s just did a little relocation and thats why i mixed up the wires. woops,

 

[Tigerhorns]

I'm not to sure i'm going to just do a AWD swap pull the motor, and throw it into another car the hell with this car i think it has a curse on it.

 

[rhamilton909]

I know this is an old thread so il apologize in advance but im having some transmission issues.I bought a 91 talon awd for a project which im building to make 650whp. It really grinds going into 1st and i have to force it. I have the mods to make the power already done but im stuck with this issue left. would a stock tranny hold that power if i just got a rebuilt one with a really nice clutch or should i have this one rebuilt by jacks or somehing? any help would be great