This is really driving me crazy. I hope someone here can help me determine what is going wrong with my car. I have a post over in Tech/General Engine-(Bad ECM or TPS?) -because I thought it was computer related, but now I believe it's the transmission. Ok here's the problem. The converter lockup keeps letting go and re-engaging with just a slight touch of the gas pedal. If you hold speed or moderatly accelerate it does not act up. Third gear seems to be the worst. I have hooked up a switch through the ALDL connector to manually lock the converter when it starts acting up and for troubleshooting. This locks up the converter anytime the car has shifted out of 1st. It does not slip even if I try to accelerate while manually locked. Tonight, while I had it locked, in third gear, selector in O/D, 38mph, it would not lockup. I shifted the selector to D and it immediately locked up. Shifted to O/D and it stayed locked up like it should. What the??? I came to a stop and took off again up to 40mph and it acted fine, locked up around 35 shifted itself to O/D at 40 and never unlocked the rest of the way home with the switch Off.
The other funny shifting thing it has had since I got it was that when you accelerate up to 38, it would try to lock up the converter at 35 then immediately let go. I have to accelerate up to 40 and let O/D come in and then it would lockup OK and I could slow back to 38 and keep it locked for the long straightaway home.
Another question I have is, is it normal for it to stay in 2nd gear at WOT up to 5000 before shifting to third? I usually back off around 4500 or lower and let it shift to third because I don't want to kill it.
Is my transmission toast or is there just a part that could be bad? It seems to shift and drive very good except the lockup problem. Is original tranny with 123k miles on it. Fluid is normal looking tannish color, don't smell burnt, level is OK, no leaks, TV cable has been checked, no codes in the computer. What else do I need to check before just condemning the tranny?