Trans problem? won't go over twenty

[Jdz136]

So I just recently purchased myself a 95 talon tsi awd, automatic, and right away I had to swap out the engine. After finally finishing that up, I took it out for a drive, there were a few things wrong, nothing major, but on my second or third test drive, when i was going up hill, I was giving it gas, and was probably going about 30 miles an hour, when there was a pretty solid thud up front. I let off the gas, and everything seemed fine, but now it won't go over twenty miles an hour, I haven't pushed too hard, afraid something else might happen. While doing the swap we had some issues disconnecting the trans from the motor to pull the old one, but we managed to pry them apart, and definitely didn't crack it. Also another issue from the swap, was that we had to replace the bolts for my torque convertor, which the ones we got from autozone, weren't the right pitch. It broke off, and basically had to drill it out, hole was made too big, got someone at an auto store to fix that. It looked good as new, and the bolts fit in fine. So I doubt it has anything to do with the convertor, I am planning on checking the linkages, but i'm not sure what else it could be. any suggestions?

 

[born2tune]

Back when I did a swap in my mirage I remember that i forgot a solenoid connector unplugged from the transmission and basically it prevented it from shifting. it made loud thunks when it should have shifted but never did at about 20-25mph. I popped the hood and found it unplugged, plugged it back on, resetted the ECU and problem solved. so try looking at that or a wire may be loose, broken or a short for your solenoids, even a bad solenoid.

 

[DSM1G90]

Get a new torque converter-it went crap on you.

Plus, you might have destroyed the pilot bushing in the tranny with that torque converter not being bolted down to the flex plate correctly and dead center to the flex plate due to them AZ bolts that were the wrong size (shame on them for selling you wrong parts in the first place-did you get some restitution on this from AZ?).

That TC was wobbling around like crazy being not centered which destroys the pilot bushing.

 

[Jdz136]

Back when I did a swap in my mirage I remember that i forgot a solenoid connector unplugged from the transmission and basically it prevented it from shifting. it made loud thunks when it should have shifted but never did at about 20-25mph. I popped the hood and found it unplugged, plugged it back on, resetted the ECU and problem solved. so try looking at that or a wire may be loose, broken or a short for your solenoids, even a bad solenoid.

I have been told that it maybe the solenoid, but I am alittle skeptical about that as it was running fine prior to the thump. I hyad no problem getting to even like 80, everything was shifting fine. I'll still check though.

Get a new torque converter-it went crap on you.

Plus, you might have destroyed the pilot bushing in the tranny with that torque converter not being bolted down to the flex plate correctly and dead center to the flex plate due to them AZ bolts that were the wrong size (shame on them for selling you wrong parts in the first place-did you get some restitution on this from AZ?).

That TC was wobbling around like crazy being not centered which destroys the pilot bushing.

Well after the AZ bolts didn't work, I got the right bolts, and bolted it on fine. Only one of the AZ bolts broke, and we had to drill it out. I figured since it was only one, and we had someone fix that one, it shouldnt have been an issue. I forgot to mention there was a tapping, before I drove it. It was slight, and not in the engine. When i was under it it sounded like it was coming from the TC but I wasn't sure. It only tapped from like 800-1300 rpm's. any higher it quited down. So I am not sure if it was the Tc. I am pretty sure it may have been the TC anmd just the faster it went there would be force holding it tighter. I am going to jack it up, and see if the Tc is wobbling at all, and if the bolts are tight.

 

[DSM1G90]

When you do your test, check the welds around the starter ring on the body of the TC - they love to crack and throw the ring off center which also has the holes that the bolts goes through for the flex plate attachment.

It could be that tapping from an out-of-round TC due to broken welds. That definitely calls for a TC replacement.

As for the connections: There are a pair of connections that looks alike, but are not meant for each other. To ensure that you got the right ones, look at the wires going into each connector and match the color coding for the male and female connector respectively. You switch those two and thing will grunt at the low speed.

Why I'm mentioning the TC area is that little yellow 1.8 in my avatar is an automatic and had similar problems along with leaking. Neighbor and I dropped the tranny and did a TC replacement (starter ring welds were all cracked), pilot bushing replacement (due to the bad welds, TC was wobbling slightly and tore up this bushing that is at the front of the pump) and a front pump seal.

We went out to a yard and found a busted up DSM with the same tranny, thus snitched the TC out of it. I went to a tranny wearhouse to get the other stuff and ATF+4 fluid (that all DSM trannies ONLY use), put it back together and runs like a champ now.

Good luck - DSM