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transmission shift problem

Sent to Car Experts July 24 2006 at 5:55 PM
   

I have a 98 Mazda B4000 5 sp OD trans. Some times the torque converter doesn't lock leaving the trans in 4th gear and after a short time the OD light starts to flash. As I understand when in 5th gear the trans is in direct drive. I can always tell when the problem is going to happen by watching the tach. If the tack reading falls to about 2k rpm at 65 mph when shifting everything is fine, but if it stays above that at 2400 to 2500 rpm the problem will start shortly telling me that the trans hasn't shifted into 5th gear. Is this some type of slippage problem in the torque converter or the trans or some type of sensor?
Thanks, Mark Kirwin

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Status:  Closed   Value: $15
Answer
July 24 2006 at 6:07 PM (12 minutes and 4 seconds later)
         
REPLIEDCheck Mark
You have a 4 speed automatic with lockup torque converter not a 5 speed. The extra rpm drop after going into overdrive is from the converter locking up and eliminating the viscous slippage. Anyway...there more than likely is a fault code and you need to try to get any trouble codes out of it first. Also...when it acts up...try switching the Overdrive switch back and forth a few times and then see if locks up and stops the light. Check your fluid level and CONDITION...if it's not blood red, then there could be varnish causing the TCC Solenoid to stick. (TCC - Torque Converter Clutch)
Sparkybuoy -- Auto Mechanic -- 93% Positive Feedback on 193 Car Accepts
20 years experience
Reply
July 25 2006 at 10:40 AM (16 hours and 32 minutes and 33 seconds later)
         
Reply to Sparkybuoy's Post: I have tried pushing the OD button and nothing happens. The only way I can get the OD light out it to turn off the engine and let the computer reset. I have noticed that if I push the OD button several times when I know it hasn't gone into the lock position I can usually get it to eventually lock and then it runs OK as long as the driving conditions stay the same.
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
July 25 2006 at 10:46 AM (5 minutes and 55 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
Either the switch itself is bad or the teeeny wires from the switch coming out of the shift lever have started to rub thru on a surface they're next to and the wire(s) getting ready to break totally and the last resort, the computer is not processing the signal all the time. I've seen many Fords do the rub thru/wire breakage thing.
Sparkybuoy -- Auto Mechanic -- 93% Positive Feedback on 193 Car Accepts
20 years experience
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