Transmission on the way out?

[Kstills]

I drive with my cruise control on a lot, and lately the car has spent a lot of time hunting for a gear around 40mph. I didn't think that was too odd, until the car started bucking every once in a while going up hills with the cruise on.

So I disengaged the cc, but now it has started to buck whether it's going up a hill or not, whether the cc is on or not. The odd things is, under hard acceleration there isn't any evidence of the problem, it's only under low rpm acceleration.

Engine idles fine, runs up to the red line in neutral without a pause, no misses at all until it's in gear. No loss of MPG according to the DIC yet.

I'm guessing the clutch plates are starting to slip, but I really don't know. Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[chargerxr]

Is it a 1st gen or 2nd gen?

 

[Kstills]

2nd. 97. Fluid is at the proper level.

 

[Lownslowlsc]

mine does the same thing.. Has been since i've owned it. (11k)

 

[chargerxr]

My guess is you have a coil -on -plug starting to go bad. It's typical for them to start missing under load, but could take a long time to turn on cel. If you have access to a scan tool you can look at individual misfires for each cyl as you drive. If not if will get worse and finally turn on cel.

 

[Kstills]

I just got back from picking up my daughter, and I nailed the gas a few times from a dead stop. No bucking at all, no missing at all. But up around 40mph it started with the bucking.

Weird.

 

[Gurahl]

I'm throwing in with chargerxr. Pull codes and see if you have a miss.

 

[Kstills]

Charger, Gurahl,

Thanks for the replies, and apologies for the late response back.

Seems it is a coil after all. Engine threw a code this morning (I haven't checked it yet) but I'm sure I'll find it's the coil.

Thanks for the help.

 

[kylecm85]

mine has been having the same problem i assumed it was the trans going bad. Mine is a first gen. any ideas on if it could b the coil going out as well.

 

[Kstills]

mine has been having the same problem i assumed it was the trans going bad. Mine is a first gen. any ideas on if it could b the coil going out as well.

Get on it. If you don't feel any shudder at the shift points, chances are it's something else.

Mine was happening (at first) right around the 3-4th shift, which was what was making me think it was the Tranny. That, and it didn't code for almost 2 weeks.

But when it paid attention to the transmission, it was obvious that it was fine.

Good luck.

 

[kylecm85]

When I get on it it seems fine. But it almost does feel like alittle slip going on sometimes. I hope I can figure it out without having to replace the tranny cause I really dnt have that money rite now. But thanks for the reply.

 

[Lownslowlsc]

I have 8 more oem used coils but i dont want to start throwing used coils at it w/o a code..Any advice? And its most tempermental on inclines during 40-45.

 

[chargerxr]

On 1st gen cars the bucking or jerking going up hills around 40-45 is almost always the plug wires. I have had a few 1st gen coils go bad, but it is pretty rare. If your plug wires are original, that's most likely the cause. Buy a decent set such as beldens or borg-warner. Don't buy omni sparks or you will have the same problem.

 

[kylecm85]

I just replaced the plugs and wires but i did go alittle cheap on wires so it might have not fixed the issue. It had motorcrafts on it. But they where not original I put motorcraft plugs back in it. I will prob change the wires again to something better as soon as i have a little spare cash. I might just replace the coils to as I know they are original and it has 160,000 on it know.