Thread: Torque converter lock up is random in 4th

Originally Posted by Fast Freddie

If you changed your own transmission fluid, by simply draining and re-filling, you haven't really changed it at all, since only a limited amount of fluid rests in the sump. A great deal more still lives in the torque converter.
The performance of the T/C relies on properly functioning fluid.
If you ask your transmission shop to do a full 'flush' of the system, as part of a transmission service, you will know for sure if its in need of a rebuild or not, for a (relatively) small amount of money
FWIW, the performance of my transmission improved considerably when I did this and it cost me $360.
Good luck.

Yeah, that's what I've done.. been meaning to do the additional drain and refill.

I'll ask about it, but given it's done 290k km's I'd not be overly surprised that the gearbox need refreshing.

The greatest unknown is its past life... how much it towed, what it towed etc.

If you changed your own transmission fluid, by simply draining and re-filling, you haven't really changed it at all, since only a limited amount of fluid rests in the sump

Well I disagree with this.
About 4 litres is in the sump out of 8 litres.

If a second change is done then about 75% of the oil is new.

In a traditional auto "service" all they do is change the oil in the sump and replace the filter.
This is all that is usually needed, however in the poster's case a full flush could be necessary.
However I always ask myself the question "what sort of oil do they flush with"?
If you have expensive full synthetic in your trans , I don't imagine that a transmission place will waste a heap of full synthetic on your trans so you are left with a problem of percentage of full synthetic vs dino.
Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Well I disagree with this.
About 4 litres is in the sump out of 8 litres.
If a second change is done then about 75% of the oil is new.

Good point Philip.. I didn't realise it was 50%.

So with the diagnostics showing that the ECU is pulsing the solenoid for TC lock up and not getting it and the view of the transmission shop is internals are need replacing, would a full flush really make that much of a difference?

I'm not happy to spend the dollars, but I also have to accept that at 290k km's you have to deal with major components that will wear out, including the gear box.

I agree
Regards Philip A

Is it changing gears normally?
Will you remove the gearbox yourself?
I just went through this with my father's td5 with 270000km. Gearbox changed gears perfectly but to get torque converter lockup you had to back off the accelerator and it would lock up. I removed the box and had the torque converter rebuilt. Cost was $500 plus seals and oil. This was for a standard torque converter (no upgrade). The way i looked at it, it had done 270000km on a standard converter with no problems until now.
You can flush them out at home you don't need any special equipment. There won't be mush flushing required with a new converter.
If paying someone to remove box you need to weigh up labour charges against a full rebuild. But personally if you are doing it yourself and the box is changing as it should just change the torque converter
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Originally Posted by woko

Is it changing gears normally?
Will you remove the gearbox yourself?

No, I don't have the space, tools or know how.

Originally Posted by woko

I just went through this with my father's td5 with 270000km. Gearbox changed gears perfectly but to get torque converter lockup you had to back off the accelerator and it would lock up.

Gear changes are fine as far as I can feel. I can do all sorts of things to try and get TC Lockup to work, speed up, ease off, pull back to 3rd. Sometimes it locks up, most times though it simply doesn't. I end up driving along at 100kph with the engine working harder than it should.

Then out of the blue I can be driving in the 80 zones with the car temp not up and it locks up!

Originally Posted by woko

You can flush them out at home you don't need any special equipment. There won't be mush flushing required with a new converter.
If paying someone to remove box you need to weigh up labour charges against a full rebuild. But personally if you are doing it yourself and the box is changing as it should just change the torque converter

And for me, that's the big thing. I'm not doing it myself. Apart from the smaller simple things like servicing, I'm not in a position to really work on big ticket items like this.

I also want to get things right as I'd like to drive to Cairns towards the end of the year via Cameron corner. So the fewer things that leave doubt for such a long trip, the better.

After having the head done, all the hoses, radiator, cooling system, water pump, alternator, transfer case leak and now this... can't be much left...

Granted spending $4k+ seems a little crazy when I could fly for much less. But in saying that, I'd miss out on actually starting to tick a few things off on my bucket list, and of course the reason for the purchase in the first place.

Of course, if there's anyone in Canberra with a shed and the know how. I'd happily do all the work

Peter.

Originally Posted by plaven

The D2 has done 291,000 kms, no idea about the age of the auto though, I'm guessing it's the original.

I think you would be very lucky to get 291,000 kms & still changing fine
from the original auto, unless it does big hwy kms(anything is possible tho).

mine had about 270 ish on the clock & had a similar problem with lockup.
Cut a long story short after testing & flushing,solenoids, maf, the box had to come out,
I was doubtful mine was the 1st transmission at 270, & it turned out i was right,
it had been reco'ed at Manuel trans (ZF specialist) I don't know how but fluid drive tracked down that it had been, after removal, must be by a stamp or something & they rang them up.
anyhow fluid drive checked out the clutch packs & internals to report it all in good condition & just needed a new TC, so i paid a bit extra & got a low stall 1 fitted.
I spoke to manuel trans myself who also said some are lucky to get 220, depending on where its kms are clocked up.

So i had to let them pull the box (F'drive) & trust they would be honest with me & they were, other auto shops took it for a drive & were trying to tell me the whole lot needed doing.... 1 mob even showed me a cup full of crap & told me it was out of my auto which was complete BS as i had just changed to oil, & the oil i drained was clean of fragments.