NAVYBLU-Z

Hey everyone,

About 100 miles ago I put in a TCI SF3K stall in my '02 B4C. Anyhow, yesterday when I had my cutout capped, I noticed while driving on the freeway and cruising at 60 mph, everytime I would give it a little gas to speed up to 65-70mph, I'd hear a grinding type noise coming from the tranny that would go away after about 5 seconds. this occurred everytime I'd give it a little gas, RPM's while cruising were about 1900, and once at 2200 or so the noise would stop. However, it doesn't seem to do it under WOT, only under the stated scenario. Does anyone else have this problem or know what it is ??? I just got off the phone w/ someone at TCI who said it was the "planetary in the tranny" which I highly doubt and had to just hang up ! Thanks in advance for any advice/help.
- Riki

bluecajun5.3

iTrader: (31)

sounds like its shuddering and struggleing to stay locked up.
do you notice any vibrations?
this is pretty common with those converters.

NAVYBLU-Z

As far as I can tell, there isn't really any vibration that I can feel... Just that awful noise coming from the trans tunnel. Does that mean I have a bad converter and is it safe for me to keep driving the car this way? Thanks

bluecajun5.3

iTrader: (31)

i'll let others with more experience chime in.

my first tci sf3000 (this is in the truck), it did that off and on and at 5k mi. the lockup clutch went out.

i sent it back to them and they sent me a replacement with the billet cover and no problems now. try talking to kevin over there. his name is floating on these forums.

lance

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

Clutch chatter results from too light an apply (and the
clutch material system's response to it). PWM control
of the clutch pressure makes it even lighter than what
the starved line pressure would give you in light cruise.
There is some slip learning that goes on to try and make
it so you have barely enough, and this sucks as well.

Get the PWM minimum set full-on, get the TCC-locked
line pressure bumped up and hope that suffices (I took
mine out for a Fuddle after fighting it for about a year
with only partial success).

NAVYBLU-Z

Thanks for all the help!
Jimmy, to clarify---do you think it is the above stated problem (re the TCC going out) or tis this the same problem you had, which would make it a tuning issue?

NAVYBLU-Z

BluCajun5.3,
Just went for a ride (about 2-3 exits away on freeway), and there is a vibration that is there when that "grinding" or chatter sound is present... So is the converter shot? Or is this a tuning issue?

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

I can't say whether there are, or aren't any mechanical
problems but this all sounds plenty like what mine did,
400 miles into a fresh install plus B&M Trick Shi(f)t fluid.
It started off with reasonable-seeming lockup action
but up in North Carolina commenced to howl on the
off-ramp sweepers where I was giving it some torque
but not enough to get the commanded line pressure up
off zero % (thanks, GM). This began my education on
the whole subject.

I was able to get "adequate" lockup by raising the line
at low throttle via the force motor table, a not-so-good
hack. Now HPTuners has added access to the TCC-locked
line-bump value which is more to-the-point. The clutch
is small, and needs more pressure than a stocker for the
same torque. But if you're stock tune, too bad about
that.

All the chatter is, it the clutch not being held down hard
enough. Top grade ATF would help. I gather TCI has a
good opinion of some transmission mystery goo that you
might try. But I don't like slipping clutches and still
recommend locking it up hard, or niot at all. Slip in the
clutch will really run your fluid temps up, worse than
being unlocked, and may set the P1870 code on you
(which will make you stay unlocked until key-off).

NAVYBLU-Z

Thank you, very much Jimmy... I will forward this info to my tuner to see if he can do anything about it.
Thanks again !

NAVYBLU-Z

Anyone else have this same problem?

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

This is why you run a Transgo shift kit with these converters. The revised TCC valve does just that - it locks it up hard and it holds.

NAVYBLU-Z

I had a stall in my first LS1 which was a '00 Z28...This is my 3rd LS1, and a wife and 2 kids later , I am just plain lazy to install a shift kit in this one! Bryan Herter at PCM4Less tuned my PCM, that's also why I avoided the TransGo. Unless...the TransGo is a permanent fix? If so, then wouldn't that be too much line pressure for the tranny? Or do I just refrain from adding the spacers?

99SSragtop

Mine is doing it as we speak. Im trying to get ahold of James at RWTD and see if he can send me a program to get the clutches to do just what Jimmy is saying. I don't want to go through all the hassle of yanking ( LOL ) out the T/C and installing the stock one for now.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Well, I guess you could just replace the TCC valve and not do the rest of the kit ... though that seems like kind of a waste. If you install the full kit, you'd have to back the tuned line pressure to stock. Spacers have no effect on this. If your problem truly is clutch chatter, there are only three ways to fix it: 1) The shift kit with revised TCC valve. 2) Tuning the force motor tables as Jimmy described. 3)Install another converter.

99SSragtop

RevGTO, Im wondering if James at RWTD can tune the tables?

NAVYBLU-Z

Thanks for the input guys...Well atleast the valve body isn't as bad as pulling the tranny again =)

NAVYBLU-Z

OK, I came to the conclusion that a TransGo shift kit will be going in. Just got off the phone w/a tech there to see if that will correct the problem, and he advised it would and that I am on the verge of setting off the SES light in regards to the infamous 1870 code, but the car has not gone thru enough cycles to set it off. What do you guys think?

99SSragtop

What is the Trans Go Part # for our trany's ?

NAVYBLU-Z

99, I think its just "4L60E-HD2" for the one the tranny shops use...not sure about the one that can be purchased thru summit.

OK, so I spoke w/another tech at TCI who advised the TCC is getting ready to go and (like the tech at TransGo) said that I will soon be setting the DTC 1870, but I just haven't driven the car enough to set the SES light (?). What I'm trying to get out of this is that how do I know for sure if the TCC is shot and not something that can be fixed w/tuning? Is there any way I can check? This is my 1st stall...and aside from that noise, I love it ! I've been getting on it a lot and so far nothing has blown up...Unless I'ts just a matter of time. Thanks again everyone

MNR-0

Chatter doesnt mean its gone. I would do the kit first. If its gone, you only want to do it once.