Is this vacuum related? Double post in engine/transmission, sorry, not sure where to put this exactly.

Well, my transmission has been acting up a bit, i adjusted the TV cable a bit, and finally got it set to where it's shifting a bit better. I reversed out of a spot a few nights ago, and the car died on me. When i started it again, the check engine light came on, and it was revving up pretty high.

Well, i killed it, and started it again, and the light was still on. I was driving home, when it was like the transmission wasn't shifting at all, it would hold WAY up in the rpm's even when i feathered the petal in overdrive. I had to push it a bit to rev up a bit more, and when i did and suddenly let up on the petal, it would shift.

I noticed when i was cruising at around 40-50, after getting it to shift with this method, whenever i would hit uneven uneven/bumpy sections of road, it would feel like the transmission was pulling back a bit on the car, which would let up when the road was smooth again.

Even coasting downhill in 3rd, in overdrive, it seemed to be pulling and slowing the car down. That, and when i let up on the gas, the transmission didn't downshift, but instead the transmission revved up and down and up and down over and over until i came to a complete stop, where it would idle fairly normal, and go back to first gear. I felt no shifting during the revving.

I got home finally, and flashed the ECU to get the code 34. It was late, and I wasn't in a great mood, so i let it sit overnight. The next day, when i started it, the ECU light was off, but the transmission was still acting funny. I checked the fluid, and it was at the "add a pint" area, and it was pretty burnt looking. I checked the fluid a week ago, and it was level, and looking just fine.

I added a pint and a half, and the fluid still came up
the same level, at the "add a pint" mark, but looked cleaner. That's confusing as hell to me, i checked the stick like 6 times this morning while i was doing this, before i caught a ride to work with someone else. Im going to go home and check to see if the fluid is any different, and try adding a bit more until i can see an actual change on the dipstick.

What could have caused this odd acting up from my car, when it threw this code "34"? Did my ECU go into some kind of mode which made it act up like this? I don't understand how it could have this problem, and then start up fine the next day. I just don't get what could have caused an intermittent problem to this extreme. This was acting way off from normal.

Or does this just have to do with something with my transmission failing? I check my fluids every week or so, and I do know the fluid was level, and looking healthy. What could have caused it to get so low, and burnt looking, so quickly?

Thanks for any info!

 

More than likely thats a vacuum leak...and a bad one. Some auto trannies (i'm assuming the 700r4 falls in this category) use intake vacuum as a source of measuring engine load. If you have a bad vacuum leak, you will lose a lot of vacuum and fool the transmission into thinking your in heavy acceleration and thus delay the upshift. A vacuum leak will also cause your car to run poorly and will cause a high idle. To test for leaks, warm the car up and while its idling hook a vacuum gauge to a vacuum source on the manifold. It should read 20 in. If it does, check related sensors as well (map, vac).

 

The 700r4 doesn't use vacuum for shifting, but pressure and throttle angle...you shouldn't play with the TV cable to make it "suit your needs" but adjust it per manual.

Code 34 is MAF for the TPI, but I don't recall if it's burnoff or power error.

Do a search for code 34 on the TPI board, should yeild some good diag info

 

Well I didn't adjust the TV cable for fun. Whoever owned my car before me had a few zip-ties on the bent and haggard looking TV cable.

This made the car shift WAY late at WOT. I cut them off, and set the TV cable the way everyone here says to. It seemed to be shifting a bit better after i did that.

My 1-2nd shift is so soft however, i don't even really feel it, if i floor it, it revvs up high, and sort of drops a thousand or so RMPs, then revvs up really high, and finally shifts to what im assuimg is 3rd gear.

My car has started doing this, so i figured i would check the TV cable, and make sure it was aligned properly. After i set it, it seemed to shift a little better, but the 1-2 shift is still very weak. Im assuiming thats what the odd drop in rmp's is at wot, my 1-2 shift. Otherwise i can't explain it.

So two conflicting messages here, is the th700R4 vacuum controlled or not? It seemed to act that way when the code "34" was flashing. My haynes manuel said that code 34 was for vacuum problems, an code 32-33 were for MAF.

When i try to do a search on "code 34" i get an error, "34 is too short to search on (3)". I guess words are limited to a minimum of 3 characters now.

I miss the old UBB, i liked it better.

 

I can say without a doubt, the 700R4 is not vacuum controlled, such as the TH350 and TH400's were/are.

Code 32 is an EGR code for TPI, 33 and 34 are MAF codes for MAF equiped TPI cars.

 

Well, I ended up adding 4 QUARTS of tranny fluid, and it's finally up top now. I re-adjusted mt TV cable, and it seems to be doing alright so far.

I have no clue how i lost 4 quarts, (not pints!) of tranny fluid within a week.

Still, I am surprised that it's running still. Im sure the transmission is torn up inside, ill most likely have to pickup a new one.

Wish this cured my 11MPG problem too.

 

4 quarts? Sweet Jebus! I'd definatly look for a tranny leak. heh.

Check the tranny lines running to the radiator. I had some start leaking there.. They wouldn't cause a puddle on the ground, but once the lines got pressurized I could literally see a trail of fluid behind my car. So, I borrowed several gallons of tranny fluid from JiffyLube (I worked there at the time, so it was free) and drove straight to a place where I could replace the line.