Hello board members! I’m a long time stalker, first time poster…
Let me start off by saying I believe I have read every transmission post on this board over the last 12-15 months with great insight and confidence gained to attempt to fix the common 2001 transmission gremlins. I feel I have addressed the 3 main failure modes out there and am still having issues, so I’d like to put this out to the experts to see where I go next…
Original symptoms:
Would get the dreaded “E” on the dash and lose 4th & 5th gear
Codes for incorrect gear ratio, etc.
History of work completed:
4-3 pre stroke spring – original spring broken, replaced with Sonnax spring…
Soleniod pack – replaced with Sonnax reman part
Servos – replaced OD and intermediate servos with new o-ring design
All of this was completed with the trans in the car. Each of the 3 steps was completed individually, thinking I had fixed the problem after each step. I do NOT recommend attempting the servo replacement with the trans in the car
– if I had known I was going in this deep, I would have removed it…
Current issues:
Reverse – delayed engagement when cold (seems to work normal most times when hot). This was not an issue before starting the trans ‘fix’…
4th gear – doesn’t seem to shift into 4th. When shifting from D4 to D5, it goes from 3rd into some sort of gear (based on ratios, doesn’t seem to make sense – about 2500 rpm at 50 mph)
Still getting the “E” on the dash occasionally – usually appears under light acceleration (have not yet read the codes…)
Next steps:
Before I take the trans apart for the 4th time, I’d like to get some opinions. Here is a list of potential causes what I have put together Note: (trans has 113k on it, original fluid looked good, no metal in the pan)
Upper valve body gasket leaking?
Trans re-flash needed? (build date is Jan 2001, trans also has orange sticker on the pan – maybe was replaced early in its life??)
Reman solenoid pack bad?
Improper transmission calibration when connecting the battery? (didn’t go into reverse from the start, so I couldn’t complete the R-N-D-N-R steps…)
Faulty reverse pressure switch?
Bad reverse servo?
4-3 spring remnants in the VB?
Intermediate clutch seal retaining spring?
Speed sensor issue?
Direct clutch failure?
O/D Band?
I’d really like to get this thing working properly – I constantly fight the urge to push it off a cliff (good thing there are none in Iowa!). I vaguely remember when I first got it and it all worked properly – beautiful car and fun to drive…
Thoughts/opinions welcome. If I missed a post in my searches that addresses this, feel free to flame me as well (and accept my apologies!).
Thanks!
Paul
Let me start off by saying I believe I have read every transmission post on this board over the last 12-15 months with great insight and confidence gained to attempt to fix the common 2001 transmission gremlins. I feel I have addressed the 3 main failure modes out there and am still having issues, so I’d like to put this out to the experts to see where I go next…
Original symptoms:
Would get the dreaded “E” on the dash and lose 4th & 5th gear
Codes for incorrect gear ratio, etc.
History of work completed:
4-3 pre stroke spring – original spring broken, replaced with Sonnax spring…
Soleniod pack – replaced with Sonnax reman part
Servos – replaced OD and intermediate servos with new o-ring design
All of this was completed with the trans in the car. Each of the 3 steps was completed individually, thinking I had fixed the problem after each step. I do NOT recommend attempting the servo replacement with the trans in the car
– if I had known I was going in this deep, I would have removed it…Current issues:
Reverse – delayed engagement when cold (seems to work normal most times when hot). This was not an issue before starting the trans ‘fix’…
4th gear – doesn’t seem to shift into 4th. When shifting from D4 to D5, it goes from 3rd into some sort of gear (based on ratios, doesn’t seem to make sense – about 2500 rpm at 50 mph)
Still getting the “E” on the dash occasionally – usually appears under light acceleration (have not yet read the codes…)
Next steps:
Before I take the trans apart for the 4th time, I’d like to get some opinions. Here is a list of potential causes what I have put together Note: (trans has 113k on it, original fluid looked good, no metal in the pan)
Upper valve body gasket leaking?
Trans re-flash needed? (build date is Jan 2001, trans also has orange sticker on the pan – maybe was replaced early in its life??)
Reman solenoid pack bad?
Improper transmission calibration when connecting the battery? (didn’t go into reverse from the start, so I couldn’t complete the R-N-D-N-R steps…)
Faulty reverse pressure switch?
Bad reverse servo?
4-3 spring remnants in the VB?
Intermediate clutch seal retaining spring?
Speed sensor issue?
Direct clutch failure?
O/D Band?
I’d really like to get this thing working properly – I constantly fight the urge to push it off a cliff (good thing there are none in Iowa!). I vaguely remember when I first got it and it all worked properly – beautiful car and fun to drive…
Thoughts/opinions welcome. If I missed a post in my searches that addresses this, feel free to flame me as well (and accept my apologies!).
Thanks!
Paul
