kpowr82

iTrader: (9)

Hi all, I recently installed a Torquer II cam and got a tune from Jason at Texas Speed.

Here is a brief history.

Got the cam installed with no hitches whatsoever. Got the PCM tuned and took it for a spin. All seemed well at first. First WOT wasn't what I expected. Didn't seem like it was much faster, in fact it seemed slower. I would bang the rev limited in 1st at WOT. The only way I could get it to shift was to ease off the accelerator a bit. Then it would shift in part throttle.

Found out yesterday that the trans fluid was way low. Had to add a total of three quarts till it would read full on the dipstick. Now, the 1-2 shift occurs at exactly 4000 rpms, and the needle still bounces off the rev limiter with no shift into 2 at WOT.

Any ideas? The only thing I can do right now is blame the tune, but I don't konw if that is truly the case.

Before the cam install, the 1-2 was a little harsh (with my converter) but always occured at a reasonable rpm. I didn't notice any slipping at all, and no rev limiter bouncing.

After the cam and tune all these problems occurred all of a sudden.

JETBLACK

iTrader: (1)

Man I'm going thru the same thing. I had a cam install and the car ran great. Sent the pcm off and Had it tuned for the cam and had the shift points raised and the line pressure lowered. The car would not shift and it would xlr8 more if I lifted on the throttle. Finally I lost 3 and 4 gears. The built 4l60e in my car was about 2 months old! I just got the trans back today and my trans guy said the line pressure was so low that it burnt everything. Of course the tuner blames the trans guy and the trans guy blames the tuner. I get the car back tomorrow and I will troubleshoot from there. I did have one guy tell me that under your pan there is what is called a Forward Accumulator piston and on 98 and 99's they are plastic and if it cracks the pressure will by-pass causing it to slip, he said the part cost about 8 bucks for a steel one, I will keep you posted on what I find.

cam75w/ls1

iTrader: (2)

Sounds like a tune problem to me...

kpowr82

iTrader: (9)

Well, I'm not gonna drive it anymore until I find out if line pressure was lowered. You would think after installing a converter and cam the line pressure would have to be RAISED and not lowered.

This is what I'm hoping for. Slowhawk suggested that I may have burned up my clutches running 3 quarts low. It was maybe only 30 miles running that way though. Also, it was banging the rev limiter ever since I had it tuned. I hope I didn't burn anything up.

JETBLACK

iTrader: (1)

I got my car back today and backed up the tune to the previous one and still the same thing. You must be a transmission guy.

kpowr82

iTrader: (9)

Man, I wish I had HPTuners so I could restore my stock tune. At least then I could two foot it around and see if it fixes my part throttle shifts. If it did, then I'd know the trans is fine.

Anyway, the fluid is red, doesn't smell, and is clean and smooth. I'm not throwing any ses codes for the trans. I'm gonna try and fix my idle issues by adjusting my TB per the instructions in the sticky in the external engine forum. Maybe that will do something?

kpowr82

iTrader: (9)

Just went to adjust my TB, everything went fine. Checked the trans fluid for the first time since last night and the level is 1.5" PAST the second hole in the hot section of the dipstick! WTF!? Now I'm really worried.

kpowr82

iTrader: (9)

ttt...

Ragtop 99

iTrader: (7)

I was surprised that you could be 3 QTs low. That's a huge miss.

Getting the tranny fluid level takes patience on these cars. Anytime I add fluid when i think I'm close to the right level, I let the car run a few minutes before rechecking the level.

Take your time and get the fluid right and see where your shift points are.

kpowr82

iTrader: (9)

Yeah, I didn't think I could have lost that much fluid while doing the cam swap, and I didn't, I'm just vey impatient. I drained some fluid yesterday and it is a very dark red. It's not gritty or brown and doesn't smell burnt (doesn't smell new either). I didn't get a chance to drive it after draining, so I'll go do that today.

I wanna drop the pan today or tomorrow. Is there anything I should be looking for? Obviously large metal shavings are a good indicator something is wrong within the trans, but what about shining some light on the internals? Would I be able to see some sort of damage this way? Sorry I'm a trans newb.

