Thread: Not Happy - Auto again

Hi Crash, I too feel your pain (wallet pain that is).

I had my transmission fully rebuilt in September 2009 (approx. 40,000 Klm's ago, I think). Vehicle has about 248,000Klm's on it now. It was rebuilt using better/stronger components (sprags and planetary set etc.) and new tc, full flush, u beaut oil and the like from a reputable transmission specialist, so that I would not have to go through it again. I also had temperature senders installed in the pan and one in the oil cooler return line so I could monitor the transmission fluid temperature. These were hooked into my Madman unit with alarm points etc. Do it once, do it right, right? Well so much for that theory.

I now have an issue where by I have drive in reverse and 1st gear when placed manually in those gears but when shifter is placed 2,3 or D I get no go, only a very faint feeling that it is in gear but when the go pedal is pushed there is nothing. This happened very suddenly.

Story:
Yesterday I drove the vehicle to a Landrover specialist to get my remapped engine ecu unit replaced with a standard unit for a couple of days to see if my economy would improve and also as an exercise to see what a standard map feels like again. I was told, after the replacement was done in the W'shop and engine was started they backed car out for test drive, placed shifter in D and...nothing except for error codes for tc and other things that I cannot remember. Anyway all codes were cleared and did not come back. Still no drive when in D,3 or 2. My remapped ecu was put back in, all codes were cleared if any, all diagnostic checks were performed with their test equipment and no faults were found. I must say that the fluid level was not checked. End result is I am left with a car that I cannot drive except in reverse or 1st gear.

What the heck happened? So I have a broke car. No one with a clue as to what is going on. There is a suggestion that a Sprag clutch is the culprit, what?!!!!! Just like that, no warning with driveability or noises or anything. Absolutely no warning whatsoever!

All this after I spent... $6,000 on the rebuild "drive in drive out" in 2009.

Since then the car has towed a camper trailer approximately 9,000klm's over two years and that's all, apart from highway and around town driving normally.

It is currently back with the firm that rebuilt it 2009, sending me broke again no doubt! Frankly I am beginning to wonder why I bother, might be time to call it quits.

Are there any experts or people out there that have any experience with these transmissions that may be able to shed some light on what could be a possible cause for failure?

I will report back with what has happened to my transmission. I cannot shake the feeling that the problem with mine is somehow electric/electronic in nature, given the circumstances surrounding the suddenness of this problem.

So I can sympathize with you. Hope it all works out for you Crash.

Cheers
Mikey

I'd put money on it if all they did was ECU change that the settings are corrupt and it thinks its a Manual...

No CanBus to Auto - No Control...

Hi Tombie, thanks for the reply.

So are you thinking that even if all they did was shut the car down and pull my ecu out and then reinstall it after they tried their standard map ecu, that the settings in my original ecu may be corrupted when they reinstalled it? kinda, sorta something like that?

Would I be able to check that with a Nanocom?

I will have to go up tomorrow morning and plug in if that is the case.

Cheers
Mikey

Originally Posted by Mikey

Hi Tombie, thanks for the reply.

So are you thinking that even if all they did was shut the car down and pull my ecu out and then reinstall it after they tried their standard map ecu, that the settings in my original ecu may be corrupted when they reinstalled it? kinda, sorta something like that?

Would I be able to check that with a Nanocom?

I will have to go up tomorrow morning and plug in if that is the case.

Cheers
Mikey

Yes and Yes

Check settings in BCU recognise vehicle as Auto...

Thanks for that Tombie, will check tomorrow when I get to the transmission joint. They have not started to pull anything apart yet so hopefully that is all it is.

I just can not believe that it would give it up like that. Too much of a coincidence imho.

I will post back here with results tomorrow, hopefully with good news.

Mikey

Hi Tombie, well I checked all the settings this morning in the Bcu and it was set to Auto. I knew it was a long shot but not knowing what happens when an Auto vehicle has Manual selected in the Bcu it was worth a shot.

Next step is it will get the pan removed to have a look and then I guess if nothing obvious is found (oil discoloration and smell, fluid level, any metal particulates etc) then removal of the valve body for inspection, solenoids etc.
If nothing discovered there then rip the box out and strip it down. I will then have to take out a fifth mortgage i guess . Well at least I have my health .

I will post more when I know.

Cheers for now
Mikey

Sorry it didnt turn out to be a simple fix.

Good luck with it.

Mine is in the process of being stripped down.
They are going to run a kit through it but does not need a complete rebuild. By looking at the parts at the moment they figure a good job was done previously on it, but can not figure out why the clutches are burnt. The valve body has not been pulled apart yet.
Hopefully will be back on the road next week.
It probably was a good thing that I took it in when I did, could have possibly become worse down the track and cost me even more.