Ragtop 99

iTrader: (7)

You should change the filter if you have pan off.

kpowr82

iTrader: (9)

Will do, thanks. Is there anything else I should check for?

kpowr82

iTrader: (9)

All right, I just went for a run and logged with autotap. Apparantely, I haven't lost second gear since autotap shows that the trans is shifting into second gear at part throttle. At WOT throttle it still won't shift. I'm thinking that the line pressure is too low since I can't feel the shift into 2nd at P/T.

I'm gonna load up the stock transmission tables (at a shop or maybe someone local who has HPT).

Is it possible that too low of line pressure would cause the trans to not shift into 2nd at WOT? And also cause the 2nd to 3rd shift at P/T to occur too late?

speedo

iTrader: (15)

Just smell your Trans fluid.. If it smells like axle greese then maybe you have some clutch pack wear, if it smells fresh your probably ok.

My line pressure is 225 at WOT. and about 75-100 at idle with a noyoyo pump. Just screw a line pressure guage into the pressure port on the drivers side of the trans.

I have a problem with his tune also, sent it back there 2 times already and it won't shift into 4th at WOT. Have to lift at the redline in 3rd for it to shift into 4th. Thought it was my tranny also after I called him an he assured me that the tune looked good. Tranny guy said the clutch packs showed no abnormal wear I had some other issues to fix on the trans anyway, but I got that back and a new converter in and it still won't go into 4th so Mine is the tune also. I guess it is pretty tuff to get that right even if you have it on the dyno.

Freind has the same issue with the same tuner....

Think I may try sending it there once more and if that don't help then I am going to have to find someone around here that can do a dyno tune.

kpowr82

iTrader: (9)

That's good to know. I'm guessing those pressure numbers are in PSI? If so, is the trans pressure parameter in ATAP the same as line pressure? Because if it is, my line pressure is like 40 PSI at WOT.

spy2520

iTrader: (3)

you guys think that my problem may be of some relation? MY car is not very modded, but it will hit the rev limiter on the 2-3 shift, i have to let off for it to shift up. Me and HumpinSS tried to figure it out one day in HPT (well he tried, i watched) and didnt break any new ground. It seems you guys are getting this problem too just with different levels of mods. By the way how many miles you guys got, because i started noticing this problem between 67-72k miles, i cant remember exactly when it started.

speedo

iTrader: (15)

Tuff to say. I had about 40K miles on mine when we pulled it. Like I said my deal is the tune, thought it was the trans at first, but I had a bad Torque converter clutch and I needed a new case because the rear bushing was spinning and had real bad viberation. My clutch packs looked pretty good for 40K.

Mine on times just once in a great while will get goofy and hit the limiter on 1-2 second shift, but I think that is more the computer can't tell the trans to shift it fast enough issue.

Could be the packs or band wearing on you if the fluid smells burnt and you see junk in the pan. Could also be a shift Solenoid I think there is two in our trans but I think it would throw a code.

speedo

iTrader: (15)

Yes PSI. I used a Line Pressure guage with about 5 foot of hose (that is the way it came) and held it just outside the drivers side mirror.

Not sure if A-tap can tell the line pressure. I didn't think it could but then again I am dealing with A-tap V1.

40 is quite low. I think you should be a least over 200@ WOT?

kpowr82

iTrader: (9)

Well, if you've got 72k on your stock trans and no tuning done, then it probably is the tranny. I think the problem we are experiencing is a bit different since we just recently modded our cars AND tuned. I guess you and I both have to drop our pans and see if there's anything in the bottom of it. If there is, obviously it's the trans. If the fluid is clean and there isn't anything floating around in the pan, then it's probably something electronic (be it tuning or solenoids).

SPEEDO: Do you know if your measurements were in kPa or PSI for line pressure? Also, do you know if the "Transmission Pressure" parameter in Autotap is the same as line pressure?

kpowr82

iTrader: (9)

Oops, sorry Speedo, you beat me. Is there anyway you could take a picture of the port on the transmission where you hooked up the pressure gauge? Sorry, I'm not real familiar with the trans.

Thanks